AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
PM2.5 and Ultrafine Particles in Green Vs. Non-Green Homes
KANISTHA CHATTERJEE, Patrick Ryan, Sergey A. Grinshpun, Chris Schaffer, Eric Kettleson, Reshmi Indugula, Gary Adamkiewicz, Yang Qiu, Tiina Reponen, University of Cincinnati
Abstract Number: 682 Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
Abstract Environmental concerns for improved energy consumption and reduced carbon emissions are driving a green building/remodeling movement. Energy conservation efforts have resulted in tighter buildings, which have led to a reduction in the air exchange rates between indoor and outdoor environments resulting in poor indoor air quality. Poor air exchange rates could lead to an increase in particles that often originate from indoor sources (tobacco smoke, cooking), but decrease particles from outdoor sources (construction, traffic, combustion). We assessed the concentration of particles alongside relative humidity, temperature and air exchange rates (AER) in 30 non-green and 27 green homes. Temperature and relative humidity were collected using HOBO® continuous data loggers (Onset Computer Corporation). Particles ≤ 2.5 micro-meter (PM2.5) were sampled on 37 mm, 2.0 micro-meter pore-size PTFE membrane filters using single-stage Personal Modular Impactors (SKC, Inc.) and analyzed gravimetrically. In addition, real-time number concentrations of ultrafine particles were assessed using a P-Trak condensation nuclei counter (TSI Inc.). Capillary adsorption tubes (CAT) and sources were placed in different locations of the homes to determine the AER. Information on home characteristics was collected by questionnaires. Preliminary data show that the geometric mean of the number concentration of ultrafine particles was 25,380 cm$^(-3) in green homes and 32,524 cm$^(-3) in non-green homes (p=0.2). The geometric mean of PM2.5 particles was 80 micro-gram m$^(-3) in green homes and 56 micro-gram m$^(-3) in non-green homes (p=0.1). The relative humidity had an arithmetic mean of 44% in green homes and 42% in control homes (p=0.6). AER was significantly higher (p=0.02) in non-green homes (median=3.1 h$^(-1)) as compared to green homes (median=1.1 h$^(-1)). The results from examining the fine and ultrafine particle exposure in post-renovated green homes compared to non-green homes, and the relationships between ventilation, mass and number concentrations and green housing characteristics are presented.