Measuring the Short-Term Emission Rates of Particles in the “Personal Cloud” with Different Clothes and Activity Intensities in a Sealed Chamber

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.