title: Comparison of real-time instruments and gravimetric method when measuring particulate matter in a residential building.
abstract: This study used several real-time and filter-based aerosol instruments to measure PM2.5levels in a high-rise residential green building in the Northeastern US and compared performance of those instruments. PM2.524-hr average concentrations were determined using a Personal Modular Impactor (PMI) with 2.5 µm cut (SKC Inc., Eighty Four, PA) and a direct reading pDR-1500 (Thermo Scientific, Franklin, MA) as well as its filter. 1-hr average PM2.5concentrations were measured in the same apartments with an Aerotrak Optical Particle Counter (OPC) (model 8220, TSI, Inc., Shoreview, MN) and a DustTrak DRX mass monitor (model 8534, TSI, Inc., Shoreview, MN). OPC and DRX measurements were compared with concurrent 1-hr mass concentration from the pDR-1500. The pDR-1500 direct reading showed approximately 40% higher particle mass concentration compared to its own filter (n = 41), and 25% higher PM2.5mass concentration compared to the PMI2.5filter. The pDR-1500 direct reading and PMI2.5in non-smoking homes (self-reported) were not significantly different (n = 10, R2= 0.937), while the difference between measurements for smoking homes was 44% (n = 31, R2= 0.773). Both OPC and DRX data had substantial and significant systematic and proportional biases compared with pDR-1500 readings. However, these methods were highly correlated: R2= 0.936 for OPC versus pDR-1500 reading and R2= 0.863 for DRX versus pDR-1500 reading. The data suggest that accuracy of aerosol mass concentrations from direct-reading instruments in indoor environments depends on the instrument, and that correction factors can be used to reduce biases of these real-time monitors in residential green buildings with similar aerosol properties.
  
  
  
  This study used several real-time and filter-based aerosol instruments to measure PM2.5levels in a high-rise residential green building in the northeastern United States and compared performance of those instruments. The data show that while the use of real-time monitors is convenient for measurement of airborne PM at short time scales, the accuracy of those monitors depends on a particular instrument. Bias correction factors identified in this paper could provide guidance for other studies using direct-reading instruments to measure PM concentrations.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Sciences , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Zuocheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Sciences , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.affiliation: b Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University , Piscataway , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Allison P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.affiliation: c Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University , Piscataway , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: MaryAnn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sorensen Allacci
authors.affiliation: c Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University , Piscataway , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Senick
authors.affiliation: d Department of Technology, Culture and Society , Polytechnic Institute of New York University , Brooklyn , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wener
authors.affiliation: c Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University , Piscataway , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Clinton J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Sciences , Rutgers University , New Brunswick , NJ , USA.|b Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University , Piscataway , NJ , USA.
authors.forename: Gediminas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mainelis
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006798:Housing; D008873:Mid-Atlantic Region; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D052638:Particulate Matter