Abstract
To assess the exposure of residents in rural communities in the Yukon Flats to particulate matter of 2.5 μm or less in diameter (PM2.5), both indoor and outdoor concentration observations were carried out from March to September 2019 in Ft. Yukon, Alaska. Indoor concentrations were measured at 0.61 m (breathing level during sleeping) in homes and at 1.52 m heights (breathing level of standing adult) in homes and office/commercial buildings. Air quality was better at both heights in cabins than frame homes both during times with and without surface-based inversions. In frame houses, concentrations were higher at 0.61 m than 1.52 m, while the opposite is true typically for cabins. Differences between shoulder season and summer indoor concentrations in residences were related to changes in heating, subsistence lifestyle and mosquito repellents. In summer, office and commercial buildings, air quality decreased due to increased indoor emissions related to increased use of equipment and mosquito pics as well as more merchandise. During summer indoor concentrations reached unhealthy for sensitive groups to hazardous conditions for extended times that even exceeded the high outdoor concentrations. Due to nearby wildfires, July mean outdoor concentrations were 55.3 μg·m-3 which exceeds the 24-h US National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 35 μg·m-3. Indoor and outdoor concentrations correlated the strongest with each other for office/commercial buildings, followed by frame houses and cabins. Office/commercial buildings with temperature monitors had one to two orders of magnitude lower concentrations than those without.
Highlights
During the harsh winter conditions of the Yukon Flats as well as during smoke episodes of the fire season in summer, residents of the villages of Eastern Interior of Alaska’s Yukon Flats valley spend the majority of their time indoors
Fine particulate matter may form by gas-to-particle conversion from precursor gases that stem from wood smoke, outgassing of building material, and furniture or vehicle emissions in houses with attached or built-in garages
The exposure of rural communities in the Yukon Flats to PM2.5, concentrations was assessed by measurements at 20 indoor and four outdoor sites from March 2019 to September 2019 using Ft Yukon as a testbed
Summary
During the harsh winter conditions of the Yukon Flats as well as during smoke episodes of the fire season in summer, residents of the villages of Eastern Interior of Alaska’s Yukon Flats valley spend the majority of their time indoors. Natural ventilation occurs by air flow through open windows or doors It is driven by the pressure gradients between inside and outside temperature differences and wind [6]. The non-existence of other natural air cleansing mechanisms (e.g. removal by precipitation) contributes to high indoor concentrations unless air-purifier or filter is used. Due to the sparse population of the Eastern Interior and undeveloped road network, wildfires are watched and only fought actively when they might endanger historic heritage places or burn properties. This so-called “let burn policy” exposes residents to wildfire smoke—often at unhealthy concentrations—over extended periods [13] [14]. The objectives were to assess differences and delays between indoor and outdoor air quality, and to identify ways to reduce exposure
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