Indoor and outdoor carbon monoxide concentration relationships at different microenvironments in the Athens area

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 52; no. 6; pp. 1007 - 1019
• Main Authors: Chaloulakou, A., Mavroidis, I., Duci, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Buildings. Public works; Carbon Monoxide - analysis; Cities; Climate; emissions; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Greece; I/O ratio measurements; Indoor air pollution; Indoor pollution and occupational exposure; Linear Models; Pollution; Pollution indoor buildings; Regression analysis; Time Factors; Wind and concentration rose; Greece; Europe; Greece, Athens; I/O ratio measurements; Wind and concentration rose; Regression analysis; Indoor air pollution; Office; Air content; Air quality; Urban area; Diurnal variation; Time variation; Public building; School; Indoor pollution; Air pollution; Indoor outdoor ratio; Carbon monoxide; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/S0045-6535(03)00263-7

Simultaneous measurements of indoor and outdoor carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations conducted at two different microenvironments in Athens, Greece, using a non-dispersive infrared analyzer, are described in this paper. The two selected microenvironments, an office and a public school, were located in the vicinity of two streets with heavy traffic, near the center of Athens. A statistical correlation analysis of indoor concentration levels with outdoor concentrations monitored at the school and at the office, as well as with meteorological parameters and outdoor concentrations monitored at a fixed monitoring site, was conducted. Hourly indoor concentrations at the office and at the school showed a significant positive correlation with outdoor concentrations measured at both measurement locations (with correlation coefficient values
R=0.74 and
R=0.83 respectively) and at the fixed site (with
R=0.70 and
R=0.67 respectively). The correlation between indoor and outdoor concentrations was even better when hourly concentrations averaged over a 4 h period were considered (correlation coefficient values between indoor and outdoor concentrations measured at the office and at the school were
R=0.85 and
R=0.92 respectively and the correlation coefficient value between indoor and outdoor fixed site concentrations was
R=0.75 for both sites). Mean hourly outdoor concentrations at the fixed monitoring site explained approximately 56% (
R=0.75) of the variation of outdoor concentrations at the office and approximately 68 % (
R=0.83) of the variation of outdoor concentrations at the school. The mean daily indoor to outdoor (I/O) ratio ranged between 0.74 and 1.00 at the office and between 0.53 and 0.89 at the school.