Air Quality Relationships

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gather air quality data for four pollutants inside and outside of three pairs of structures for different seasons of the year. This paper presents results obtained during the summer, fall, and winter seasons of 1969–70. Suspended particulate, soiling particulate, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide were measured at pairs of public buildings, office buildings, and private homes. A brief preliminary program was conducted during the winter of 1969 to verify our procedures and equipment and to assess the effects of heating and cooking systems in private homes on indoor levels of air pollutants. Two self-contained and portable instrument packages were constructed for the measurement program. The major components of each trailer package were a central vacuum pump for drawing air samples through particulate collection niters, four paper-tape soiling samplers, a conductimetric analyzer for sulfur dioxide, an infrared analyzer for carbon monoxide, a master control unit, and supporting apparatus to make the trailer self-contained. Each pair of buildings was sampled simultaneously for a two-week period. Four sampling points were selected at each structure, two outside and two inside. Suspended particulate samples were collected for 12-hr day and night periods, soiling particulate samples for 2-hr periods, and gaseous samples for 5-min periods. The results show the ease of penetration of particulate into private homes and the removal ability of air conditioning systems. Outdoor daily activity greatly influences particulate levels and urban carbon monoxide levels. Internal generation of pollutants was a significant factor in measured interior concentrations in some of the structures sampled.