Indoor and outdoor particle size characterization at a familyhouse in Espoo--Finland
Husseina, T., Hameria, K.H. and Kulmalaa, M.
2005 Atmospheric Environment 39 3697-3709
Husseina, T., Hameria, K.H. and Kulmalaa, M., (2005), "Indoor and outdoor particle size characterization at a familyhouse in Espoo--Finland", Atmospheric Environment 39 3697-3709.
Abstract:
Aerosol particle number size distributions (3-400 nm) were measured for three weeks both indoors and outdoors in a familyhouse with natural ventilation in Espoo, Finland. We investigated the indoor-to-outdoor relationship of aerosol particles and analyzed the effects of indoor activities on the particle number size distributions. We also estimated the decayrate of indoor aerosol particle number concentrations. As expected, in the absence of indoor sources of aerosol particles the indoor particles originated from outdoors and the number concentrations followed similar patterns as those outdoors. The maximum penetration was found for particles between 100 and 400nm in diameter. The mean value of the I/O values was 0.36 for ultrafine particles (UFP diameter o100 nm) and 0.60 for particles larger than 100nm in diameter. Because of the penetration and deposition processes of aerosol particles, the modal structure of indoor particle number size distributions had larger geometric mean diameters and significantlylower number concentrations of UFP than those outdoors. The natural ventilation did not provide a stable and controlled indoor-tooutdoor relationship of aerosol particles and it caused variable I/O values and time-lags (10-45 min). In the presence of indoor activities, the indoor particle number concentrations cannot be directlyestimated from the outdoor number concentrations only. The loss rate of UFP in the indoor air ranged from 1 h1 for 10nm particles to 0.1 h1 for 100nm particles in diameter. The quantitative and qualitative results presented in the current studyare building and condition specific. However, t he results provide a better understanding of the particle number size distribution characterizations indoors, especiallyduring different indoor activities.
This publication in whole or part might be found online. Check the sources on the related article below. Or use search engines on the web.