Characterization and Modeling of Indoor Air Pollution in Urban Indian Built Environments
ALOK KUMAR THAKUR, Sameer Patel,
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar Abstract Number: 169
Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
AbstractIndoor air quality (IAQ) is an increasingly important concern in both developed and developing nations, as people spend 90% of their time indoors, with a significant portion of that time spent in their homes. Unlike developed nations, IAQ studies in urban built environments in India are limited in terms of both measurement and modeling. Limited work on IAQ in urban Indian build environments is restricted to PM mass concentration (mostly with low size resolution) and offline and online measurements of some gaseous species. The paucity of measurements inhibits further analysis required for built environment characterization and modeling of source, transport, transformation, and the fate of pollutants inside built environments.
The current study consists of longitudinal cross-sectional IAQ measurements in multiple built environments, including residential and non-residential spaces. While no interventions and prescribed activities were performed in most study sites, semi-controlled experiments were performed in one residential apartment to gain deeper insights. IAQ measurements included real-time aerodynamic particle size distribution data (~0.5-20 µm), PM
1,2.5,10 (using nephelometer and low-cost air quality monitors), CO
2, VOC, O
3, HCHO, and CO. In addition, thermal comfort parameters (RH & T) were also measured.
Indoor spatio-temporal and outdoor PM levels were captured by multiple units of low-cost air quality monitors. Spatio-temporal PM measurements provided insights into emissions sources profile and transport of emissions within the indoor space. The efficacy of different mitigation strategies, such as increased natural ventilation and portable air purifiers, was investigated. In addition, installing filters on indoor air conditioning units was also assessed as a mitigation strategy.