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Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news on the impact of the environment on human health. EHP is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and its content is free online. Print issues are available by paid subscription.DISCLAIMER
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Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD)

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Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements Volume 107, Number S2, May 1999 Open Access
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Validity of the Uniform Mixing Assumption: Determining Human Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Abstract

Key words: mixing of pollutants, ideal mixing, uniform mixing, environmental tobacco smoke, the mass balance equation, exposure assessment, exposure modeling

Abstract

When using the mass balance equation to model indoor air quality, the primary assumption is that of uniform mixing. Different points in a single compartment are assumed to have the same instantaneous pollutant concentrations as all other points. Although such an assumption may be unrealistic, under certain conditions predictions (or measurements) of exposures at single points in a room are still within acceptable limits of error (e.g., 10%) . In this article, three studies of the mixing of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) pollutants are reviewed, and data from several other ETS field studies are presented. Under typical conditions for both short sources (e.g., 10 min) and the continuous sources of ETS in smoking lounges, I find that average exposure concentrations for a single point in a room represent the average exposure across all points in the room within 10% for averaging times ranging from 12 to 80 min. I present a method for determining theoretical estimates of acceptable averaging times for a continuous point source. -- Environ Health Perspect 107(Suppl 2) :357-363 (1999) . http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/Suppl-2/357-363klepeis/abstract.html

Key words: , , , , , ,

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