Elemental carbon and respirable particulate matter in the indoor air of apartments and nursery schools and ambient air in Berlin (Germany)

Abstract

In the absence of indoor sources a significant correlation with regard to respirable particulate matter (RPM) and elemental carbon concentrations between the indoor and ambient air of apartments was observed. The high degree of certainty resulting from this correlation underscores the importance of ambient air concentrations for indoor air quality. In nursery schools we found higher concentrations of RPM. An explanation of these results could be the high number of occupants in the room, their activity and the cleaning intensity.

Investigation of indoor environmental quality in Shanghai metro stations, China

“…The average concentrations of PM0.7 and PM2.5 predicted for an indoor environment with an HVAC with a low to medium efficiency filter near a busy arterial road were 0.019 ± 0.011 and 0.053 ± 0.030 mg/m 3 , respectively (Jamriska et al 1999). In Berlin, the indoor PM10 concentration was 0.027 mg/m 3 in nonsmoking apartments and 0.053 mg/m 3 in nursery schools (Fromme et al 2005). The average ratios between the PM fractions were also analyzed.…”

Particles in the Indoor Environment

“…In different studies it could be shown that smoking is the most important influencing factor for the PM contents (e.g. Özkaynak et al, 1995;Wallace & Howard-Reed, 2002;Lai et al, 2004;Fromme et al, 2005;Breysse et al, 2005;Héroux et al, 2010;Franck et al, 2011). In Germany, the mean PM 4 concentrations in smoker households amounted in winter and summer, for instance, to 109 µg/m³ and 59 µg/m³ respectively, and in non smoker households they amounted during the two seasons only to 28 µg/m³ (Fromme et al, 2005).…”

“…Özkaynak et al, 1995;Wallace & Howard-Reed, 2002;Lai et al, 2004;Fromme et al, 2005;Breysse et al, 2005;Héroux et al, 2010;Franck et al, 2011). In Germany, the mean PM 4 concentrations in smoker households amounted in winter and summer, for instance, to 109 µg/m³ and 59 µg/m³ respectively, and in non smoker households they amounted during the two seasons only to 28 µg/m³ (Fromme et al, 2005). Other important influencing factors for the indoor air contents are the season, the outdoor air, the ventilation behaviour, the age and the location of the buildings and indoor activities such as cooking, the use of ovens and the burning of incense sticks (Mönkkönen et al, 2005;Martuzevicius et al, 2008;Santen et al, 2009;Rodes et al, 2010;Héroux et al, 2010;Byun et al, 2010;Raaschou-Nielsen et al, 2011).…”

Gesundheitliche Bedeutung von Feinstaub in der Innenraumluft

“…Unter "Feinstaub" verstand man früher PM 10 . Grobstaub war entsprechend der gröbere Anteil des Gesamt-Schwebstaubes (TSP, "total suspended particulate matter").…”