Source Strengths for Indoor Human Activities that Resuspend Particulate Matter

TLDR

A mathematical model was applied to continuous indoor and outdoor particulate matter data to estimate source strengths for various human activities that resuspend house dust, such as folding blankets, dusting, bed‑making, dancing, vacuuming, and sitting on upholstered furniture. Resuspended particle mass was mostly larger than 5 µm, yet substantial PM₂.₅ and PM₅ resuspension occurred with source strengths of 0.03–0.5 mg min⁻¹ and 0.1–1.4 mg min⁻¹, respectively, and these strengths varied with the number of people, activity vigor, activity type, and flooring, while PM > 5 µm could not be quantified.

Abstract

A mathematical model was applied to continuous indoor and outdoor particulate matter (PM) measurements to estimate source strengths for a variety of prescribed human activities that resuspend house dust in the home. Activities included folding blankets, folding clothes, dry dusting, making a bed, dancing on a rug, dancing on a wood floor, vacuuming, and walking around and sitting on upholstered furniture. Although most of the resuspended particle mass from these activities was larger than 5 μm in diameter, the resuspension of PM2.5 and PM5 was substantial, with source strengths ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 mg min-1 for PM2.5 and from 0.1 to 1.4 mg min-1 for PM5. Source strengths for PM > 5 μm could not be quantified due to instrument limitations. The source strengths were found to be a function of the number of persons performing the activity, the vigor of the activity, the type of activity, and the type of flooring.