How does microbial growth in carpet dust impact microbial volatile organic compounds?
By Sarah Haines, PhD Candidate, The Ohio State University, @SarahRHaines We are excited to announce the recent publication of our paper, titled “Modeling microbial growth in carpet dust exposed to diurnal variations in relative humidity using the “Time-of-Wetness” framework” in the journal Indoor Air. This work is a culmination of research investigating how changes in […]
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Organic compounds in indoor air like to accumulate in paint
By Lucas Algrim, a recent PhD student in Paul Ziemann’s research group at University of Colorado Boulder. A range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be found in the indoor environment. Many VOCs will be ventilated out of the building by the air handling system, but they can also sorb to indoor surfaces, in other […]
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How does flooring type impact your indoor chemistry and indoor microbiology?
This blog post was written by Karen C. Dannemiller, Sarah Haines, and Rachel Adams. Their contact information is at the bottom of this post. Carpets are a favored flooring type. They can be soft, cozy, and warm – and help with keeping noise levels down. Carpet can even help prevent injury. While these attributes are well […]
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Total observed organic carbon indoors
Derek found that the total organic carbon concentration was impressively large, three times higher than what you’d find in a typical American city and ten times higher than clean ocean air. He also found that the compounds in the museum were significantly fresher – less oxidized – than those in outdoor air.
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New particle formation in the indoor environment
The presence of particles suspended in air is associated with negative health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular issues. While some particles are emitted directly to the air from a source, such as from combustion, formation of new particles through atmospheric chemical reactions is less obvious to the casual citizen.
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3D printers and air pollution
Breathing in these large amounts of very small particles may lead to effects in our respiratory system. These particles are so small that they can cross over to the blood stream and reach other organs.
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How dampness in homes impacts indoor air pollution
US researchers are exploring to what degree dampness in homes alters the chemistry and composition of the indoor air. The chemicals formed on wet indoor surfaces could be partially responsible for the increased respiratory symptoms seen in damp homes, an effect that has never been fully explained by mold and mildew.
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