Use of Reactive Tracers To Determine Ambient OH Radical Concentrations: Application within the Indoor Environment

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 44; no. 16; pp. 6269 - 6274
• Main Authors: White, Iain R, Martin, Damien, Muñoz, M. Paz, Petersson, Fredrik K, Henshaw, Stephen J, Nickless, Graham, Lloyd-Jones, Guy C, Clemitshaw, Kevin. C, Shallcross, Dudley E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.08.2010
• Subjects: Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Applied sciences; Butadienes - chemistry; Carbon Monoxide - analysis; Chemical compounds; Chromatography; Environmental Measurements Methods; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Exact sciences and technology; Hemiterpenes - chemistry; Humidity; Hydroxyl Radical - analysis; Indoor air quality; Ozone - analysis; Pentanes - chemistry; Pollution; Spectrum analysis; Temperature; Time Factors; Trace elements; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Indoor pollution; Hydroxyl radicals; Gas chromatography; Air quality; Mass spectrometry; Tracers
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es901699a

The hydroxyl radical (OH) plays a key role in determining indoor air quality. However, its highly reactive nature and low concentration indoors impede direct analysis. This paper describes the techniques used to indirectly quantify indoor OH, including the development of a new method based on the instantaneous release of chemical tracers into the air. This method was used to detect ambient OH in two indoor seminar rooms following tracer detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). The results from these tests add to the small number of experiments that have measured indoor OH which are discussed with regard to future directions within air quality research.