American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA

Abstract View

Heating and Indoor Air Quality on the Navajo Nation

JOANNA GORDON, John Ortega, Mike Russel, Evan Coffey, Josh Bowen, Ashley Collier, Ricardo Piedrahita, Nick Masson, Margaret Mayer, Barbara Klein, Perry Charley, Michael Hannigan, University of Colorado at Boulder

Abstract Number: 389
Working Group: Indoor Aerosols

Abstract
On the Navajo Nation, a diverse set of fuels are used to heat homes during winter months. The most common fuels used for home heating are wood, coal, propane, natural gas, and pellets. The type of fuel used for heating is thought to be an important parameter in consideration of indoor air quality during periods of cold weather in this region. Previous studies have revealed some homes on the Navajo Nation that burn coal for heat can contain relatively high concentrations of fine particulate matter. To better understand the extent to which the type of heating fuel chosen can impact indoor air quality, gas phase pollutants and fine particulate matter are monitored inside and outside homes in two communities on the Navajo Nation: Shiprock, New Mexico and Tsaile, Arizona.

The filter samples collected enable characterization of the fine particulate matter in homes via gravimetric and ECOC (Elemental Carbon-Organic Carbon) analysis. These measurements give insight toward the chemistry of combustion byproducts from different fuels and how they may respectively affect indoor air quality. The monitored gas phase species include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. The gas phase measurements are gained through the employ of Pods, recently developed air monitors from the Hannigan Research Group at the University of Colorado. They serve as a low cost and portable alternative to other available technologies, enabling concurrent measurements in multiple homes, and a basis for comparison of homes using different fuels under very similar meteorological conditions.