Issue 8, 2019

Illuminating the dark side of indoor oxidants

Abstract

The chemistry of oxidants and their precursors (oxidants*) plays a central role in outdoor environments but its importance in indoor air remains poorly understood. Ozone (O3) chemistry is important in some indoor environments and, until recently, ozone was thought to be the dominant oxidant indoors. There is now evidence that formation of the hydroxyl radical by photolysis of nitrous acid (HONO) and formaldehyde (HCHO) may be important indoors. In the past few years, high time-resolution measurements of oxidants* indoors have become more common and the importance of event-based release of oxidants* during activities such as cleaning has been proposed. Here we review the current understanding of oxidants* indoors, including drivers of the formation and loss of oxidants*, levels of oxidants* in indoor environments, and important directions for future research.

Graphical abstract: Illuminating the dark side of indoor oxidants

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
04 mar 2019
Accepted
10 apr 2019
First published
07 iyn 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2019,21, 1229-1239

Illuminating the dark side of indoor oxidants

C. J. Young, S. Zhou, J. A. Siegel and T. F. Kahan, Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2019, 21, 1229 DOI: 10.1039/C9EM00111E

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