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Impacts of air cleaners on indoor air quality in residences impacted by wood smoke
Wheeler, Amanda Gibson, Mark D. MacNeill, Morgan Ward, Tony J. Wallace, Lance Kuchta, James Seaboyer, Matt Dabek-Zlotorzynska, Ewa Guernsey, Judith Read Stieb, David M.
Wheeler, Amanda
Gibson, Mark D.
MacNeill, Morgan
Ward, Tony J.
Wallace, Lance
Kuchta, James
Seaboyer, Matt
Dabek-Zlotorzynska, Ewa
Guernsey, Judith Read
Stieb, David M.
Author
Wheeler, Amanda
Gibson, Mark D.
MacNeill, Morgan
Ward, Tony J.
Wallace, Lance
Kuchta, James
Seaboyer, Matt
Dabek-Zlotorzynska, Ewa
Guernsey, Judith Read
Stieb, David M.
Gibson, Mark D.
MacNeill, Morgan
Ward, Tony J.
Wallace, Lance
Kuchta, James
Seaboyer, Matt
Dabek-Zlotorzynska, Ewa
Guernsey, Judith Read
Stieb, David M.
Abstract
Residential wood combustion is an important source of ambient air pollution, accounting for over 25% of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions in Canada. In addition to these ambient contributions, wood smoke pollutants can enter the indoor environment directly when loading or stoking stoves, resulting in a high potential for human exposure. A study of the effectiveness of air cleaners at reducing wood smoke-associated PM2.5 of indoor and outdoor origin was conducted in 31 homes during winter 2009–10. Day 1, the residents’ wood burning appliance operated as usual with no air cleaner. Days 2 and 3, the wood burning appliance was not operational and the air cleaner was randomly chosen to operate in “filtration” or “placebo filtration” mode. When the air cleaner was operating, total indoor PM2.5 levels were significantly lower than on placebo filtration days (p = 0.0001) resulting in a median reduction of 52%. There was also a reduction in the median PM2.5 infiltration factor from 0.56 to 0.26 between these 2 days, suggesting the air cleaner was responsible for increased PM2.5 deposition on filtration days. Our findings suggest that the use of an air cleaner reduces exposure to indoor PM2.5 resulting from both indoor and ambient wood smoke sources.
Keywords
Date
2014
Type
Journal article
Journal
Environmental Science and Technology
Book
Volume
48
Issue
20
Page Range
12157-12163
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
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Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled