Phase state of organic aerosols may limit temperature-driven thermodynamic repartitioning following outdoor-to-indoor transport.Ambient aerosols often experience temperature and humidity gradients following outdoor-to-indoor transport, causing organic aerosols (OA) to either gain or lose mass via gas-particle repartitioning.  Recent models have sought to quantify these effects using equilibrium partitioning thermodynamics.  That is, thermodynamic equilibrium partitioning may occur when semivolatile kgp ≫ lp, no repartitioning when semivolatile kgp ≪ lp, and partial repartitioning when their magnitudes are similar.  When an appreciable temperature gradient exists, this study not only confirmed that all outdoor-originating OA that is liquid indoors will reach thermodynamic equilibrium, but also concluded that a plurality (46% for this domain) of such OA that is semisolid may also achieve thermodynamic equilibrium during its indoor lifetime.
THERM