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  4. Human personal air pollution clouds in a naturally ventilated office during the COVID-19 pandemic
 
research article

Human personal air pollution clouds in a naturally ventilated office during the COVID-19 pandemic

Yang, Shen  
•
Muthalagu, Akila
•
Serrano, Viviana Gonzalez  
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April 14, 2023
Building And Environment

Personal cloud, termed as the difference in air pollutant concentrations between breathing zone and room sites, represents the bias in approximating personal inhalation exposure that is linked to accuracy of health risk assessment. This study performed a two-week field experiment in a naturally ventilated office during the COVID19 pandemic to assess occupants' exposure to common air pollutants and to determine factors contributing to the personal cloud effect. During occupied periods, indoor average concentrations of endotoxin (0.09 EU/m3), TVOC (231 mu g/m3), CO2 (630 ppm), and PM10 (14 mu g/m3) were below the recommended limits, except for formaldehyde (58 mu g/m3). Personal exposure concentrations, however, were significantly different from, and mostly higher than, concentrations measured at room stationary sampling sites. Although three participants shared the same office, their personal air pollution clouds were mutually distinct. The mean personal cloud magnitude ranged within 0-0.05 EU/m3, 35-192 mu g/m3, 32-120 ppm, and 4-9 mu g/m3 for endotoxin, TVOC, CO2, and PM10, respectively, and was independent from room concentrations. The use of hand sanitizer was strongly associated with an elevated personal cloud of endotoxin and alcohol-based VOCs. Reduced occupancy density in the office resulted in more pronounced personal CO2 clouds. The representativeness of room stationary sampling for capturing dynamic personal exposures was as low as 28% and 5% for CO2 and PM10, respectively. The findings of our study highlight the necessity of considering the personal cloud effect when assessing personal exposure in offices.

  • Details
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Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110280
Web of Science ID

WOS:000982771500001

Author(s)
Yang, Shen  
Muthalagu, Akila
Serrano, Viviana Gonzalez  
Licina, Dusan  
Date Issued

2023-04-14

Publisher

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Published in
Building And Environment
Volume

236

Article Number

110280

Subjects

Construction & Building Technology

•

Engineering, Environmental

•

Engineering, Civil

•

Engineering

•

personal exposure

•

indoor air quality

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endotoxin

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gaseous pollutants

•

particles

•

volatile organic-compounds

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convective boundary-layer

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indoor air

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airborne particles

•

co2 concentrations

•

size distribution

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human emissions

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carbon-dioxide

•

exposure

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outdoor

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
HOBEL  
Available on Infoscience
June 5, 2023
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/197979
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