Investigating surface production reactions indoors using a detailed chemical model

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Increasing attention is being paid to indoor air quality and building related symptoms such as headaches, allergy and eye irritation. Indoor air pollutants are generated through activities such as cooking, cleaning or smoking, as well as emitted from building materials, paints, carpets, furnishing and cleaning products. They can also ingress from outdoors, and consequently, indoor environments often contain higher concentrations of air pollutants than outdoors. There is increasing evidence that secondary air pollutants may be responsible for some of the observed health effects indoors. Such secondary pollutants can be a by-product of surface production reactions indoors. An indoor chemical model (INDCM) that employs a detailed chemical mechanism has been used to investigate surface interactions indoors. Through modelling surface emissions, it is possible to investigate how they impact on the indoor air quality. The study shows that air pollutants can be removed from indoor air on a variety of surfaces commonly found in the indoor environment. Further, these reactions lead to the production of a range of species such as aldehydes, which may be of concern for health.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAir Pollution XXIII
EditorsJ. W. S. Longhurst, C. Capilla, C. A. Brebbia, J. Barnes
PublisherWIT Press
Pages321-328
Number of pages8
Volume198
ISBN (Print)9781845649647
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2015
Event23rd International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution, AIR 2015 - Valencia, United Kingdom
Duration: 1 Jun 20153 Jun 2015

Publication series

NameWIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment
PublisherWIT Press
Volume198
ISSN (Electronic)1743-3541

Conference

Conference23rd International Conference on Modelling, Monitoring and Management of Air Pollution, AIR 2015
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityValencia
Period1/06/153/06/15

Keywords

  • Indoor air quality
  • Modeling indoor air pollution
  • Secondary indoor air pollutants
  • Surface production
  • VOC

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