Abstract
A series of measurements were conducted to determine the short-term emission rates of particles in the “personal cloud” (i.e., particle emission from a clothed human body) in a sealed chamber. By recording the concentration of particles of different sizes during a period of time in the chamber, curves monitoring the evolution of particle concentration caused by emissions from a clothed human body were obtained. Based on the measured evolution of particle concentrations and deposition rates, the emission rates of particles from a clothed human body were estimated with a physical model. Generally speaking, the size-dependent emission rates of particles from a human body wearing a clean room smock were the lowest, while those from one wearing a cotton suit were the highest among the forms of clothing examined this work. Furthermore, the emission rates of particles from a clothed human body were positively correlated with the intensity of human activity. In addition, activities tended to have a more significant impact on the emission rates with regard to coarse rather than fine particles. The experimental data for the emission rates of particles from a clothed human body provided in this study may be used in further particle exposure assessments in certain indoor environments, such as clean rooms and aircraft cabins, as a valid input parameter.
Highlights
Epidemiologic evidence has shown a relationship between particle pollution exposure and adverse health effects (Dockery et al, 1993; Chen et al, 2012a)
Based on the measured evolution of particle concentrations and deposition rates, the emission rates of particles from a clothed human body were estimated with a physical model
Particle pollution exposure is mainly related to particle concentration, which is largely influenced by the emission rate of particle sources
Summary
Epidemiologic evidence has shown a relationship between particle pollution exposure and adverse health effects (Dockery et al, 1993; Chen et al, 2012a). A large amount of outdoor particles can penetrate through building cracks into the indoor environments (Chen and Zhao, 2011), indoor particles emitted from indoor sources significantly contribute to indoor exposure. It is important to measure the emission rates of indoor particle sources for evaluating their contribution to indoor particle exposure. When the above indoor particle sources are absent, the human body with the clothes that cover it may be an important source of “personal cloud” (Wallace et al, 1999). To our best knowledge, compared with the other indoor sources introduced above, there is as to little information of size-dependent emission rates of particles from human body with different types of clothing and activity intensities. Lacking the knowledge of the emission of particles from clothed human body, it is difficult to improve indoor environments both in buildings and aerospace/nautical transportation, as a comprehensive understanding of the dominant relevant factors has not been reached
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