Variation of indoor and outdoor carbonaceous aerosols in rural homes withstrong internal solid fuel combustion sources

Özet

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) are important components of particulate matter and contributesignificantly to the health and climate impacts of aerosols. In this study, we evaluated indoor and outdoor OCand EC concentrations in the total suspended particle (TSP) contents and their seasonal variations in ruralhouseholds with strong indoor solid fuel combustion sources. The 24-h average indoor TSP, EC and OC con-centrations were 470 ± 256, 7.9 ± 10.9, and 75 ± 114μg/m3during the non-heating period and increasedto 691 ± 287, 19 ± 9, and 192 ± 97μg/m3during the heating period, respectively. The seasonal differenceswere statistically significant (p< 0.05). The increments in OC and EC concentrations were larger in outdoor airthan in indoor air. OC and EC were correlated, with more significant correlations in indoor air compared tooutdoor air and stronger correlations during the heating period compared to the non-heating period. In winter,the total carbon (TC=EC+OC) mass fractions in TSP increased obviously, primarily because of coal burning forindoor environments.