Investigation of indoor aerosols emitted from electrical appliances

Air quality inside a residential apartment has been investigated by measuring the PM emission generated from cooking and ironing using electrical devices. The samples were collected in the kitchen, the living room and the bedroom. The total number concentration, the size distributions and mass concentration PM0.1, PM2.5 and PM10 were measured using portable and compact instruments; a NanoScan SMPS 3910, an Optical Particle Sizer 3330 and a Condensation Particle Counter 3007. The results were analyzed and compared to the WHO guidelines for ambient air quality. In the absence of a standardized method for assessing indoor air quality, a procedure is suggested for a better consideration of the physical properties of the particles. The results obtained showed that an electrical oven with visible heating electrical resistances inside is much more emissive compared to a cooktop plate or a steam-iron were the heating resistances are protected in a steel housing. The emission from the kitchen spreads all over the apartment and the concentration levels remain high for a long time. The dissemination of particles is accompanied by a growth in their size. Ventilating the areas, for example by using a hood or opening a window, seems an efficient measure to reduce the high concentration of particles emitted by residential activities.