Ventilation in public housing: implications for indoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2005.00375.x

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Wiley InterScience

Indoor Air

Volume 15 Issue 6, Pages 393 - 401

Published Online: 4 Jul 2005

Published on behalf of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate

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Ventilation in public housing: implications for indoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations

A. Zota, G. Adamkiewicz, J. I. Levy, J. D. Spengler

Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

Correspondence to A. Zota,
Harvard School of Public Health,
Landmark Building-401 Park Drive, Room 409,
Boston, MA 02215, USA
Tel.: 617-384-8827
Fax: 617-384-8859
e-mail: azota@hsph.harvard.edu

KEYWORDS

Nitrogen dioxide • Air exchange rates • Ventilation • Indoor air quality • Public housing • Multi-family housing

ABSTRACT

Abstract Although elevated nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposures may exacerbate asthma, few studies have examined indoor NO₂ levels in low-income, urban neighborhoods, where asthma prevalence is high. As part of the Healthy Public Housing Initiative, NO₂ was measured in 77 homes within three Boston public housing developments, using Palmes tubes placed in the kitchen, living room, and outdoors. Air exchange rates (AERs) were assessed using a perfluorocarbon tracer technique. Overall NO₂ levels were [mean (ppb) ± s.d.]: kitchen (43 ± 20, n = 100), living room (36 ± 17, n = 102), outdoor (19 ± 6, n = 91). Indoor NO₂ levels were significantly higher in the heating season (living room: 43 ppb vs. 26 ppb, kitchen: 50 ppb vs. 33 ppb), while AERs were significantly lower in the heating season (medians 0.49/h vs. 0.85/h). Significant univariate predictors of indoor concentrations include: outdoor NO₂ levels, AERs, and occupancy. AERs and outdoor NO₂ remained significant in multivariate models (P < 0.05). A dummy variable for supplemental heating with gas stove was not significant (P = 0.14), but had a large, positive coefficient. Indoor NO₂ levels in this cohort are higher than those generally reported in residential US settings, associated in part with increased gas stove usage and decreased AERs during the heating season.

Practical Implications

Indoor air quality is mainly a function of outdoor concentrations, indoor sources, ventilation, and residential behavior. Indoor exposures to nitrogen dioxide and other combustion pollutants may be elevated within low-income housing developments due to the presence of multiple sources, poor ventilation, small apartment size, and behavioral responses to apartment conditions (e.g. supplemental heating with gas stove). This information may be used by housing authorities and other landlords to decrease potential environmental stressors, through interventions such as source substitution and improved ventilation, particularly for sensitive sub-populations such as asthmatics.

Received for review 30 December 2004. Accepted for publication 11 May 2005.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1600-0668.2005.00375.x About DOI