These reactions can result in damage to surfaces, reduction in gas-phase ozone concentrations and release of volatile oxidized reaction products to the gas phase. The resistance to ozone surface deposition is dominated by resistance to mass transfer through indoor air and resistance to reaction and removal at the material surface. Researchers have shown that continued ozone exposure reduces the ability of a surface to react with ozone, a phenomena known as aging. Deposition is also influenced by the geometry of indoor surfaces, carpet being an example of a very complicated geometry. Understanding the geometric influence on surface uptake and the dynamics of surface aging and will lead to better predictions of indoor ozone concentrations.
Aldehydes are typically the result of ozone reactions with double bonded organic compounds.
Identification and quantification of precursor species is essential to improving indoor air quality by avoiding the release of irritating compounds. In controlled laboratory reactors, I exposed duct materials and carpeting to ozone. Concurrently, air samples were collected for analysis of organic compound emission rates. I separately measured ozone surface kinetics on carpet fibers and backing and compared these with kinetics associated with whole carpet. I developed mathematical models of mass transport through the carpet fiber mat to predict ozone uptake on carpet based on fiber and backing surface kinetics.