Title | The effect of penetration factor, deposition, and environmental factors on the indoor concentration of pm2.5 sulfate, nitrate, and carbon |
Publication Type | Conference Proceedings |
Year of Publication | 2002 |
Authors | Tracy L Thatcher, Melissa M Lunden, Richard G Sextro, Susanne V Hering, Nancy J Brown |
Conference Name | Proceedings of the Indoor Air 2002 Conference, Monterey, CA |
Volume | 1 |
Pagination | 846-851 |
Publisher | Indoor Air 2002, Santa Cruz, CA |
Abstract | Indoor exposure to particles of outdoor origin constitutes an important exposure pathway. We conducted an intensive set of indoor particle measurements in an unoccupied house under differing operating conditions. Real-time measurements were conducted both indoors and outdoors, including PM2.5 nitrate, sulfate, and carbon. Because the time-scale of the fluctuations in outdoor particle concentrations and meteorological conditions are often similar to the time constant for building air exchange, a steady state concentration may never be reached. The time-series experimental data were used to determine the effect of changes in air exchange rate and indoor/outdoor temperature and relative humidity differences on indoor particle concentrations. A multivariate regression was performed to investigate the difference between measured indoor concentrations and results from a simple time-dependent physical model. Environmental conditions had a significant effect on indoor concentrations of all three PM2.5 species, but did not explain all of the model variation. |