Indoor and outdoor concentrations of inorganic acidic aerosols and gases

Journal Article · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.1991.10466834· OSTI ID:5383557

Brauer, M; Koutrakis, P; Keeler, G J; Spengler, J D ^[1]

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1. Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (USA)

Annular denuder-filter pack sampling systems were used to make indoor and outdoor measurements of aerosol strong H{sup +}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}, NH{sub 4}{sup +}, NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}} and NO{sub 2}{sup {minus}}, and the gaseous pollutants SO{sub 2}, HNO{sub 3}, HONO and NH{sub 3} during summer and winter periods in Boston, Massachusetts. Outdoor levels of SO{sub 2}, HNO{sub 3}, H{sup +} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}} exceeded their indoor concentrations during both seasons. Winter indoor/outdoor ratios were lower than during the summer, probably due to lower air exchange rates during the winter period. During both monitoring periods, indoor/outdoor ratios of aerosol strong H{sub +} were 40-50% of the indoor/outdoor SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}} ratio. Since aerosol strong acidity is typically associated with SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}, this finding is indicative of neutralization of the acidic aerosol by the higher indoor NH{sub 3} levels. Geometric mean indoor/outdoor NH{sub 3} ratios of 3.5 and 23 respectively were measured for the summer and winter sampling periods. For HONO, NH{sub 3}, NH{sub 4}{sup +} and NO{sub 2}{sup {minus}}, indoor concentrations were significantly higher than ambient levels. Indoor levels of NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}} were slightly less than outdoor concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 5383557
• Journal Information: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association; (United States) Vol. 41:2; ISSN JAWAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AMMONIA
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIONS
CATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN IONS
HYDROGEN IONS 1 PLUS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INORGANIC ACIDS
IONS
MONITORING
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS ACID
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SOLS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES