Characterization of indoor air quality and resident health in an Arizona senior housing apartment building

Figures & data

Table 1. Participant responses to indoor source and respiratory health-related questions

		Questionnaire Response Counts
		Smokers (n = 16)		Nonsmokers (n = 56)
Indoor Source		Yes	No	Yes	No	Don’t Know
Emphysema		6	10	2	53	1
Asthma		3	13	6	50	0
Pets		6	10	4	52	0
Bug spray		5	11	12	44	0
Candles		4	12	6	50	0
Incense		3	13	2	54	0
Air freshener		10	6	28	28	0

Note: Questions were framed as “Do you have” or “Do you use” each of the indoor sources.

Table 2. Particulate matter concentrations for the living room, kitchen, and balcony (outdoor)

Location/PM	Mean (μg/m^3)	Median (μg/m^3)	Range (μg/m^3)	Standard Deviation	Standard Mean Error
Living Room: PM2.5	62	13	845	137	16
Living Room: PM10	66	17	844	137	16
Living Room: PMTotal (<15 μm)	80	32	847	136	16
Kitchen: PM2.5	53	14	707	113	13
Kitchen: PM10	58	18	707	113	13
Kitchen: PMTotal (<15 μm)	71	34	714	113	13
Balcony: PM2.5	20	13	122	21	2
Balcony: PM10	24	17	121	21	3
Balcony: PMTotal (<15 μm)	28	20	123	22	3

Note: Samples were collected in the summer months of 2010.

Figure 1. Concentration vs. indoor/outdoor ratio, PM_2.5 (left) and PM₁₀ (right). Circles are nonsmoking units and plus signs are smoking units.

Figure 2. Fine (dashed lines) and coarse (solid black) particle concentrations in the living room, kitchen, and balcony (outdoor) for residents who report they do not smoke (left) and those that report they do smoke (right). Note the differences in scale.

Table 3. Number of units with PM concentrations above and below the EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards, split by occupant reported smoking habits

		Do you smoke?
PM Concentration		Yes	No
PM10 in living rooms	Less than 150 μg/m^3	9	55
	Greater than 150 μg/m^3	7	1
PM2.5 in living rooms	Less than 35 μg/m^3	5	51
	Greater than 35 μg/m^3	11	5
	Less than 12 μg/m^3	2	32
	Greater than 12 μg/m^3	14	24

Figure 3. PM_2.5 (left) and PM₁₀ (right) concentrations (μg/m³), separated by smokers (n = 16) and nonsmokers (n = 56). The bold line within the box indicates the median. The top and bottom of the boxes indicate the 75th and 25th percentiles, respectively. Asterisks and circles denote outliers.

Figure 4. PM₁₀ concentrations and respiratory problems separated by smokers (texture) and nonsmokers (solid black). n indicates the number of samples for each group. The bold line within the box indicates the median. The top and bottom of the boxes indicate the 75th and 25th percentiles, respectively. Asterisks and circles denote outliers.

Table 4. Volatile aldehyde concentrations and indoor/outdoor ratios

	Formaldehyde			Acetaldehyde
Concentration^a (ppb)	Living Room	Kitchen	Outdoor	Living Room	Kitchen	Outdoor
Median all units, N = 72	36.9	38.8	4.3	17.2	18.4	1.9
Mean all units, N = 72	38 ± 12	40 ± 11	4.8 ± 1.9	20 ± 9	20 ± 9	2.0 ± 1.0
Mean nonsmoking units, n = 56	38 ± 12	41 ± 11	—	18 ± 7	19 ± 9	—
Mean smoking units, n = 16	36 ± 11	36 ± 8	—	24 ± 13	21 ± 12	—
Indoor/Outdoor (I/O) ratio
Median I/O all units, N = 72	8.6	9.0	—	9.0	9.7	—
Mean I/O all units, N = 72	7.9	8.3	—	10	10	—

Note: ^aThe experimental error corresponds to 1 standard deviation of the data.

Figure 5. Cumulative frequency of formaldehyde concentrations (top) and acetaldehyde concentrations (bottom) measured in the living room (dash-dot), kitchen (short dash), and outdoors (long dash).

Figure 6. Distribution of indoor formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations in smoking and nonsmoking apartments corresponding to living room (top) and kitchen (bottom). The blank sections indicate smoking units and the textured sections indicate nonsmoking units.