Aerosol in selected laboratories at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Opole University of Technology

Department of Thermal Engineering and Industrial Facilities, Opole University of Technology, Mikołajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, Poland

^⁎ Corresponding author: t.olszowski@po.opole.pl

Abstract

The paper contains the results of a study into mass concentration of the dispersed aerosol fraction with the aerodynamic diameter of up to 2.5 and 10 micrometers. The study was conducted during classes with students participating in them in two laboratories located at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Opole University of Technology as well as outdoor outside the building. It was demonstrated that the values of the mass concentration of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ measured in the laboratories differ considerably from the levels measured in the ambient air in the outdoor areas surrounding the faculty building. It was concluded that the diversity of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio was greater in the laboratories. Direct correlation was not established between the concentrations of the particular PM fractions in the two investigated environments. It was demonstrated that there is a statistically significant relation between the concentration of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ and the number of people present in the laboratory. The conducted cluster analysis led to the detection of the existence of dominant structures determining air quality parameters. For the analyzed case, endogenic factors are responsible for the aerosanitary condition. The study demonstrated that the evaluation of air quality needs to be performed individually for the specific rooms.