Particulates in Domestic Premises

Abstract

• Three indoor environments, two residential and one institutional, were monitored for particulate and gaseous air pollutants over a one-year period. Inside air particulate levels decreased at night and under conditions of no household activity. Different homes showed different time lags in correlating inside vs outside particle counts. Indoor particle count reduction correlated to rate of air flow through the precipitator. The standard, portable household vacuum cleaner produced about a 100% increase in counts of particles measuring 1.0μm and larger, as compared to a 50% increase produced by the central vacuum system. Particulates that were smaller than 1.0μm were not substantially affected by household activity, but they were affected by smoking. The indoor gaseous pollutants showed very low maximum levels.