title: The micro-environmental impact of volatile organic compound emissions from large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space.
abstract: Large-scale assemblies of people in a confined space can exert significant impacts on the local air chemistry due to human emissions of volatile organics. Variations of air-quality in such small scale can be studied by quantifying fingerprint volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetone, toluene, and isoprene produced during concerts, movie screenings, and sport events (like the Olympics and the World Cup). This review summarizes the extent of VOC accumulation resulting from a large population in a confined area or in a small open area during sporting and other recreational activities. Apart from VOCs emitted directly from human bodies (e.g., perspiration and exhaled breath), those released indirectly from other related sources (e.g., smoking, waste disposal, discharge of food-waste, and use of personal-care products) are also discussed. Although direct and indirect emissions of VOCs from human may constitute <1% of the global atmospheric VOCs budget, unique spatiotemporal variations in VOCs species within a confined space can have unforeseen impacts on the local atmosphere to lead to acute human exposure to harmful pollutants.
authors: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
authors: Tanushree
authors: T
authors: Dutta
authors: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, South Korea. Electronic address: kkim61@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors: Ki-Hyun
authors: KH
authors: Kim
authors: USDA-ARS Southern Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124, United States.
authors: Minori
authors: M
authors: Uchimiya
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 11016, India.
authors: Pawan
authors: P
authors: Kumar
authors: Soil & Agro-Bioengineering Lab, Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, India.
authors: Subhasish
authors: S
authors: Das
authors: Soil & Agro-Bioengineering Lab, Department of Environmental Science, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, India.
authors: Satya Sundar
authors: SS
authors: Bhattacharya
authors: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Szulejko
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003441:Crowding; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Exposure; Football; Recreation; Sports; VOC