Evaluating Consumer Exposure to Air Emissions from a Washing Machine Using the USEPA IAQX Model

摘要

Consumers may be exposed to air emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) during the operation of a washing machine. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency IAQX model was used to predict air emissions from a washing machine and the subsequent vapor concentrations in a room. Five of the air emission subroutines in the IAQX model were tested and the results were compared to toluene vapor concentrations measured in an experiment.2 The results demonstrate the IAQX model can be used to predict vapor concentrations when the VOC emission rate or the evaporation mass transfer coefficients for a washing machine are known. This analysis presents a tiered approach one can use if these parameters are not known.