The measurement and model predictions of indoor ozone concentrations in museums

Abstract

Eleven museums, art galleries, historical houses and a museum library were monitored for 38 days during the summers of 1984 and 1985 to determine whether high outdoor ozone concentrations are transferred to the indoor atmosphere of museums. Museums having conventional air conditioning systems show peak indoor ozone concentrations about 30–40% of those outdoors. Buildings with no air conditioning but a high rate of air exchange with the outdoors show peak indoor ozone levels 69–84% of the outdoor concentrations, while other buildings where slow air infiltration provides the only means of air exchange have indoor ozone levels typically 10–20% of those outdoors. Indoor ozone concentrations as high as 0.143 ppm were found in one museum that lacks a chemically protected air conditioning system. For purposes of comparison, the recommended ozone level in places where works of art and historical documents are stored ranges from 0.013 to 0.001 ppm depending on the authority cited. A mathematical model was used to study the ozone concentrations within these buildings to confirm that the differences in indoor ozone levels between buildings can be explained in terms of building and ventilation system design.

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