(Not) Burning Down the House: Investigating the Fate of wildfire Smoke in Homes

DELPHINE K. FARMER, Kathryn Mayer, Liora Mael, Lauren A. Garofalo, Jienan Li, Katelyn Rediger, Michael Link, Dustin Poppendieck, Marina Vance, Colorado State University

     Abstract Number: 178
     Working Group: Biomass Combustion: Outdoor/Indoor Transport and Indoor Air Quality

Abstract
Wildfires are increasing in both intensity and frequency across the western United States, and people across the region are experiencing increased wildfire smoke outdoors and inside their own homes. The mechanisms by which smoke particles and gases transform when they move and age inside a building are poorly constrained. The Chemical Assessment of Surfaces and Air (CASA) study took place at the Net Zero Energy Residential Test Facility at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD. CASA included repeated experiments in which either fresh or aged smoke was injected directly into the house. The smoke was allowed to transport and transform throughout the house; experimental perturbations included the addition of ozone, the presence of high levels of relative humidity (75% vs 30% RH), and the use of various air cleaning devices. Measurements included aerosol composition by high resolution aerosol mass spectrometry, size distribution from the ultrafine through coarse modes, gas-phase organic compounds by various chemical ionization mass spectrometry measurements, and an array of surface measurements. This presentation will provide an overview of these experiments, and how they inform our understanding of wildfire smoke chemistry and mitigation in the indoor environment.