Cabin air quality on non-smoking commercial flights: A review of published data on airborne pollutants

Ruiqing Chen; Lei Fang; Junjie Liu; Britta Herbig; Victor Norrefeldt; Florian Mayer; Richard Fox; Pawel Wargocki

doi:10.1111/ina.12831

Cabin air quality on non-smoking commercial flights: A review of published data on airborne pollutants

Ruiqing Chen, Lei Fang, Junjie Liu, Britta Herbig, Victor Norrefeldt, Florian Mayer, Richard Fox, Pawel Wargocki^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › peer-review

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Abstract

We reviewed 47 documents published 1967–2019 that reported measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on commercial aircraft. We compared the measurements with the air quality standards and guidelines for aircraft cabins and in some cases buildings. Average levels of VOCs for which limits exist were lower than the permissible levels except for benzene with average concentration at 5.9 ± 5.5 μg/m³. Toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, limonene, nonanal, hexanal, decanal, octanal, acetic acid, acetone, ethanol, butanal, acrolein, isoprene and menthol were the most frequently measured compounds. The concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and other contaminants did not exceed standards and guidelines in buildings except for the average NO₂ concentration at 12 ppb. Although the focus was on VOCs, we also retrieved the data on other parameters characterizing cabin environment. Ozone concentration averaged 38 ppb below the upper limit recommended for aircraft. The outdoor air supply rate ranged from 1.7 to 39.5 L/s per person and averaged 6.0 ± 0.8 L/s/p (median 5.8 L/s/p), higher than the minimum level recommended for commercial aircraft. Carbon dioxide concentration averaged 1315 ± 232 ppm, lower than what is permitted in aircraft and close to what is permitted in buildings. Measured temperatures averaged 23.5 ± 0.8°C and were generally within the ranges recommended for avoiding thermal discomfort. Relative humidity averaged 16% ± 5%, lower than what is recommended in buildings.

Original language	English
Journal	Indoor Air
Volume	31
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	926-957
ISSN	0905-6947
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12831
Publication status	Published - 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 820872‐ComAir‐H2020‐CS2‐CFP07‐2017‐02. The grant supported the ComAir project with the title “Investigation of cabin ventilation strategies impact on aircraft cabin air quality and passengers’ comfort and well‐being through subject study in realistic aircraft environment.” The work was also supported by the CognitAir project with the title “CO and VOCs requirements for aircraft cabins/occupied spaces based on cognitive performance, comfort responses and physiological changes depending on pressure level.” CognitAir was financially supported by Honeywell, Airbus, Pall, Embraer, and Liebherr and was co‐funded by ASHRAE. We thank Prof. David P. Wyon for his constructive comments and revisions and Dr. J. Enrique Cometto‐Muñiz for his advice on odor thresholds. The authors declare no conflict of interest and are responsible for the content of this publication. 2

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Keywords

Cabin air quality
Commercial aircraft
Contaminants
In-flight measurement
Thermal environment

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title = "Cabin air quality on non-smoking commercial flights: A review of published data on airborne pollutants",

abstract = "We reviewed 47 documents published 1967–2019 that reported measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on commercial aircraft. We compared the measurements with the air quality standards and guidelines for aircraft cabins and in some cases buildings. Average levels of VOCs for which limits exist were lower than the permissible levels except for benzene with average concentration at 5.9 ± 5.5 μg/m3. Toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, limonene, nonanal, hexanal, decanal, octanal, acetic acid, acetone, ethanol, butanal, acrolein, isoprene and menthol were the most frequently measured compounds. The concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and other contaminants did not exceed standards and guidelines in buildings except for the average NO2 concentration at 12 ppb. Although the focus was on VOCs, we also retrieved the data on other parameters characterizing cabin environment. Ozone concentration averaged 38 ppb below the upper limit recommended for aircraft. The outdoor air supply rate ranged from 1.7 to 39.5 L/s per person and averaged 6.0 ± 0.8 L/s/p (median 5.8 L/s/p), higher than the minimum level recommended for commercial aircraft. Carbon dioxide concentration averaged 1315 ± 232 ppm, lower than what is permitted in aircraft and close to what is permitted in buildings. Measured temperatures averaged 23.5 ± 0.8°C and were generally within the ranges recommended for avoiding thermal discomfort. Relative humidity averaged 16% ± 5%, lower than what is recommended in buildings.",

keywords = "Cabin air quality, Commercial aircraft, Contaminants, In-flight measurement, Thermal environment",

author = "Ruiqing Chen and Lei Fang and Junjie Liu and Britta Herbig and Victor Norrefeldt and Florian Mayer and Richard Fox and Pawel Wargocki",

note = "Funding Information: This work received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 820872‐ComAir‐H2020‐CS2‐CFP07‐2017‐02. The grant supported the ComAir project with the title “Investigation of cabin ventilation strategies impact on aircraft cabin air quality and passengers{\textquoteright} comfort and well‐being through subject study in realistic aircraft environment.” The work was also supported by the CognitAir project with the title “CO and VOCs requirements for aircraft cabins/occupied spaces based on cognitive performance, comfort responses and physiological changes depending on pressure level.” CognitAir was financially supported by Honeywell, Airbus, Pall, Embraer, and Liebherr and was co‐funded by ASHRAE. We thank Prof. David P. Wyon for his constructive comments and revisions and Dr. J. Enrique Cometto‐Mu{\~n}iz for his advice on odor thresholds. The authors declare no conflict of interest and are responsible for the content of this publication. 2 Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd",

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AU - Mayer, Florian

AU - Fox, Richard

AU - Wargocki, Pawel

N1 - Funding Information: This work received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 820872‐ComAir‐H2020‐CS2‐CFP07‐2017‐02. The grant supported the ComAir project with the title “Investigation of cabin ventilation strategies impact on aircraft cabin air quality and passengers’ comfort and well‐being through subject study in realistic aircraft environment.” The work was also supported by the CognitAir project with the title “CO and VOCs requirements for aircraft cabins/occupied spaces based on cognitive performance, comfort responses and physiological changes depending on pressure level.” CognitAir was financially supported by Honeywell, Airbus, Pall, Embraer, and Liebherr and was co‐funded by ASHRAE. We thank Prof. David P. Wyon for his constructive comments and revisions and Dr. J. Enrique Cometto‐Muñiz for his advice on odor thresholds. The authors declare no conflict of interest and are responsible for the content of this publication. 2 Publisher Copyright: © 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

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N2 - We reviewed 47 documents published 1967–2019 that reported measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on commercial aircraft. We compared the measurements with the air quality standards and guidelines for aircraft cabins and in some cases buildings. Average levels of VOCs for which limits exist were lower than the permissible levels except for benzene with average concentration at 5.9 ± 5.5 μg/m3. Toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, limonene, nonanal, hexanal, decanal, octanal, acetic acid, acetone, ethanol, butanal, acrolein, isoprene and menthol were the most frequently measured compounds. The concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and other contaminants did not exceed standards and guidelines in buildings except for the average NO2 concentration at 12 ppb. Although the focus was on VOCs, we also retrieved the data on other parameters characterizing cabin environment. Ozone concentration averaged 38 ppb below the upper limit recommended for aircraft. The outdoor air supply rate ranged from 1.7 to 39.5 L/s per person and averaged 6.0 ± 0.8 L/s/p (median 5.8 L/s/p), higher than the minimum level recommended for commercial aircraft. Carbon dioxide concentration averaged 1315 ± 232 ppm, lower than what is permitted in aircraft and close to what is permitted in buildings. Measured temperatures averaged 23.5 ± 0.8°C and were generally within the ranges recommended for avoiding thermal discomfort. Relative humidity averaged 16% ± 5%, lower than what is recommended in buildings.

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KW - Cabin air quality

KW - Commercial aircraft

KW - Contaminants

KW - In-flight measurement

KW - Thermal environment

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DO - 10.1111/ina.12831

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VL - 31

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JO - Indoor Air

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IS - 4

ER -

Cabin air quality on non-smoking commercial flights: A review of published data on airborne pollutants

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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