Overview of HOMEChem: House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry

Abstract

The House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry (HOMEChem) study was a large-scale collaborative experimental investigation probing indoor air composition and chemistry.

Indoor Surface Chemistry: Developing a Molecular Picture of Reactions on Indoor Interfaces

“…vibrational spectroscopy (Raman scattering) Craig et al, 83 Rindelaub et al 84 ll House Observations of Microbial and Environmental Chemistry (HOMEChem) experiment is an example of the kind of study that integrates field measurements in an indoor environment with the control of variables similar to a laboratory environment, with the goal of providing data for indoor air chemistry models. 100 For example, from this combination of the state-of-the-art measurements with kinetic modeling, it was revealed that multiphase chemistry drives inorganic chlorinated and nitrogenated compounds in indoor air during bleach cleaning. 67 Overall, as greater emphasis is placed on understanding the surface as an active participant in indoor chemistry, and not simply as an unknown entity that is a host to multiphase chemistry, the overall understanding of the chemistry of indoor environments and impacts on human health will improve.…”

The atmospheric chemistry of indoor environments

“…A gas stove or burning candle greatly increases the number density of ultrane particles, 127,128 whereas cooking and smoking lead to the aerosol mass loading being substantially higher. 129,130 Another common source of indoor particles is via mechanical processes, such as humans walking or air ow, which leads to the generation and/or resuspension of large particles such as dust, carpet bres, etc. 131,132 In the absence of in situ particle production, the major source of indoor particulate matter (PM) is inltration of outdoor aerosol particles through walls and windows.…”

Surface reservoirs dominate dynamic gas-surface partitioning of many indoor air constituents

“…During the EV experiments, the house was repeatedly flushed at intervals with outside air, and then the indoor air composition was allowed to rebound under normal ventilation (house closed) conditions. The EV experiments were described in the HOMEChem overview paper (28) as "sequential ventilation" experiments. In this work, we use "enhanced-ventilation" to describe that the house ventilation rate was enhanced during each of these sequential experiments.…”