A Review of Household Products Induced Secondary Organic Aerosols Formation in Indoor Environment

This paper reviews the process of formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) in the indoor environment. SOAs have been found to have more alarming health effects on humans and environment. To be able to assess and quantify the risk, it is important to have a comprehensive information on their mechanism of formation. The photochemical reactions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the use of the consumer products with ozone (O3), hydroxyl group (OH-), and oxides of nitrogen NOx were considered. Environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity and light were also found to have impact on the physical and chemical composition of the resulting SOAs. Gas – phase partitioning was identified as responsible for the formation of SOAs. Common health effects associated with SOAs and mitigation measures were suggested.