@article{22244,
  keywords = {Volatile organic compounds (VOC), Adsorption, Hazardous air pollutants, Nerve agents, Sink effect},
  author = {Brett C Singer and Alfred T Hodgson and Toshifumi Hotchi and Katherine Y Ming and Richard G Sextro and Emily E Wood and Nancy J Brown},
  title = {Sorption of organic gases in residential rooms},
  abstract = {<p>Experiments were conducted to characterize organic gas sorption in residential rooms studied ‘‘as-is'' with furnishings and material surfaces unaltered and in a furnished chamber designed to simulate a residential room. Results are presented for 10 rooms (five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a home office, and two multi-function spaces) and the chamber. Exposed materials were characterized and areas quantified. A mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was rapidly volatilized within each room as it was closed and sealed for a 5-h Adsorb phase; this was followed by 30-min Flush and 2-h closed-room Desorb phases. Included were alkane, aromatic, and oxygenated VOCs representing a range of ambient and indoor air pollutants. Three organophosphorus compounds served as surrogates for Sarin-like nerve agents. Measured gas-phase concentrations were fit to three variations of a mathematical model that considers sorption occurring at a surface sink and potentially a second, embedded sink. The 3-parameter sink–diffusion model provided acceptable fits for most compounds and the 4-parameter two-sink model provided acceptable fits for the others. Initial adsorption rates and sorptive partitioning increased with decreasing vapor pressure for the alkanes, aromatics and oxygenated VOCs. Best-fit sorption parameters obtained from experimental data from the chamber produced best-fit sorption parameters similar to those obtained from the residential rooms.</p>},
  year = {2007},
  journal = {Atmospheric Environment},
  volume = {41},
  number = {15},
  pages = {3251-3265},
  language = {eng},
}