Source-specific particle emission rates under real-life conditions - measurement approach vs. modeling approach

More representative data on source-specific particle number emission rates in European households are needed. In this work, indoor and outdoor particle number size distribution and the residents' activity log data were collected in 40 German homes during more than 500 days in total. Two commonly used approaches - single parameter approach (SPA, measurement-based) and Indoor Aerosol Model approach (IAM) - were applied to quantify the particle number emission rates. Results from these two approaches were compared and evaluated for the first time. Due to the consideration of time-evolving ventilation rates, particle deposition and coagulation, the emission rates quantified using the IAM approach were approximately twice as high as those of the SPA. Correction factors were derived to adjust the SPA results, making the emission rates calculated at different levels of analysis mutually comparable.