Indoor and outdoor levels and sources of submicron particles (PM1) at homes in Edmonton, Canada

Exposure to submicron particles (PM1) is of interest due to their possible chronic and acute health effects. Seven consecutive 24-h PM1 samples were collected during winter and summer 2010 in a total of 74 nonsmoking homes in Edmonton, Canada. Median winter concentrations of PM1 were 2.2 μg/m3 (interquartile range, IQR = 0.8–6.1 μg/m3) and 3.3 μg/m3 (IQR = 1.5–6.9 μg/m3) for indoors and outdoors, respectively. In the summer, indoor (median 4.4 μg/m3, IQR = 2.4–8.6 μg/m3) and outdoor (median 4.3 μg/m3, IQR = 2.6–7.4 μg/m3) levels were similar. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to identify and apportion indoor and outdoor sources of elements in PM1 mass. Nine sources contributing to both indoor and outdoor PM1 concentrations were identified including secondary sulfate, soil, biomass smoke and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), traffic, settled and mixed dust, coal combustion, road salt/road dust, and urban mixture. Three additional indoor sources were identified i.e., carpet dust, copper-rich, and silver-rich. Secondary sulfate, soil, biomass smoke and ETS contributed more than 70% (indoors: 0.29 μg/m3, outdoors: 0.39 μg/m3) of measured elemental mass in PM1. These findings can aid understanding of relationships between submicron particles and health outcomes for indoor/outdoor sources.