Comparison of indoor and outdoor air quality. Final report, March 1981

Technical Report · Sat Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6795433· OSTI ID:6795433

Moschandreas, D. J.; Zabransky, J.; Pelton, D. J.

Data are presented from a 24-month comprehensive study of the air quality in indoor non-industrial environments. A nine-month field study in the Boston metropolitan area monitored and compared indoor and outdoor air quality at ten residences and two office buildings. Seasonal variations were investigated under real-life conditions. Residences were classified as having indoor sources (gas facilities) or lacking indoor sources (electric facilities). Sulfur dioxide and ozone concentrations were consistently higher outdoors while indoor levels of nonmethane hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide were consistently higher. In general, indoor concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide are greater than corresponding outdoor levels in residences with gas facilities. The indoor concentrations of CO, NO and NO/sub 2/ in residences with electric facilities are similar to outdoor levels. Indoor office concentrations of CO, NO and NO/sub 2/ usually track outdoor levels. Concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP) were consistently higher indoors at all residences, but the difference was more pronounced at residences with smoking occupants. Indoor levels of TSP at the office buildings were equal to or slightly below outdoor levels.

• Research Organization: Geomet, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6795433
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EA-1733
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHRONIC INTAKE
COLLOIDS
DATA
DATA ACQUISITION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC POWER
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HOUSES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
HYDROCARBONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INFORMATION
INTAKE
MASSACHUSETTS
MONITORING
NATURAL GAS
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
NUMERICAL DATA
OFFICE BUILDINGS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
POWER
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESIDUES
SMOKES
SOLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TOBACCO SMOKES
USA