TitleIndoor versus Outdoor Air Quality during Wildfires.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsMessier KP, Tidwell LG, Ghetu CC, Rohlman D, Scott RP, Bramer LM, Dixon H, Waters KM, Anderson KA
JournalEnviron Sci Technol Lett
Volume6
Issue12
Pagination696-701
Date Published2019 Dec 10
ISSN2328-8930

The human behavioral modification recommendations during wildfire events are based on particulate matter and may be confounded by the potential risks of gas-phase pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Moreover, the majority of adults spend over 90 percent of their time indoors where there is an increased concern of indoor air quality during wildfire events. We address these timely concerns by evaluating paired indoor and outdoor PAH concentrations in residential locations and their relationship with satellite model-based categorization of wildfire smoke intensity. Low-density polyethylene passive air samplers were deployed at six urban sites for 1 week in Eugene, Oregon with matched indoor and outdoor samples and 24 h time resolution. Samples were then quantitatively analyzed for 63 PAH concentrations using gas-chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A probabilistic principal components analysis was used to reduce all 63 PAHs into an aggregate measure. Linear regression of the first principal component against indoor versus outdoor shows that indoor gas-phase PAH concentrations are consistently equal to or greater than outdoor concentrations. Regression against a satellite-based model for wildfire smoke shows that outdoor, but not indoor gas-phase PAH concentrations are likely associated with wildfire events. These results point toward the need to include gas-phase pollutants such as PAHs in air pollution risk assessment.

10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00599
Alternate JournalEnviron Sci Technol Lett
PubMed ID32095488
PubMed Central IDPMC7039657
Grant ListK99 ES029523 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
P42 ES016465 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
R33 ES024718 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
Projects Reference: 
LDPE Passive Sampling Devices
Wildfire Indoor/Outdoor Air Quality