Effects of future temperature change on PM2.5 infiltration in the Greater Boston area
Journal
Atmospheric Environment
Journal Volume
150
Pages
98-105
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
Background Global temperature and the frequency of extreme weather events are projected to increase and affect indoor exposure to outdoor particulate matter (PM); however, no studies have quantitatively examined the effect of climate change on particle infiltration and indoor PM exposure. Obective To quantify the relationship between future changes in ambient temperature and fine particle (PM2.5) infiltration in the Greater Boston area. Methods We assembled a large database of outdoor and indoor PM2.5 data from 340 homes, and used the indoor-outdoor sulfur ratio (Sr) as a surrogate for PM2.5 infiltration. We employed linear mixed-effects models to examine the relationship between Sr and ambient temperature for all homes in the database and a subgroup of naturally ventilated homes. We used projected temperature data from 1981 to 2000 and 2046–2065 to predict future changes in Sr. Results The summer-winter difference in Sr was calculated to be 30% and 54% for all homes and in the naturally ventilated subgroup, respectively. The largest future difference in Sr (21%) was linked to differences in prevalence of air conditioning. Furthermore, Sr was predicted to increase by 7% for naturally ventilated homes and 2% for all homes in summer, corresponding to an average increase of 2–3 °C in future temperature. Conclusions We found that increases in future temperature due to climate change will be associated with increased PM2.5 infiltration, particularly in summer. The predicted temperature-related changes in Sr can be used to characterize future health risk due to elevated indoor PM2.5 exposure through increased particle infiltration. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd
Subjects
Climate change; Indoor-outdoor sulfur ratio; Particle infiltration; Temperature
Other Subjects
Air conditioning; Health risks; Particles (particulate matter); Sulfur; Temperature; Ventilation; Extreme weather events; Global temperatures; Indoor exposure; Indoor-outdoor sulfur ratio; Linear mixed-effects model; Particulate Matter; Temperature changes; Temperature data; Climate change; air conditioning; atmospheric modeling; climate change; database; future prospect; health risk; particle size; particulate matter; quantitative analysis; spatiotemporal analysis; sulfur; temperature effect; air conditioning; Article; environmental temperature; home; human; Massachusetts; particulate matter; priority journal; quantitative analysis; summer; temperature sensitivity; winter; Boston; Massachusetts; United States
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Type
journal article