Investigation of the PM2.5, NO2 and O3 I/O ratios for office and school microenvironments

Krystallia K Kalimeri; John G Bartzis; Ioannis A Sakellaris; Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.108791

Investigation of the PM_2.5, NO₂ and O₃ I/O ratios for office and school microenvironments

Environ Res. 2019 Dec;179(Pt A):108791. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108791. Epub 2019 Oct 2.

Authors

Krystallia K Kalimeri¹, John G Bartzis², Ioannis A Sakellaris³, Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Environmental Technology Laboratory, Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Bakola & Sialvera, 50132, Kozani, Greece. Electronic address: kkalimeri@uowm.gr.
² Environmental Technology Laboratory, Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Bakola & Sialvera, 50132, Kozani, Greece. Electronic address: bartzis@uowm.gr.
³ Environmental Technology Laboratory, Dep. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Bakola & Sialvera, 50132, Kozani, Greece. Electronic address: isakellaris@uowm.gr.
⁴ Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: eof@fe.up.pt.

PMID: 31605869
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108791

Abstract

Differentiation of the exposure to PM_2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter), NO₂ and O₃ i.e. pollutants of outdoor origin, due to the occupation of office and school microenvironments, was investigated through the quantification of the respective Indoor to Outdoor (I/O) ratios, in simple statistical terms. For that cause, indoor and outdoor observation data were retrieved from the HEALS EDMS database, and more specifically the data from the OFFICAIR and the SINPHONIE EU projects. The I/O ratios were produced and were statistically analyzed in order to be able to study the influence of the indoor environment against the pollutants coming from outdoors. The present statistical approach highlighted also the differences of I/O ratios between the two studied microenvironments for each pollutant. For exposure estimation to the above-mentioned pollutants, the probability and cumulative distribution function (pdf/cdf) empirical approximations led to the conclusion that for offices the I/O ratios of PM_2.5 follow a normal distribution, while NO₂ and O₃ a gamma distribution. Respectively, for schools the I/O ratios of all pollutants follow a lognormal distribution.

Keywords: Fine particles; Nitrogen dioxide; Office; Ozone; School.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants*
Air Pollution, Indoor / statistics & numerical data*
Environmental Monitoring*
Particulate Matter / analysis*
Schools
Workplace

Substances

Air Pollutants
Particulate Matter