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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Environmental Science & Technology

Elevated Outdoor O3 Can Sustain New Particle Formation and Growth Indoors

  • Lauren A. Garofalo1
  • Allison G. Salamone1
  • John H. Clark1
  • Alyssa Bélanger1
  • Mj. Riches1
  • Rose K. Rossell1
  • Jienan Li1
  • Rachel Greene1
  • Megan D. Willis1
  • Delphine K. Farmer1
  1. 1Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
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Abstract

Ultrafine particles and submicron aerosol mass negatively impact human health; while indoor primary sources are known, secondary aerosol formation from oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an important, but less understood, exposure source. Previous studies have suggested that indoor new particle formation (NPF) and growth are ozone-limited. However, we find that in an authentic aged unoccupied office in a region with high outdoor O3 concentrations, sufficient O3 is transported indoors that NPF and growth are instead limited by the availability of VOCs. Mechanical ventilation continuously supplies O3 in the summertime and sustains the subsequent growth so that particle growth rates upon the addition of limonene range from 20 to 100 nm h–1rates 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than those observed outdoors. Additionally, we observe meaningful mass contributions from the growth of newly formed particles. Household use of limonene-containing products in rooms with elevated ozoneeither from ozone-producing remediation and germicidal UV technologies, or during outdoor ozone exceedance eventswill produce ultrafine particles and increase particle mass. The effect of ventilated O3 from outdoors on particle formation and growth highlights the value of continued efforts to reduce outdoor O3 pollution for moderating both indoor and outdoor sources of secondary pollutants.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{garofalo2026elevated,
  title = {{Elevated Outdoor O3 Can Sustain New Particle Formation and Growth Indoors}},
  author = {Lauren A. Garofalo and Allison G. Salamone and John H. Clark and Alyssa Bélanger and Mj. Riches and Rose K. Rossell and Jienan Li and Rachel Greene and Megan D. Willis and Delphine K. Farmer},
  journal = {Environmental Science \& Technology},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6c07592},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c07592},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Elevated Outdoor O3 Can Sustain New Particle Formation and Growth Indoors
AU  - Lauren A. Garofalo
AU  - Allison G. Salamone
AU  - John H. Clark
AU  - Alyssa Bélanger
AU  - Mj. Riches
AU  - Rose K. Rossell
AU  - Jienan Li
AU  - Rachel Greene
AU  - Megan D. Willis
AU  - Delphine K. Farmer
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/14
JO  - Environmental Science & Technology
DO  - 10.1021/acs.est.6c07592
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c07592
AB  - Ultrafine particles and submicron aerosol mass negatively impact human health; while indoor primary sources are known, secondary aerosol formation from oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an important, but less understood, exposure source. Previous studies have suggested that indoor new particle formation (NPF) and growth are ozone-limited. However, we find that in an authentic aged unoccupied office in a region with high outdoor O3 concentrations, sufficient O3 is transported indoors that NPF and growth are instead limited by the availability of VOCs. Mechanical ventilation continuously supplies O3 in the summertime and sustains the subsequent growth so that particle growth rates upon the addition of limonene range from 20 to 100 nm h–1rates 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than those observed outdoors. Additionally, we observe meaningful mass contributions from the growth of newly formed particles. Household use of limonene-containing products in rooms with elevated ozoneeither from ozone-producing remediation and germicidal UV technologies, or during outdoor ozone exceedance eventswill produce ultrafine particles and increase particle mass. The effect of ventilated O3 from outdoors on particle formation and growth highlights the value of continued efforts to reduce outdoor O3 pollution for moderating both indoor and outdoor sources of secondary pollutants.
SN  - 0013-936X
SN  - 1520-5851
ER  -