Controlling indoor air pollution from tobacco smoke - models and measurements

Examines the effects of smoking rate, ventilation, surface deposition, and air cleaning on the indoor concentrations of respirable particulate matter and carbon monoxide generated by cigarette smoke. A general mass balance model is presented which has been extended to include the concept of ventilation efficiency. Following a review of the source and removal terms associated with respirable particulates and carbon monoxide, we compare model predictions to various health guidelines.

Radon emission - from materials or the ground?

The problem of radon emission in buildings first came to light at the end of the 1970s, when a report by the Swedish National Institute of Radiation Protection revealed high radon daughter concentrations in some houses. Temporary limits on permitted concentrations in different types of dwellings were imposed in Sweden. They were related to the age of dwellings, due to the known historical use of alum shale in lightweight concrete.

Coping with radon

Notes that the Department of the Environment is considering the implications of imposing limits for the maximum annual dose of radiation to which occupants of existing and new homes should be exposed, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in its report of 1984. Describes radon's properties and origins in buildings, where levels are at least ten times higher than outdoors. The occupants of some homes, chiefly on granitic soils, receive up to 100 times the national average dose from radon. Explains the units used when discussing radon.

Characterisation of radon levels in indoor air

Describes the different types of monitoring and sampling techniques that can determine the radiation burden of the general public from radon and its decay products. This is accomplished by measuring the range and distribution of radon and rad

Analysis of low particulate size concentration levels in office environments

Simulation methods and test results are presented here to confirm projections of actual total suspended particulate (TSP) concentration levels for representative office buildings, with particular emphasis on the 0.3 to 5 micron particulate si

Indoor air pollution - Some Canadian experiences

It is only recently that indoor air pollution has begun to attract the attention it deserves in Canadian Governmental and Building code circles. Two main events have been catalytic towards this increased emphasis. First, the ban on the use of ur

Indoor air quality in Canada

The use of urea formaldehyde resins in Canadian houses, the mechanism of formaldehyde releases, health effects, toxicity, carginogenicity, allergic reactions and standards for ventilation are discussed.

An evaluation of formaldehyde sources exposures and possible remedial actions in two office environments

In response to employee complaints of upper respiratory and eye irritation, formaldehyde air sampling studies were conducted in two different office environments. The first was in a series of temporary modular buildings with construction simi

Indoor air quality in Canadian homes - Policy, regulatory and consumer education issues

There are a number of reasons to question whether regulation should be the primary means of dealing with indoor air quality problems. The nature of hypersensitivity to indoor pollutant exposures is such that any practical form of regulation m

A prospective study of the health and comfort changes among tenants after retrofitting of their flats

The prospective study included two groups, a study group, which had retrofitting of their flats, and a control group not exposed to environmental changes in their homes. The results clearly demonstrated a number of positive effects of the replac

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