• Home
  • About / Contacts / Chapters
    • About Us
    • Contact Us / Officers
    • Local Chapters >
      • Wilkes Student Chapter >
        • Wilkes Officers
        • Wilkes Events
        • Student Chapter Activities Manual
      • CNY Chapter
      • ENY Chapter
      • DV Chapter >
        • DVC Events
        • DVC Officers
        • DVC Meeting Minutes
        • DVC Scholarships
      • NJ Chapter >
        • NJ Events
        • NJ Officers
        • NJ Scholarship
      • A&WMA at Rutgers
  • Membership
  • Annual Conference
    • Conference Information
    • Sponsor ACE 2021
  • APERG
    • Info & How to Apply
    • Past Scholars
    • U.S. EPA Honors
  • Past Events
    • PFAS Mini-Symposium - January 22, 2020 >
      • PFAS Workshop 2020: Slideshows
    • Climate Change Workshop - October 25, 2018 >
      • Climate Change Workshop 2018: Slideshows
      • Rutgers Student Registration
    • Ozone Workshop - October 12, 2017 >
      • Ozone Workshop 2017: Slideshows
    • NJDEP Regulatory Update - November 17, 2017
    • Golf Tournament - September 21, 2017
  • Resources for Educators
  • What's New
  • How to
  • Documents
  • Job Board
  • Home
  • Breann Coffaro

Breann Coffaro

​Ozone Reactions with Squalene: Particle Formation and Chemical Identification

Ozone Reactions with Squalene: Particle Formation and Chemical Identification


Ground-level ozone penetration indoors is the dominant and controlling source of ozone indoors, resulting in continuous ozone exposures to people. One substrate that ozone reacts with is squalene, an unsaturated skin lipid.  Squalene-ozone reaction byproducts include particulate-phase products that may cause respiratory and ocular irritation, which is particularly concerning to vulnerable populations such as asthmatics and the elderly.  The goal of my research is to identify and characterize the ozone-squalene reaction byproducts that may degrade indoor air quality and document their potential human exposures.  My proposed work will better characterize the factors (i.e. relative humidity, ozone concentration, seed particle composition, and squalene loading) that affect particle formation from squalene-ozone reactions. I will also determine the chemical composition of the particles formed by collecting them onto Teflon filters and subsequently analyzing them through derivatization followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry or directly by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. My preliminarily results have identified a number of carbonyls formed.  Particle number analysis will be determined with a condensation particle counter to investigate the previously mentioned factors influencing particle formation.  Three sample types will be analyzed: 1) particles from squalene-ozone reactions on glass plates, 2) particles produced and skin wipes from exposing people to ozone in a controlled exposure facility and 3) particles collected from homes of elderly persons residing in New Jersey and Georgia during the ozone season.  Since squalene is found on the surface of hair, clothing, and in house dust, in addition to skin, the squalene-ozone reaction is important in reducing ozone levels in homes but results in the generation of reaction products that people breathe in. The average human spends approximately 90% of their time indoors, so exposures to components found within indoor air are of concern. These reaction products in which people are exposed to may contribute to health issues attributed to ambient ozone.

This project resulted in the following publication:

Breann Coffaro and Clifford P.Weisel, (2022). The effect of environmental parameters on squalene-ozone particle formation, Atmospheric Environment, 289 (15):  119295.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119295


Key Links

APERG Grant
​
Annual Conference & Exhibition
Resources for Educators
Career Resources

Info

About Us​
Calendar

Support

Contact Us
How To
Join Us!
© 2021 Air & Waste Management Association