Indoor-Outdoor Atmospheric Particulate Matter Relationships in Naturally Ventilated Offices

Abstract

Atmospheric particle size distribution and number concentrations were investigated in three naturally ventilated offices and outdoors. The offices were located in a University suburban campus in newly constructed, one-storey buildings. Measurements were conducted with a laser optical particle counter. Synoptic meteorological data, for the duration of the experiment, were obtained from the NOAA satellite data archive. The indoor to outdoor averaged number concentration ratios in the offices during working hours were in the range of 0.35-14.68. Construction activities in the vicinity of one office had a pronounced effect on the indoor number concentrations of particulate matter (PM). Indoor sources were traced to the movement of people, computer operation and environmental tobacco smoke. Re-suspension, appears to contribute to the number concentrations of PM, over all size ranges. Meteorological conditions with respect to office orientation also had a significant impact on indoor PM number concentrations.

Keywords

Indoor/Outdoor aerosol Particle number concentration Particle size distribution Offices Natural ventilation

References

Thatcher TL , Layton DW : Deposition, re-suspension and penetration of particles within a residence : Atmos Environ 1995;29: 1487-1497 .

Monn Ch : Exposure assessment of air pollutants: a review on spatial heterogeneity and indoor/outdoor/personal exposure to suspended particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone : Atmos Environ 2001;35: 1-32 .

Luoma M , Batterman SA : Characterization of particulate emissions from occupant activities in offices : Indoor Air 2001;11: 35-48 .

Abt E , Suh HH , Allen G , Koutrakis P : Characterization of indoor particle sources: a study conducted in the metropolitan Boston area : Environ Health Perspect 2000;108(1): 35-44 .

Kulmala M , Asmi A , Pirjola L : Indoor air aerosol model: the effect of outdoor air, filtration and ventilation on indoor concentrations : Atmos Environ 1999;33: 2133-2144 .

Jones NC , Thornton CA , Mark D , Harrison RM : Indoor/outdoor relationships of particulate matter in domestic homes with roadside, urban and rural locations : Atmos Environ 2002;34: 603-2612 .

Air Resources Laboratory, NOAA, USA: www.arl.noaa.gov.

Bartlett KH , Martinez M , Bert J : Modeling of occupant-generated CO2 dynamics in naturally ventilated classrooms : J Occup Environ Hyg 2004;1: 139-148 .

Miller SL , Nazaroff WW : Environmental tobacco smoke particles in multizone indoor environments : Atmos Environ 2001;35: 2053-2067 .

10.

Lee SC , Lam S , Fai HK : Characterization of VOCs, ozone, and PM10 emissions from office equipment in an environmental chamber : Build Environ 2001;36: 837-842 .

11.

Lee S-C , Wang B : Characteristics of emissions of air pollutants from burning of incense in a large environmental chamber : Atmos Environ 2004;38: 941-951 .

12.

Liao C-M , Huanga S-J , Yub H : Size-dependent particulate matter indoor/outdoor relationships for a wind-induced naturally ventilated airspace : Build Environ 2004;39: 411-420 .

13.

Fisk WJ : Health and productivity gains from better indoor environments and their relationship with building energy efficiency : Annu Rev Energy Environ 2000;25: 537-566 .