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Chemistry and indoor air quality in a multi-storey wooden passive (low energy) building: Formation of peroxyacetyl nitrate

Fischer, Andreas ; Langer, Sarka and Ljungström, Evert (2014) In Indoor & Built Environment 23(3). p.485-496
Abstract
Indoor air measurements were conducted in one unoccupied apartment of a ‘near-zero-energy’ residential building with a unique, wooden construction. Ozone, NO2, fine particles and volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) were measured under ‘as is’ conditions and after intentional intervention by adding ozone to simulate an ambient air ozone episode. Undisturbed concentrations were: O3 5–10?ppb, NO2 5–8?ppb, fine particles 2000–5000?cm?3, formaldehyde 35?±?5?µg/m3, PAN 0.3?ppb. During intervention, O3 was 50–60?ppb, NO2 15–20?ppb, fine particles 20,000–25,000?cm?3, formaldehyde 44?±?2?µg/m3 and PAN 0.7–1?ppb. It was shown that chemical reactions had taken place in the indoor air. Ozone-initiated... (More)
Indoor air measurements were conducted in one unoccupied apartment of a ‘near-zero-energy’ residential building with a unique, wooden construction. Ozone, NO2, fine particles and volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) were measured under ‘as is’ conditions and after intentional intervention by adding ozone to simulate an ambient air ozone episode. Undisturbed concentrations were: O3 5–10?ppb, NO2 5–8?ppb, fine particles 2000–5000?cm?3, formaldehyde 35?±?5?µg/m3, PAN 0.3?ppb. During intervention, O3 was 50–60?ppb, NO2 15–20?ppb, fine particles 20,000–25,000?cm?3, formaldehyde 44?±?2?µg/m3 and PAN 0.7–1?ppb. It was shown that chemical reactions had taken place in the indoor air. Ozone-initiated chemistry produced various aldehydes, PAN and, as a direct response to increased ozone concentrations, also fine particles. Calculations made by a simple model of PAN formation showed that an air change rate of around 0.2?h?1 would provide optimum conditions for PAN formation in a setting comparable to that of the investigated apartment. This air change rate is well below the Swedish national minimum of 0.5?h?1. Further, the calculations show that the non-photochemical PAN formation could be a consequence of mixing ozone and nitrogen dioxide with terpenes and acetaldehyde. (Less)
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author
; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Indoor air chemistry, Low-energy wooden building, Ozone, Peroxyacetyl nitrate, Terpenes, Fine particles, Ventilation
in
Indoor & Built Environment
volume
23
issue
3
pages
485 - 496
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:84901706216
ISSN
1420-326X
DOI
10.1177/1420326X13487917
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
edb92808-60b5-428f-8cdd-c3352edcd068 (old id 7515682)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:04:57
date last changed
2022-01-29 08:11:59
@article{edb92808-60b5-428f-8cdd-c3352edcd068,
  abstract     = {{Indoor air measurements were conducted in one unoccupied apartment of a ‘near-zero-energy’ residential building with a unique, wooden construction. Ozone, NO2, fine particles and volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) were measured under ‘as is’ conditions and after intentional intervention by adding ozone to simulate an ambient air ozone episode. Undisturbed concentrations were: O3 5–10?ppb, NO2 5–8?ppb, fine particles 2000–5000?cm?3, formaldehyde 35?±?5?µg/m3, PAN 0.3?ppb. During intervention, O3 was 50–60?ppb, NO2 15–20?ppb, fine particles 20,000–25,000?cm?3, formaldehyde 44?±?2?µg/m3 and PAN 0.7–1?ppb. It was shown that chemical reactions had taken place in the indoor air. Ozone-initiated chemistry produced various aldehydes, PAN and, as a direct response to increased ozone concentrations, also fine particles. Calculations made by a simple model of PAN formation showed that an air change rate of around 0.2?h?1 would provide optimum conditions for PAN formation in a setting comparable to that of the investigated apartment. This air change rate is well below the Swedish national minimum of 0.5?h?1. Further, the calculations show that the non-photochemical PAN formation could be a consequence of mixing ozone and nitrogen dioxide with terpenes and acetaldehyde.}},
  author       = {{Fischer, Andreas and Langer, Sarka and Ljungström, Evert}},
  issn         = {{1420-326X}},
  keywords     = {{Indoor air chemistry; Low-energy wooden building; Ozone; Peroxyacetyl nitrate; Terpenes; Fine particles; Ventilation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{485--496}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Indoor & Built Environment}},
  title        = {{Chemistry and indoor air quality in a multi-storey wooden passive (low energy) building: Formation of peroxyacetyl nitrate}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1420326X13487917}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1420326X13487917}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}