Indoor+Air+Quality

= = IAQ Triggers =Indoor Air Quality = Concern about air quality has traditionally focused on outside air even though people generally spend more of their time indoors. Indoor pollutants, however, are shielded from nature's cleaning agents and can become concentrated in small spaces. They come from a variety of sources, including gas and wood stoves, cleaning agents, and other substances such as paints, residual carpet chemicals, and adhesives. Natural pollutants, including mold, mildew, pet dander, and bacteria can also be harmful. Recently, studies have suggested that an increase in childhood asthma is linked to indoor pollutants like dust mites and cockroach droppings. Natural contaminants pose the greatest risk when they are dispersed through heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. Probably one of the most well known cases occurred during an American Legion convention in 1976. The Legionnaires were exposed to airborne bacteria that circulated from a hotel air conditioning system where they had been staying. Twenty-nine people died and over 180 became ill as a result of the condition, later known as legionellosis. Without proper ventiliation, improvements in the energy efficiency of homes and offices can lead to a deterioration of indoor air quality. Better insulation and more tightly sealed windows and doors decrease the circulation of fresh air, which can lead to higher concentrations of pollutants. In the industrialized world, the increased incidence of childhood respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, are thought to be related to increased exposure to indoor pollutants. Improper ventilation has also led to an increasing number of accidental carbon monoxide and radon poisonings. In general, the concentrations of most indoor pollutants are too low to have an adverse effect on human health. Controversy arises, however, from the question of how much exposure is necessary in order to create a health risk. While substances such as mercury and benzene are known to be toxic in small amounts, there is less certainty about the threshold of exposure at which other substances, including radon, are harmful to human health. Therefore, the primary focus is on continuing to improve ventilation and being aware and removing the source of the pollutant. Indoor air pollution also presents a serious health hazard in many developing countries. The greatest exposure comes from the by-products of indoor combustion for cooking and heating, as well as from tobacco smoking, which causes respiratory illnesses ? especially in women and children who tend to spend more time indoors on household tasks.  Environmental Protection Agency: Indoor Air Quality

The EPA offers a wide variety of information related to indoor air quality issues. Safety and Health Topics: Indoor Air Quality

The U.S. Department of Labor provides information on indoor air quality in the workplace. Sick Building Syndrome

The Ohio State University provides a comprehensive fact sheet that describes Sick Building Syndrome and the typical pollutants associated with it. []

IAQ Triggers