What question did this study set out to answer?

Quantify the indoor production rates, sinks, and steady-state concentrations of hydroxyl radicals generated from reactions between ozone and indoor alkenes.

October 1, 1996Environmental Science & Technology

Production of the Hydroxyl Radical in Indoor Air

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Authors

CWCharles J. WeschlerRutgers, The State University of New Jersey HSHelen C. ShieldsRutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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Implication

Mass balance modeling reveals significant hydroxyl radical formation from ozone-alkene reactions in indoor air, suggesting rapid oxidation into irritating secondary pollutants.

Key Points

Quantify the indoor production rates, sinks, and steady-state concentrations of hydroxyl radicals generated from reactions between ozone and indoor alkenes.
Applied a one-compartment mass balance model to simulate indoor chemical kinetics between ozone and volatile organic compounds.
Evaluated hydroxyl radical production across alkene sources (d-limonene, α-terpinene, 2-methyl-2-butene, α-pinene) alongside common indoor sinks (nitrogen dioxide, ethanol, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, isoprene).
Hydroxyl radical sources and sinks reached equilibrium within tens of milliseconds, establishing a steady-state concentration of 6.7 × 10⁻⁶ ppb (1.7 × 10⁵ molecules/cm³) at 20 ppb indoor ozone.
Indoor hydroxyl radical production scaled nonlinearly with ozone concentration, remaining lower than midday outdoor levels (2 × 10⁻⁴ ppb) but higher than nighttime outdoor levels.
Indoor hydroxyl radicals at 6.7 × 10⁻⁶ ppb oxidized saturated organic compounds 2 to 5 orders of magnitude faster than 20 ppb ozone, generating products with heightened irritant and corrosive properties.

Cite This Study

Weschler et al. (1996) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1272dfc031bb6829a69d9b https://doi.org/10.1021/es960032f

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Implication

Mass balance modeling reveals significant hydroxyl radical formation from ozone-alkene reactions in indoor air, suggesting rapid oxidation into irritating secondary pollutants.

Production of the Hydroxyl Radical in Indoor Air

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Implication

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Cite This Study

Production of the Hydroxyl Radical in Indoor Air

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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