TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of chemical and microbial species from size-segregated indoor and outdoor particulate samples
AU - Sippula, Olli
AU - Rintala, Helena
AU - Happo, Mikko
AU - Jalava, Pasi
AU - Kuuspalo, Kari
AU - Virén, Annika
AU - Leskinen, Ari
AU - Markkanen, Ari
AU - Komppula, Mika
AU - Markkanen, Piia
AU - Lehtinen, Kari
AU - Jokiniemi, Jorma
AU - Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - The respirable particles in both outdoor and indoor air contain several different components that are considered to have adverse health effects; e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), various metals and microbial species. In this study, size segregated particle samples were collected for chemical, microbial and toxicological analyses from the indoor and outdoor air during each season of the year. The indoor sampling was carried out in a new, detached house with a novel sampling approach. The inorganic species accounted for 8–43% of the total respirable particles. The highest fine particle metal concentrations, both outdoors and indoors, were observed during summer, when the air quality was affected by wildfire smoke plumes, while in coarse particles the total metal concentrations were the highest during the spring, due to the high contribution from mineral dust. The PAH concentrations were 1.3 to 4.8 times higher in outdoor than in indoor air, and they were clearly the highest during winter, most probably due to residential heating, which is a major PAH source. PAHs with four rings had the largest contribution to the total PAHs. Microbial DNA was observed in all size classes, but the highest concentrations were measured in the coarse (PM2.5–10) fraction. The microbial concentrations were higher in the indoor air samples during winter, while in the outdoor ones during summer.
AB - The respirable particles in both outdoor and indoor air contain several different components that are considered to have adverse health effects; e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), various metals and microbial species. In this study, size segregated particle samples were collected for chemical, microbial and toxicological analyses from the indoor and outdoor air during each season of the year. The indoor sampling was carried out in a new, detached house with a novel sampling approach. The inorganic species accounted for 8–43% of the total respirable particles. The highest fine particle metal concentrations, both outdoors and indoors, were observed during summer, when the air quality was affected by wildfire smoke plumes, while in coarse particles the total metal concentrations were the highest during the spring, due to the high contribution from mineral dust. The PAH concentrations were 1.3 to 4.8 times higher in outdoor than in indoor air, and they were clearly the highest during winter, most probably due to residential heating, which is a major PAH source. PAHs with four rings had the largest contribution to the total PAHs. Microbial DNA was observed in all size classes, but the highest concentrations were measured in the coarse (PM2.5–10) fraction. The microbial concentrations were higher in the indoor air samples during winter, while in the outdoor ones during summer.
KW - ambient aerosol
KW - I/O ratio
KW - indoor aerosol
KW - microbes
KW - PAH
KW - particle chemical composition
U2 - 10.4209/aaqr.2012.11.0300
DO - 10.4209/aaqr.2012.11.0300
M3 - Article
VL - 13
SP - 1212
EP - 1230
JO - Aerosol and Air Quality Research
JF - Aerosol and Air Quality Research
SN - 1680-8584
IS - 4
ER -