Evaluating sources of indoor air pollution

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.1990.10466703· OSTI ID:6873642

Tichenor, B A; Sparks, L A; White, J B; Jackson, M D ^[1]

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA)

Evaluation of indoor air pollution problems requires an understanding of the relationship between sources, air movement, and outdoor air exchange. Research is underway to investigate these relationships. A three-phase program is being implemented: (1) Environmental chambers are used to provide source emission factors for specific indoor pollutants; (2) An IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) model has been developed to calculate indoor pollutant concentrations based on chamber emissions data and the air exchange and air movement within the indoor environment; and (3) An IAQ test house is used to conduct experiments to evaluate the model results. Examples are provided to show how this coordinated approach can be used to evaluate specific sources of indoor air pollution. Two sources are examined: (1) para-dichlorobenzene emissions from solid moth repellant; and (2) emissions from unvented kerosene heaters. The evaluation process for both sources followed the three-phase approach discussed above. Para-dichlorobenzene emission factors were determined by small chamber testing at EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory. Particle emission factors for the kerosene heaters were developed in large chambers at the J.B. Pierce Foundation Laboratory. Both sources were subsequently evaluated in EPA's IAQ test house. The IAQ model predictions showed good agreement with the test house measurements when appropriate values were provided for source emissions, outside air exchange, in-house air movement, and deposition on sink surfaces.

• OSTI ID: 6873642
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (USA), Vol. 40:4; ISSN 1047-3289
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
AIR QUALITY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
KEROSENE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPACE HEATERS
US EPA
AIR POLLUTION
APPLIANCES
AROMATICS
DATA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FUELS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HEATERS
INFORMATION
LIQUID FUELS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
US ORGANIZATIONS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)