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Can public spaces effectively be used as cleaner indoor air shelters during extreme smoke events?
Citation
Wheeler, AJ and Allen, RW and Lawrence, K and Roulston, CT and Powell, J and Williamson, GJ and Jones, PJ and Reisen, F and Morgan, GG and Johnston, FH, Can public spaces effectively be used as cleaner indoor air shelters during extreme smoke events?, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, (8) Article 4085.. ISSN 1661-7827 (2021) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2021 by the authors.Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
DOI: doi:10.3390/ijerph18084085
Abstract
During extreme air pollution events, such as bushfires, public health agencies often
recommend that vulnerable individuals visit a nearby public building with central air conditioning
to reduce their exposure to smoke. However, there is limited evidence that these "cleaner indoor
air shelters" reduce exposure or health risks. We quantified the impact of a "cleaner indoor air
shelter" in a public library in Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia when concentrations of fine particulate
matter (PM2.5) were elevated during a local peat fire and nearby bushfires. Specifically, we evaluated
the air quality improvements with central air conditioning only and with the use of portable high
efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaners. We measured PM2.5 from August 2019 until
February 2020 by deploying pairs of low-cost PM2.5 sensors (i) inside the main library, (ii) in a
smaller media room inside the library, (iii) outside the library, and (iv) co-located with regulatory
monitors located in the town. We operated two HEPA cleaners in the media room from August until
October 2019. We quantified the infiltration efficiency of outdoor PM2.5concentrations, defined as
the fraction of the outdoor PM2.5 concentration that penetrates indoors and remains suspended, as
well as the additional effect of HEPA cleaners on PM2.5 concentrations. The infiltration efficiency of
outdoor PM2.5 into the air-conditioned main library was 30%, meaning that compared to the PM2.5
concentration outdoors, the concentrations of outdoor-generated PM2.5 indoors were reduced by 70%.
In the media room, when the HEPA cleaners were operating, PM2.5 concentrations were reduced
further with a PM2.5 infiltration efficiency of 17%. A carefully selected air-conditioned public building
could be used as a cleaner indoor air shelter during episodes of elevated smoke emissions. Further
improvements in indoor air quality within the building can be achieved by operating appropriately
sized HEPA cleaners.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | clean air shelter, air pollution, bushfires, particulate pollution, indoor air quality |
| Research Division: | Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Public health |
| Research Field: | Public health not elsewhere classified |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Public health (excl. specific population health) |
| Objective Field: | Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified |
| UTAS Author: | Wheeler, AJ (Dr Amanda Wheeler) |
| UTAS Author: | Williamson, GJ (Dr Grant Williamson) |
| UTAS Author: | Jones, PJ (Dr Penelope Jones) |
| UTAS Author: | Johnston, FH (Professor Fay Johnston) |
| ID Code: | 143987 |
| Year Published: | 2021 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 4 |
| Deposited By: | Menzies Institute for Medical Research |
| Deposited On: | 2021-04-13 |
| Last Modified: | 2021-05-13 |
| Downloads: | 17 View Download Statistics |
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