Characterizing Indoor Black Carbon Dynamics in a Residential Environment: The Role of Human Activity and Ventilation Behavior

TL;DR

This study tracks indoor black carbon levels in a home, showing how activities like candle burning and gas use significantly raise pollution.

Contribution

The study introduces a high-resolution dataset linking indoor black carbon sources to specific human activities and ventilation behaviors.

Findings

Biomass burning and fossil fuel BC concentrations varied widely, with peaks during combustion activities.

Scented candle burning and gas burner use caused significant increases in indoor BC levels.

Non-combustion activities had minor or inconsistent effects on indoor BC concentrations.

Abstract

Understanding indoor black carbon (BC) dynamics is important for assessing human exposure and informing air quality management in residential settings. This study presents a high-resolution, multi-sensor dataset collected over 24 days in a semi-occupied home in Zagreb, Croatia, designed to characterize the temporal behavior and sources of indoor BC. Indoor BC concentrations were measured at 1 min resolution using a dual-spot aethalometer, with source apportionment into biomass burning and fossil fuel components. Complementary contextual data including motion detection, door and window states, and traffic activity were collected in parallel using smart sensors and annotated experimental logs. Across the monitoring period, daily mean BC concentrations ranged from 174.7 and 1053.1 ng/m3 for biomass burning BC and between 53.2 and 880.3 ng/m3 for fossil fuel component. Statistical analyses revealed significant increases in BC concentrations during direct combustion-related activities, including scented candle burning and gas burner use. Additional BC elevations were associated with mechanical heat sources and nearby vehicle traffic, particularly affecting the fossil fuel BC component. In contrast, non-combustion activities such as brief human presence exhibited minor or inconsistent effects on indoor BC levels. This study elucidates the primary role of combustion-based indoor activities in influencing short-term BC exposure and highlights the importance of synchronized, high-resolution datasets for indoor air quality research.

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