Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Human Emissions of Size-Resolved Fluorescent Aerosol Particles: Influence of Personal and Environmental Factors
 
research article

Human Emissions of Size-Resolved Fluorescent Aerosol Particles: Influence of Personal and Environmental Factors

Yang, Shen  
•
Beko, Gabriel
•
Wargocki, Pawel
Show more
January 5, 2021
Environmental Science & Technology

Human emissions of fluorescent aerosol particles (FAPs) can influence the biological burden of indoor air. Yet, quantification of FAP emissions from human beings remains limited, along with a poor understanding of the underlying emission mechanisms. To reduce the knowledge gap, we characterized human emissions of size-segregated FAPs (1-10 mu m) and total particles in a climate chamber with low-background particle levels. We probed the influence of several personal factors (clothing coverage and age) and environmental parameters (level of ozone, air temperature, and relative humidity) on particle emissions from human volunteers. A material-balance model showed that the mean emission rate ranged 53-16 x 10(6) fluorescent particles per person-h (0.30-1.2 mg per person-h), with a dominant size mode within 3-5 mu m. Volunteers wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants produced 40% more FAPs relative to those wearing t-shirts and shorts. Particle emissions varied across the age groups: seniors (average age 70.5 years) generated 50% fewer FAPs compared to young adults (25.0 years) and teenagers (13.8 years). While we did not observe a measurable influence of ozone (0 vs 40 ppb) on human FAP emissions, there was a strong influence of relative humidity (34 vs 62%), with FAP emissions decreasing by 30-60% at higher humidity.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
research article
DOI
10.1021/acs.est.0c06304
Web of Science ID

WOS:000606821200051

Author(s)
Yang, Shen  
Beko, Gabriel
Wargocki, Pawel
Williams, Jonathan
Licina, Dusan  
Date Issued

2021-01-05

Publisher

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Published in
Environmental Science & Technology
Volume

55

Issue

1

Start page

509

End page

518

Subjects

Engineering, Environmental

•

Environmental Sciences

•

Engineering

•

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

•

particulate matter

•

airborne particles

•

relative-humidity

•

human-skin

•

bioaerosol

•

exposure

•

bacterial

•

air

•

dispersal

•

occupant

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
HOBEL  
Available on Infoscience
March 26, 2021
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/176575
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés