Indoor/Outdoor Particulate Matter and Related Pollutants in a Sensitive Public Building in Madrid (Spain)

Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco (), Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno, Elías Díaz-Ramiro, Javier Fernández, Esther Coz, Carlos Yagüe, Carlos Román-Cascón, Dulcenombre Gómez-Garre, Adolfo Narros, Rafael Borge and Begoña Artíñano
Additional contact information
Elisabeth Alonso-Blanco: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Francisco Javier Gómez-Moreno: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Elías Díaz-Ramiro: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Javier Fernández: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Esther Coz: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Carlos Yagüe: Departamento de Física de la Tierra y Astrofísica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Carlos Román-Cascón: Department of Applied Physics, Marine and Environmental Sciences Faculty, INMAR, CEIMAR, University of Cadiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cádiz, Spain
Dulcenombre Gómez-Garre: Laboratorio de Biología Vascular y Microbiota, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), IdISSC, 2nd Floor North, C/Profesor Martín Lagos, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Adolfo Narros: Departamento de Ingeniería Química Industrial y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28006 Madrid, Spain
Rafael Borge: Departamento de Ingeniería Química Industrial y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28006 Madrid, Spain
Begoña Artíñano: Department of Environment, Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), Avenida Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-25

Abstract: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), indoor air quality (IAQ) is becoming a serious global concern due to its significant impact on human health. However, not all relevant health parameters are currently regulated. For example, particle number concentration (PNC) and its associated carbonaceous species, such as black carbon (BC), which are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), are not currently regulated. Compared with IAQ studies in other types of buildings, studies focusing on IAQ in hospitals or other healthcare facilities are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of these outdoor pollutants, among others, on the indoor environment of a hospital under different atmospheric conditions. To identify the seasonal influence, two different periods of two consecutive seasons (summer 2020 and winter 2021) were selected for the measurements. Regulated pollutants (NO, NO 2 , O 3 , PM 10 , and PM 2.5 ) and nonregulated pollutants (PM 1 , PNC, and equivalent BC (eBC)) in outdoor air were simultaneously measured indoor and outdoor. This study also investigated the impact of indoor activities on indoor air quality. In the absence of indoor activities, outdoor sources significantly contribute to indoor traffic-related pollutants. Indoor and outdoor (I-O) measurements showed similar behavior, but indoor concentrations were lower, with peak levels delayed by up to two hours. Seasonal variations in indoor/outdoor ( I / O ) ratios were lower for particles than for associated gaseous pollutants. Particle infiltration depended on particle size, with it being higher the smaller the particle size. Indoor activities also significantly affected indoor pollutants. PM x (especially PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) concentrations were mainly modulated by walking-induced particle resuspension. Vertical eBC profiles indicated a relatively well-mixed environment. Ventilation through open windows rapidly altered indoor air quality. Outdoor-dominant pollutants (PNC, eBC, and NO X ) had I / O ratios ≥ 1. Staying in the room with an open window had a synergistic effect, increasing the I / O ratios for all pollutants. Higher I/O ratios were associated with turbulent outdoor conditions in both unoccupied and occupied conditions. Statistically significant differences were observed between stable (TKE ≤ 1 m 2 s −2 ) and unstable (TKE > 1 m 2 s −2 ) conditions, except for NO 2 in summer. This finding was particularly significant when the wind direction was westerly or easterly during unstable conditions. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the behavior of indoor particulate matter and related pollutants. These pollutants are highly variable, and knowledge about them is crucial for determining their health effects, particularly in public buildings such as hospitals, where information on IAQ is often limited. More measurement data is particularly important for further research into I-O transport mechanisms, which are essential for developing preventive measures and improving IAQ.

Keywords: indoor air quality; indoor/outdoor ratio; hospital; black carbon; ultrafine particle number concentration; particulate matter (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:8:p:1175-:d:1710069

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