On the Water-Soluble Organic Matter in Inhalable Air Particles: Why Should Outdoor Experience Motivate Indoor Studies?
Source abstract
Abstract
The current understanding of water-soluble organic aerosol (OA) composition, sources, transformations, and effects is still limited to outdoor scenarios. However, the OA is also an important component of particulate matter indoors, whose complexity impairs a full structural and molecular identification. The current limited knowledge on indoor OA, and particularly on its water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) fraction is the basis of this feature paper. Inspired by studies on outdoor OA, this paper discusses and prioritizes issues related to indoor water-soluble OA and their effects on human health, providing a basis for future research in the field. The following three main topics are addressed: (1) what is known about the origin, mass contribution, and health effects of WSOM in outdoor air particles; (2) the current state-of-the-art on the WSOM in indoor air particles, the main challenges and opportunities for its chemical characterization and cytotoxicity evaluation; and (3) why the aerosol WSOM should be considered in future indoor air quality studies. While challenging, studies on the WSOM fraction in air particles are highly necessary to fully understand its origin, fate, toxicity, and long-term risks indoors.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Air Quality and Health Impacts · Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols · Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
CESAM—Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Funding
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia · European Cooperation in Science and Technology
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