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

Račić, Nikolina; Frka, Sanja; Cvitešić Kušan, Ana; Petrić, Valentino; Mureddu, Francesco; Lovrić, Mario (2025) Characterizing Indoor Black Carbon Dynamics in a Residential Environment: The Role of Human Activity and Ventilation Behavior. Toxics, 13 (7). ISSN 2305-6304

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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.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	indoor, air quality, black carbon, aerosol, aethalometer
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry > Analytic Chemistry NATURAL SCIENCES > Chemistry > Organic Chemistry NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Poboljšanje kvalitete zraka u zatvorenim prostorima utemeljeno na dokazima UNSPECIFIED 101057497 EU Gorući problem onečišćenja zraka u obalnom području Jadrana: uvid u transformacije svojstava lebdećih čestica i njihova utjecaja na zdravlje ljudi i morski okoliš Sanja Frka Milosavlć IP-2024-05-6224 HrZZ Onečišćenje okoliša i ljudsko zdravlje: fizikalno-kemijska analiza, toksičnost i modeli strojnog učenja Snježana Herceg Romanić UNSPECIFIED EU Istraživačko-edukacijski centar za zdravstvenu i medicinsku ekologiju i zaštitu od zračenja – Rekonstrukcija i dogradnja Instituta za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada u Zagrebu- Radovan Fuchs; Ana Lucić Vrdoljak KK.01.1.1.02.0007 EK; MZOM
Depositing User:	Sanja Frka Milosavljević
Date Deposited:	11 Dec 2025 14:54
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10376
DOI:	10.3390/toxics13070536

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