Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Elevated personal exposure to particulate matter from human activities in a residence

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 14, pages S34–S40 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Continuous laser particle counters collocated with time-integrated filter samplers were used to measure personal, indoor, and outdoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations for a variety of prescribed human activities during a 5-day experimental period in a home in Redwood City, CA, USA. The mean daytime personal exposures to PM2.5 and PM5 during prescribed activities were 6 and 17 times, respectively, as high as the pre-activity indoor background concentration. Activities that resulted in the highest exposures of PM2.5, PM5, and PM10 were those that disturbed dust reservoirs on furniture and textiles, such as dry dusting, folding clothes and blankets, and making a bed. The vigor of activity and type of flooring were also important factors for dust resuspension. Personal exposures to PM2.5 and PM5 were 1.4 and 1.6 times, respectively, as high as the indoor concentration as measured by a stationary monitor. The ratio of personal exposure to the indoor concentration was a function of both particle size and the distance of the human activity from the stationary indoor monitor. The results demonstrate that a wide variety of indoor human resuspension activities increase human exposure to PM and contribute to the “personal cloud” effect.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

References

  • Brauer M., Hirtle R.D., Hall A.C., and Yip T.R. Monitoring personal fine particle exposure with a particle counter. J Expos Anal Environ Epidemiol 1999: 9: 228–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delfino R.J., Zeiger R.S., Seitzer J.M., and Street D.H. Symptoms in pediatric asthmatics and air pollution: Differences in effects by symptom severity, anti-inflammatory medication use and particulate averaging time. Environ Health Perspect 1998: 106: 751–761.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dockery D.W., and Spengler J.D. Personal exposure to respirable particulates and sulfates. J Air Pollut Control Assoc 1981: 31: 153–159.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferro A.R., Hildemann L.M., McBride S.J., Ott W., and Switzer P. Human exposure to particles due to indoor cleaning activities. In: C.A. Brebbia et al. (Eds.), Air Pollution VII. WIT Press: Southampton, UK, 1999: pp. 487–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferro A.R., Kopperud R.J., and Hildemann L.M. Source strengths for indoor human activities that resuspend particles. Environ Sci Technol 2004: in press.

  • Gold D.R., Litonjua A., Schwartz J., Lovett E., Larson A., Nearing B., Allen G., Verrier M., Cherry R., and Verrier R. Ambient pollution and heart rate variability. Circulation 2000: 101: 1267–1273.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen N.A.H., Hoek G., Harssema H., and Brunekreef B. Childhood exposure to PM10: Relation between personal, classroom and outdoor concentrations. Occup Environ Med 1997: 54: 888–894.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen N.A.H., Hoek G., Brunekreef B., Harssema H., Mensink I., and Zuidhof A. Personal sampling of PM10 among adults: relation between personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations. Am J Epidemiol 1998: 147: 537–547.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen N.A.H., Hoek G., Harssema H., and Brunekreef B. Personal exposure to fine particles in children correlates closely with ambient fine particles. Arch Environ Health 1999: 54: 95–101.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Janssen N.A.H., Hartog J.J., Hoek G., Brunekreef B., Lanki T., Timonen K.L., and Pekkanen J. Personal exposure to fine particulate matter in elderly subjects: relation between personal, indoor, and outdoor concentrations. Air Waste 2000: 50: 1133–1143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • John W., and Reischl G. A cyclone for size-selective sampling of air. J Air Pollut Control Assoc 1980: 30: 872–876.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lioy P.J., Waldman J.M., Buckley T., Butler J., and Pietarinen C. The personal, indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM-10 measured in an industrial community during the winter. Atmos Environ 1990: 24B: 57–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long C.M., Suh H.H., and Koutrakis P. Characterization of indoor particle sources using continuous mass and size monitors. Air Waste 2000: 50: 1236–1250.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McBride S.J., Ferro A., Ott W., Switzer P., and Hildemann L.M. Investigations of the proximity effect for pollutants in the indoor environment. J Expos Anal Environ Epidemiol 1999: 9: 602–621.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan G., Corbett S., and Wlodarczyk J. Air pollution and hospital admissions in Sydney, Australia, 1990 to 1994. Am J Public Health 1998: 88: 1761–1766.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Özkaynak H., Xue J., Weker R., Butler D., Koutrakis K., and Spengler J. The Particle Team (PTEAM) study: Analysis of the data. EPA Project Summary, EPA/600/SR-95/098, U.S. EPA: Research Triangle Park, NC, 1996.

  • Peters A., Dockery D.W., Muller J.E., and Mittleman M.A. Increased particulate air pollution and the triggering of myocardial infarction. Circulation 2001: 103: 2810–2815.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts J.W., and Dickey P. Exposure of children to pollutants in house dust and indoor air. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 1995: 143: 59–78.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rodes C.E., Kamens R.M., and Wiener R.W. The significance and characteristics of the personal activity cloud on exposure assessment measurements for indoor contaminants. Indoor Air 1991: 2: 123–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson J.P., Thomas J., and Behar J.V. Time spent in activities, locations, and microenvironments: A California-national comparison. EPA Report EPA/600/4-91/006, U.S. EPA: Las Vegas, NV, 1991.

  • Samet J.M., Dominici F., Curriero F.C., Coursac I., and Zerger S.L. Fine particulate air pollution and mortality in 20 U.S. Cities, 1987–1994. N Engl J Med 2000: 343(24): 1742–1749.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith K.R. Fuel combustion, air pollution exposure, and health: the situation in developing countries. Annu Rev Energy Environ 1993: 18: 529–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thatcher T.L., and Layton D.W. Deposition, resuspension, and penetration of particles within a residence. Atmos Environ 1995: 29(13): 1487–1497.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vedal S. Ambient particles and health: Lines that divide. Air Waste 1997: 47: 551–581.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace L. Indoor particles: A review. Air Waste 1996: 46: 98–126.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitby K.T., and Willeke K. Single particle optical counters: principles and field use. In: Lundgren D.A. (Ed.), Aerosol Measurement. University Presses of Florida: Gainesville, FL, 1979.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by funding from the Center for Indoor Air Research and the Stanford University Shah Family Fellowship. The authors are grateful for the assistance of Wayne Ott and Victor W.C. Chang.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, USA

    Andrea R Ferro

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Royal J Kopperud & Lynn M Hildemann

Authors
  1. Andrea R Ferro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Royal J Kopperud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lynn M Hildemann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea R Ferro.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ferro, A., Kopperud, R. & Hildemann, L. Elevated personal exposure to particulate matter from human activities in a residence. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 14 (Suppl 1), S34–S40 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500356

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500356

Keywords

  • resuspension
  • house dust
  • human activity
  • human exposure
  • indoor air
  • indoor aerosol

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links