Secondary Pollutants from VOCs in Urban Indoor Air
Abstract
People spend most of their time in indoor environment. Volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) are commonly found in indoors due to the presence of several indoor
sources. Besides, outdoor VOCs, when infiltrate into the indoors, increase indoor
levels of VOCs. Some studies have reported that VOCs in indoor air may be involved
in the production of secondary pollutants. This study investigates the role of VOCs in
forming secondary air pollutants and identifies the critical environmental factors,
which favor the reactions. It was found that VOCs form secondary organic aerosols
(SOAs), which remain in particle form in the ultrafine size range. In this, pollutants
like ozone (O3), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and hydroxyl radicles (OH) take part. SOA
constitutes major portion of particulate matter in indoors and as it has fine size, it is
suspected to cause severe health effects. The article is, therefore, focused on the
importance and challenges that SOAs pose to indoor environment. Mitigation
measures and research gaps are also discussed.
References
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[34] Ng NL, Kroll JH, Chan AWH et al. Secondary organic aerosol formation from m-xylene, toluene, and benzene. Atmos Chem Phys 2007; 7: 3909-22.
[35] Hatakeyama S, Izumi K, Fukuyama T et al. Reactions of OH with apinene and bpinene in air-estimate of global CO production from the atmospheric oxidation of terpenes. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 1997; 96: 947-58.
[36] Kroll JH, Ng NL, Murphy SM et al. Secondaryorganic aerosol formation from isoprene photooxidation. Environmental Science and Technology 2006; 40: 1869-77.
[37] Pandis SN, Paulson SE, Seinfeld JH et al. Aerosol formation in the photo oxidation of isoprene and ß-pinene. Atmospheric Environment Part A-General Topics 1991; 25: 997-1008.
[38] Lim YB, Ziemann PJ. Products and mechanism of secondary organic aerosol formation from reactions of n-alkanes with OH radicals in the presence of NOx. Environmental Science and Technology 2005; 39: 9229-36.
[39] Johnson D, Jenkin ME, Wirtz K et al. Simulating the formation of secondary organic aerosol from the photooxidation of toluene. Environmental Chemistry 2004; 1: 150-65.
[40] Gao S, Ng NL, Keywood M et al. Particle phase acidity and oligomer formation in secondary organic aerosol. Environmental Science and Technology 2004; 38: 6582-89.
[41] Liggio J, Li SM, McLaren R. Heterogeneous reactions of glyoxal on particulate matter: Identification of acetals and sulfate esters. Environmental Science and Technology 2005; 39: 1532-41.
[42] Sarwara G, Corsia R, Allena D et al. The significance of secondary organic aerosol formation and growth in buildings: experimental and computational evidence. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37: 1365-81.
[43] Weschler CJ, Shields HC. Experiments probing the influence of air exchange rates on secondary organic aerosols derived from indoor chemistry. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37(39): 5621-31.
[44] Coleman BK, Lunden MK, Destaillats HG et al. Secondary organic aerosol from ozoneinitiated reactions with terpene-rich household products. Atmospheric Environment 2005; 42: 8234-45.
[45] Hovorka J, Branis M. New particle formation and condensational growth in a large indoor space. Atmospheric Environment 2011; 45: 2736-49.
[46] Vivanco MG, Santiago M, Martínez-Tarifa A et al. SOA formation in a photo reactor from a mixture of organic gases and HONO for different experimental conditions. Atmospheric Environment 2011; 45: 708-15.
[47] Huanga Y, Hob KF, Hob SSH et al. Physical parameters effect on ozone-initiated formation of indoor secondary organic aerosols with emissions from cleaning products. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2011; 192: 1787-94.
[48] Jonsson AM, Hallquist M, Ljungstrom E. The effect of temperature and water on secondary organic aerosol formation from ozonolysis of limonene, delta (3)-carene and alpha-pinene. Atmos Chem Phys 2008; 8: 6541-49.
[49] Na K, Songa C, Cocker DR. Experiments probing the influence of air exchange rates on secondary organic aerosols derived from indoor chemistry. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37: 5621-31.
[50] Leungsakul S, Jaoui M, Kamens RM. Kinetic mechanism for predicting secondary organic aerosol formation from the reaction of Dlimonene with ozone. Environmental Science & Technology 2005; 39(24): 9583-94.
[2] Srivastava PK, Pandit UGG, Sharma S et al.Volatile organic compounds in indoor environments in Mumbai, India. Science of the Total Environment 2000; 255: 161-68.
[3] Wallace LA, Pellizzari DE, Hartwell TD et al. The influence of personal activities on exposure to volatile organic compounds. Environ Res 1989; 50(1): 37-55.
[4] Scherer G, Ruppert T, Daube H et al. Contribution of tobacco smoke to environmental benzene exposure in Germany. Environment International 1995; 21(6): 779-89.
[5] Betterman S, Jia C, Hatzivasilis G. Migration of volatile organic compounds from attached garages to residences: A major exposure source. Environmental Research 2007; 102(2): 224-40.
[6] Pandit GG, Srivastava PK, Mohan Rao AM. Monitoring of indoor volatile organic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons arising from kerosene cooking fuel. The Science of the Total Environment 2001; 279: 159-65.
[7] Wolkoff P, Schneidera T, Kildesøa J et al. Risk in cleaning: chemical and physical exposure. Science of the Total Environment 1998; 215(1-2): 135-56.
[8] Perry R, Gee IL. Vehicular emission and its effects on air quality. Indoor Environ 1994; 3: 224-36.
[9] Fischera PH, Hoekb G, vanReeuwijka H et al. Traffic-related differences in outdoor and indoor concentrations of particles and volatile organic compounds in Amsterdam. Atmospheric Environment 2000; 34(22): 3713-22.
[10] Lansari A, Lindstrom AB, Templeman BD. Multizonal mass balance modelling of benzene dispersion in a private residence. 1992; EPA/600/A-92: 235.
[11] Civan MY, OguzKuntasal O, Tuncel G. Contribution of VOCs to ozone formation in Bursa atmosphere. Karaelmas Sci Eng J 2012; 2: 34-40.
[12] Weschler CJ. Ozone in indoor environments: Concentration and chemistry. Indoor Air 2000; 10: 269-88.
[13] Beoniger MF. Use of ozone generating devices to improve indoor air quality. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1995; 99(2): 590-98.
[14] Weschler CJ, Shields HC. Indoor ozone/terpene reactions as a source of indoor particles. Atmospheric Environment 1999; 33: 2301-12.
[15] Clausen PA, Larsen K, Kofoed-Sorenson V et al. Indoor ozone/ terpene reactions in an apartment under normal conditions. Geophysical Research 2005; 7: 1078-86.
[16] Balakrishnan K, Sankar S, Parikh J et al. Daily average exposures to respirable particulates matter from combustion of biomass fuels in rural households of southern India. Environ Health Perspect 2002; 110: 1069-75.
[17] Kulshreshtha P, Khare M, Seetharaman P. Indoor air quality assessment in and around urban slums of Delhi city, India. Indoor Air 2008; 18: 488-98.
[18] Goyal R, Khare M, Kumar P. Indoor air quality: Current status, missing links and future road map for India. J Civil Environ Eng 2012; 2(4).
[19] Jia C, Batterman S, Godwin C et al. Sources and migration of volatile organic compounds in mixed-use buildings. Indoor Air 2010; 20: 357-69.
[20] Kumar A, Singh BP, Punia M et al. Assessment of indoor air concentrations of VOCs and their associated health risks in the library of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Environ Sci Pollut Res 2013; 21: 2240-48.
[21] Esplugues A, Ballester F, Estarlich M et al. Indoor and outdoor air concentrations of BTEX and determinants in a cohort of oneyear old children in Valencia, Spain. Sci Total Environ 2010; 409: 63-69.
[22] Seung HS, Wan KJ. Volatile organic compound concentrations, emission rates, and source apportionment in newly-built apartments at pre-occupancy stage. Chemosphere 2012; 89: 569-78.
[23] Hodgson AT, Daisey JM, Mahanama KRR et al. Use of volatile tracers to determine the contribution of environmental tobacco smoke to concentrations of volatile organic compounds in smoking environments. Environment International 1996; 22(3): 295-307.
[24] Beak SO, Kim YS, Perry R. Indoor air quality in homes, offices and restaurants in Korean urban areas--indoor/ outdoor relationships. Atmospheric Environment 1997; 31(4): 529-44.
[25] Baea H, Yangb W, Chunga M. Indoor and outdoor concentrations of RSP, NO2 and selected volatile organic compounds at 32 shoe stalls located near busy roadways in Seoul, Korea. Science of the Total Environment 2004; 323: 99-105.
[26] Kumar A, Singh BP, Punia M et al. Determination of volatile organic compounds and associated health risk assessment in residential homes and hostels within an academic institute, New Delhi. Indoor Air 2014; 24: 474-83.
[27] Wainman T, Zhang J, Weschler CJ et al. Ozone and limonene in indoor air: A source of submicron particle exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives 2000; 100: 1139-45.
[28] Steinemann AC, MacGregor IC, Gordon SM et al. Fragranced consumer products: chemicals emitted, ingredients unlisted. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 2011; 31(3): 328-33.
[29] Goddish T. Indoor Environmental Quality. Lewis Publishers. 2001.
[30] Brown SK, Sim MR, Abramson MJ et al. Concentration of volatile organic compounds in indoor air - A review. Indoor Air 1994; 4: 123-34.
[31] Carslaw N. A new detailed chemical model for indoor air pollution. Atmospheric Environment 2007; 41: 1164-79.
[32] Weschler CJ. Ozone in indoor environments: concentration and chemistry. Indoor Air 2000; 10: 269-88.
[33] Kroll JH, Seinfeld J. Chemistry of secondary organic aerosol: Formation and evolution of low-volatility organics in the atmosphere. Atmospheric Environment 2008; 42: 3593-624.
[34] Ng NL, Kroll JH, Chan AWH et al. Secondary organic aerosol formation from m-xylene, toluene, and benzene. Atmos Chem Phys 2007; 7: 3909-22.
[35] Hatakeyama S, Izumi K, Fukuyama T et al. Reactions of OH with apinene and bpinene in air-estimate of global CO production from the atmospheric oxidation of terpenes. Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 1997; 96: 947-58.
[36] Kroll JH, Ng NL, Murphy SM et al. Secondaryorganic aerosol formation from isoprene photooxidation. Environmental Science and Technology 2006; 40: 1869-77.
[37] Pandis SN, Paulson SE, Seinfeld JH et al. Aerosol formation in the photo oxidation of isoprene and ß-pinene. Atmospheric Environment Part A-General Topics 1991; 25: 997-1008.
[38] Lim YB, Ziemann PJ. Products and mechanism of secondary organic aerosol formation from reactions of n-alkanes with OH radicals in the presence of NOx. Environmental Science and Technology 2005; 39: 9229-36.
[39] Johnson D, Jenkin ME, Wirtz K et al. Simulating the formation of secondary organic aerosol from the photooxidation of toluene. Environmental Chemistry 2004; 1: 150-65.
[40] Gao S, Ng NL, Keywood M et al. Particle phase acidity and oligomer formation in secondary organic aerosol. Environmental Science and Technology 2004; 38: 6582-89.
[41] Liggio J, Li SM, McLaren R. Heterogeneous reactions of glyoxal on particulate matter: Identification of acetals and sulfate esters. Environmental Science and Technology 2005; 39: 1532-41.
[42] Sarwara G, Corsia R, Allena D et al. The significance of secondary organic aerosol formation and growth in buildings: experimental and computational evidence. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37: 1365-81.
[43] Weschler CJ, Shields HC. Experiments probing the influence of air exchange rates on secondary organic aerosols derived from indoor chemistry. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37(39): 5621-31.
[44] Coleman BK, Lunden MK, Destaillats HG et al. Secondary organic aerosol from ozoneinitiated reactions with terpene-rich household products. Atmospheric Environment 2005; 42: 8234-45.
[45] Hovorka J, Branis M. New particle formation and condensational growth in a large indoor space. Atmospheric Environment 2011; 45: 2736-49.
[46] Vivanco MG, Santiago M, Martínez-Tarifa A et al. SOA formation in a photo reactor from a mixture of organic gases and HONO for different experimental conditions. Atmospheric Environment 2011; 45: 708-15.
[47] Huanga Y, Hob KF, Hob SSH et al. Physical parameters effect on ozone-initiated formation of indoor secondary organic aerosols with emissions from cleaning products. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2011; 192: 1787-94.
[48] Jonsson AM, Hallquist M, Ljungstrom E. The effect of temperature and water on secondary organic aerosol formation from ozonolysis of limonene, delta (3)-carene and alpha-pinene. Atmos Chem Phys 2008; 8: 6541-49.
[49] Na K, Songa C, Cocker DR. Experiments probing the influence of air exchange rates on secondary organic aerosols derived from indoor chemistry. Atmospheric Environment 2003; 37: 5621-31.
[50] Leungsakul S, Jaoui M, Kamens RM. Kinetic mechanism for predicting secondary organic aerosol formation from the reaction of Dlimonene with ozone. Environmental Science & Technology 2005; 39(24): 9583-94.
Published
2021-08-19
How to Cite
GOKHALE, Sharad; HAZARIKA, Barbie.
Secondary Pollutants from VOCs in Urban Indoor Air.
Journal of Advanced Research in Alternative Energy, Environment and Ecology, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 1&2, p. 31-37, aug. 2021.
ISSN 2455-3093.
Available at: <http://thejournalshouse.com/index.php/AltEnergy-Ecology-EnvironmentJ/article/view/306>. Date accessed: 04 jan. 2025.
Issue
Section
Review Article
