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Observations and influences of real-time indoor ammonia concentrations during HOMEchem
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Observations and influences of real-time indoor ammonia concentrations during HOMEchem

Laura Ampollini
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Mar 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/38px-7543
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Abstract

Indoor air quality Chemical Engineering Environmental Engineering
Although ammonia (NH3) is usually found at outdoor concentrations of 1-5 ppb, indoor ammonia concentrations can be much higher. Indoor ammonia is strongly emitted from cleaning products, tobacco smoke, building materials, and humans. Because of ammonia's high reactivity, solubility in water, and tendency to sorb to a variety of surfaces, it is difficult to measure, and thus a comprehensive evaluation of indoor ammonia concentrations remains an understudied topic. During HOMEChem, a comprehensive indoor chemistry study which occurred in a test house in June 2018, the real-time concentration of ammonia indoors was measured using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. A mean unoccupied background concentration of 32 ppb was observed, with further enhancements of ammonia occurring during cooking, cleaning, and occupancy activities, reaching maximum concentrations during these activities of 130 ppb, 1592 ppb and 99 ppb, respectively. Furthermore, ammonia concentrations were strongly influenced by indoor temperatures and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) operation. In the absence of activity-based sources, the HVAC operation was the main modulator of ammonia concentration indoors.

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