Running Head:​ AIR QUALITY DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS

Lab 7: Air Quality Data Acquisition and Analysis

Nash Hughes, Cezanne Czworkowski, Hunter Kerley

ENVL 4300 Environmental Issues
Stockton University-Spring 2019
Dr. Tait Chirenje
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Abstract

The goal of this lab was to test and compare indoor and outdoor air quality parameters of

vehicles as well as around Stockton University’s buildings and outdoor areas. Using the data

collected from the ​Graywolf indoor/outdoor air quality monitors (IQ and TG probes) to

determine the presence of VOCs, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, formaldehyde,

nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, PM and ammonia. The idea is to look at the trends in air

quality seen in both indoor and outdoor environments and how they differ. Although air quality

is constantly changing and being affected by a variety of conditions the 2 minute sampling

interval is enough to compare the air quality parameters here on campus for this lab. Air quality

is typically measure over longer periods of time in order to determine physical and

environmental trends based off of seasonal and environmental changes.

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Table of Contents:

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………...1

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..…...3

Methods…………………………………………………………………………………..….....3

Results and Discussion……………………………………………………………….………...5

Conclusion……………………………………………………….……………..........................8

References……………………………………………………………………………….........10
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Introduction

In this lab, we tested air in select locations using Graywolf indoor/outdoor air quality

monitors (IQ and TG probes) to determine a number of air quality parameters. The six most

common air pollutants are: carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (​O​3)​, carbon dioxide (​CO​2)​, sulfur

dioxide (​SO​2​), Lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO​2​), and particulate matter (PM). For this lab we

will focus on​ VOCs, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ozone.​ ​The primary sources of

carbon dioxide in the environment are ​decomposition, ocean release and respiration. Sources

from human activities include cement production, deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels

like coal, oil and natural gas for transportation, heat, and electricity. Primary Sources of carbon

monoxide are cars, trucks, and other vehicles or machinery that burn fossil fuels, generators and

other gas powered equipment. Ozone, a secondary pollutant, is not directly emitted by industrial

activity or traffic, but through reactions of nitrogen oxides and VOCs. Most of these reactions

occur when pollutants from cars, power plants, chemical plants, and other sources chemically

react in sunlight. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can come from many household items

such as cleansers, disinfectants, dry-cleaned clothes, building materials and furnishings,

Methods

Using the Gray Wolf indoor/outdoor air quality monitors (IQ and TG probes) we

observed air pollutants . ​Since there are many pollutants, we focused on measuring a select few,

VOCs, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ozone. During our lab, we tested various locations
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which include: inside USC 245, directly outside of USC 245, an office and two hallways in the

new USC 2 building, outside in the middle of the two new buildings (failure: too cold), a

students car parked outside of USC (failure: too cold), entryway into USC, Chem 1 lab room, in

front of the fireplace in the campus center, C/D wing atrium, lobby of A&S, and the photo

printing workshop in A&S. At each location we let the Gray Wolf indoor/outdoor air quality

monitors measure for exactly three minutes before we recorded the data. During those three

minutes, we observed what could affect the measurements at each location. In the A&S lobby,

there are double doors that open on each side, often open together for periods of time due to use

of the handicap button, and directly outside is a shuttle pick up and a public transportation stop.

The photo printing workshop has many machines and fumes from supplies used to create art, the

C/D wing atrium has two very large fans at the top of the ceiling to circulate air which could

prevent pollutants from settling to the ground. The fireplace in the campus center is located in a

very populated location where most students walk by to get to their classes and it is often used as

an area for people to set up information tables with briberies such as food. The Chem 1 lab we

were in had multiple plants in the windows and also a fume hood for chemical waste. USC 245

(with us all in it) we can assume would have high CO​2 levels
​ from us breathing in a small space,

and outside of the classroom has a sitting area where most students wait for their classes to

begin. The faculty office in USC 2 is small so CO​2 levels

​ will be high with multiple people. The

entryway to USC has two sets of doors that allow air to leave the small space. We believe the

outside temperature was too cold for the Gray Wolf indoor/outdoor air quality monitors to

measure.
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Results and Discussion:

Cars typically will have substantially lower inside air quality compared to buildings, due

to buildings having strict filter standards based on the air quality act. This means that buildings

have to filter out many known VOC’s and carcinogens to an approved acceptable level. This is

due to the fact that most humans lifetime is spent indoors, and having the same poor air quality

as a car can be seen as detrimental. The other reason for such stringent air quality standards

indoors is due to the susceptibility to lawsuits if a building is notoriously unsafe and a worker

catches an airborne based disease. Now the areas where you may see higher than acceptable

VOC or carcinogen content is going to be in areas where there are frequent chemicals or crafting

materials being used.

We found these results conclusive in the Unified Science Building Room 245, with there

often being many different chemistry classes taking place in that room pre or post lab. This can

be due to the remnants of chemistry lab materials being leftover on faculty or students clothing

when present in the room. This is visible below, in the comparison between our USC 245 and the

air right outside the building.

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Figure 1: TVOC’s present walking from Stockton University’s Arts and Science building to the

Unified Science Center.

Figure 2: TVOC’s present in room 245 of the Unified Science Center on Stockton University’s

campus.
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This shows how diffuse outdoor air quality can be in comparison, due to high movement

of air, even though often buildings will have reasonably decent air quality.

As for Buildings compared to vehicles, it varies from car to car, but typically cars will have

worse air quality than the interior of buildings. This is often the trend, but was not entirely

conclusive as can be seen comparing figure 2 to figures 3 & 4.

Figure 3: TVOC’s present within a 1972 Buick GS.

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Figure 4: TVOC’s present within the interior of a 2002 Nissan Exterra.

Notably the older 72’ GS has more than double the VOC’s compared to the interior of the

USC 245 building room, which often is the relation between the two, but as for the 02’ Xterra,

the VOC content is about a ⅓ of the building. This often is not the case, though there may have

been human error in the account whether it be too high of numbers in the USC room or not

enough in the Xterra. This can stem from too much air movement within the car, or possibly a

more contaminated area within the room.

As for New Jerseys cyclical air quality, typically the winter months are going to bring

much higher exterior air quality due primarily to rain and snow frequently falling and catching

many of the airborne particulates. These particulates are going to typically going to be bound to

the falling precipitation and washed down the storm drains. This allows for average air quality to

be much higher in the winter, and usually going to be very clean during or after snowstorms.

Conclusion:
All in all, this lab was performed to help indicate the various differences between indoor

air quality within buildings, and within cars, along with comparing it side by side with exterior

air quality. This allows for differentiation between the the areas where humans spend most of

their time, inside a work building, and commuting in a car. The diverse differences between the

two still show how subject everyone’s lungs are to daily carcinogens and toxic pollutants. Not

that it is going imply everyone will get cancer at some point in their life, but it shows how

woefully ignorant the mass population is to the daily toxins taken into their bodies whether it be

sitting at a desk or driving in their commuter car. The best overall recommendations that can be
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made is to simply get an air freshener for your office, get a better car, and take a step outside for

some fresh air once in a while.

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References

Airnow. (2014, June 12). AirNow Archives. Retrieved March 18, 2019, from
https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.mapsarchivecalendar

AirNow. (2014, June 12). New Jersey, NJ Air Quality. Retrieved March 18, 2019, from
https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.local_city&mapcenter=0&cityid=576

EPA. (2018, October 31). Ground-level Ozone Basics. Retrieved from

​https://www.epa.gov/ground-level-ozone-pollution/ground-level-ozone-basics

EPA. (2016, September 08). Basic Information about Carbon Monoxide (CO) Outdoor Air
Pollution. Retrieved from ​https://www.epa.gov/co-pollution/basic-information-
about-carbon- monoxide-co-outdoor-air-pollution

EPA. (2016, September 08). Basic Information about Carbon Monoxide (CO) Outdoor Air
Pollution. Retrieved from ​https://www.epa.gov/co-pollution/basic-information-
about-carbon -monoxide-co-outdoor-air-pollution

United States EPA. (2017, November 06). Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air
Quality. Retrieved March 18, 2019, from ​https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/
volatile- organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality