IJERPH - Infiltration paper.pdf (340.17 kB)
Exploring Variation and Predictors of Residential Fine Particulate Matter Infiltration
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 10:47 authored by Clark, NA, Allen, RW, Hystad, P, Wallace, L, Dell, SD, Foty, R, Dabek-Zlotorzynska, E, Evans, G, Amanda WheelerAmanda WheelerAlthough individuals spend the majority of their time indoors, most epidemiological studies estimate personal air pollution exposures based on outdoor levels. This almost certainly results in exposure misclassification as pollutant infiltration varies between homes. However, it is often not possible to collect detailed measures of infiltration for individual homes in large-scale epidemiological studies and thus there is currently a need to develop models that can be used to predict these values. To address this need, we examined infiltration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and identified determinants of infiltration for 46 residential homes in Toronto, Canada. Infiltration was estimated using the indoor/outdoor sulphur ratio and information on hypothesized predictors of infiltration were collected using questionnaires and publicly available databases. Multiple linear regression was used to develop the models. Mean infiltration was 0.52 ± 0.21 with no significant difference across heating and non-heating seasons. Predictors of infiltration were air exchange, presence of central air conditioning, and forced air heating. These variables accounted for 38% of the variability in infiltration. Without air exchange, the model accounted for 26% of the variability. Effective modelling of infiltration in individual homes remains difficult, although key variables such as use of central air conditioning show potential as an easily attainable indicator of infiltration.
History
Publication title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthVolume
7Pagination
3211-3224ISSN
1660-4601Department/School
Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchPublisher
M D P I AGPlace of publication
SwitzerlandRights statement
Copyright 2010 The Authors Licenced under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Repository Status
- Open