Ozone levels in passenger cabins of commercial aircraft on North American and transoceanic routes

Environ Sci Technol. 2008 Jun 1;42(11):3938-43. doi: 10.1021/es702967k.

Abstract

Ozone levels in airplane cabins, and factors that influence them, were studied on northern hemisphere commercial passenger flights on domestic U.S., transatlantic, and transpacific routes. Real-time data from 76 flights were collected in 2006--2007 with a battery-powered UV photometric monitor. Sample mean ozone level, peak-hour ozone level, and flight-integrated ozone exposures were highly variable across domestic segments (N = 68), with ranges of < 1.5 to 146 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), 3--275 ppbv, and < 1.5 to 488 ppbv-hour, respectively. On planes equipped with ozone catalysts, the mean peak-hour ozone level (4.7 ppbv, N = 22)was substantially lower than on planes not equipped with catalysts (47 ppbv, N = 46). Peak-hour ozone levels on eight transoceanic flight segments, all on planes equipped with ozone catalysts, were in the range < 1.5 to 65 [corrected] ppbv. Seasonal variation on domestic routes without converters is reasonably modeled by a sinusoidal curve that predicts peak-hour levels to be approximately 70 ppbv higher in Feb--March than in Aug--Sept The temporal trend is broadly consistent with expectations, given the seasonal cycle in tropopause height. Episodically elevated (>100 ppbv) ozone levels on domestic flights were associated with winter-spring storms that are linked to enhanced exchange between the lower stratosphere and the upper troposphere.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollution / prevention & control
  • Air Pollution, Indoor / analysis*
  • Aircraft*
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • North America
  • Oxidants, Photochemical / analysis*
  • Ozone / analysis*
  • Seasons

Substances

  • Oxidants, Photochemical
  • Ozone