Indoor Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Homes with or without Wood Burning for Heating

Indoor Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Homes with or without Wood Burning for Heating
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2008/42/i14/abs/es800304y.html

Environ. Sci. Technol., 42 (14), 5074–5080, 2008. 10.1021/es800304y

Pernilla Gustafson,*† Conny Östman,‡ and Gerd Sällsten†
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, and Department of Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden


Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of domestic wood burning on indoor levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Indoor and outdoor concentrations of 27 PAHs were measured during wintertime in homes with (n = 13) or without (n = 10) wood-burning appliances and at an ambient site in a Swedish residential area where wood burning for space heating is common. Twenty-four hour indoor levels of anthracene, benzo(ghi)fluoranthene, cyclopenta(cd)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, chrysene/triphenylene, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, benzo(ghi)perylene, and coronene were significantly (about 3- to 5-fold) higher in homes with, compared with homes without, wood-burning appliances. The outdoor levels of PAHs were generally higher than the indoor levels for all PAHs except for the methylated phenanthrenes. The total PAH cancer potency (sum of BaP equivalents) was significantly higher (about 4 times) in the wood-burning homes compared with the reference homes, with BaP being the largest contributor, while phenanthrene made the largest contribution to the total PAH concentration in indoor and outdoor air. The median indoor BaP level in the wood-burning homes (0.52 ng/m3) was 5 times higher than the Swedish health-based guideline of 0.1 ng/m3, which was also exceeded outdoors on all days (median 0.37 ng/m3).

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Received for review January 31, 2008
Revised manuscript received April 16, 2008
Accepted April 21, 2008
Web Release Date: June 7, 2008
Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society

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