Effects of indoor pyrotechnic displays on the air quality in the houston astrodome

Abstract

Fine and coarse particulate mass samples were collected during baseball games with pyrotechnic displays and control games without displays. The average fine and coarse particulate masses were 173 and 141 μg/m3, respectively, for the one-hour period immediately following the pyrotechnic displays. The particulate matter generated by the pyrotechnic displays was composed of the following elements (arranged from most to least abundant): K, S, Mg, Ti, Cl, Si, Ca, Al, Sr, V, Zn, Mn, and Pb. Although the average particulate mass concentrations were high during the first hour, the ventilation system reduced the concentrations by up to 41% during the second hour after the display. The fine and coarse particulate fractions had halflives of 2.0 and 0.9 hours, respectively, while the ventilation system operated at a capacity of one air change every three hours. © 1999 Air and Waste Management Association.