Grantee Research Project Results

2017 Progress Report: Indoor Exposure to Pollutants Associated with Oxidative Chemistry: Field Studies and Window-Opening Behavior

EPA Grant Number: R835751
Title: Indoor Exposure to Pollutants Associated with Oxidative Chemistry: Field Studies and Window-Opening Behavior
Investigators: Ercal, Nuran , Morrison, Glenn C , Williams, Brent
Current Investigators: Morrison, Glenn C , Williams, Brent , Ercal, Nuran
Institution: Missouri University of Science and Technology , Washington University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: November 1, 2014 through October 31, 2017 (Extended to October 31, 2019)
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2016 through October 31,2017
Project Amount: $999,999
RFA: Indoor Air and Climate Change (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air , Climate Change

Objective:

Specific objectives are to (1) quantify chemical precursors and chemical products associated with infiltration of photochemical oxidants from ambient air in residential settings, (2) evaluate the influence of natural ventilation on indoor chemistry, and (3) quantify current residential natural ventilation behavior and its relationship to region, local climate, construction type and other site-specific phenomena. The objectives have not changed from the original proposal.

Progress Summary:

During the third year, a deeper analysis of field research took place. In general, window opening causes the composition of indoor spaces to be “more like outdoor” air. Indoor ozone increases and the composition of aerosols becomes more like the composition of outdoor aerosols. Window opening tends to increase the impact of outdoor air, but alters processes taking place indoors that increase the rate of oxidation of surfaces and also increase the off-gassing of semivolatile organic compounds like plasticizers.

Further surveys took place during year 3 totaling 2,242 individual responses. During mild weather (spring, fall), up to 80% of respondents open windows in the southwestern US at least once a day, whereas in the southeast only 40% open windows in the same temperature range. Windows are open more hours during the afternoon than in the evenings, which could influence exposure to pollutants that are at a maximum in the afternoon, such as ozone. Many demographic parameters have little impact on window opening such as gender, race, income, etc.

Future Activities:

During year 4, Task 2: We anticipate completing a second field campaign in the St. Louis region. As with the first field experiment, we intend to set up instruments in a small single-family detached residence. The field work is described in detail in the proposal, but we hope to include several new instruments that may become available. We will continue to deploy surveys throughout the first 6 months of 2018 to ensure that we have good statistics for seasonal behavior.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 15 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Exposure, aerosol, ozone, house, ventilation

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.