This is a review paper addressing the current state-of-the-art. Concerns that motivate studies of the indoor environment are reviewed in the introduction. The source and typical diurnal variations of the concentration of several air contaminants are discussed in the section on characterization. A dynamic model is described in the section on indoor air quality modelling. Indoor air pollution control techniques are addressed in the last section.
This paper reviews the literature on sources and levels of pollutants in buildings and looks at the possible effects of a reduction in ventilation rates on the health and comfort of building occupants.
Examines four pollutants found in significant amounts in biomass smoke: respirable particulates, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and particulate benzo(a)pyrene, to effect a comparison between tobacco smoke and biomass fuel smoke. Nominal doses of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide are roughly similar. For respirable particulates, smokers receive more than a factor of 10 larger nominal doses. The reverse is true for benzo(a)pyrene.
Discusses the sources and concentrations of organic compounds in indoor environments. Describes work done by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in the USA on formaldehyde and poor air quality in offices.
Summarizes a study reviewing indoor air pollution in housing in Canada. Concludes that 1, many materials and conditions which contribute significantly to indoor air pollution are known to be present in Canadian houses, 2,individual susceptibility to air pollution varies, 3, smoking remains a major source of pollution, 4, some energy conservation measures aggravate indoor pollution problems, 5, the full health, social and economic costs have yet tobe determined, and 6, acceptable levels of effects on health have not been defined.
A review of 116 investigated incidents of building illness among office workers in North America and 27 buildings selected for investigations for reasons other than building illness has recently been completed.
For controlling and for setting ventilation standards to maintain acceptable indoor air quality, it would appear to be of greatest importance to determine the strength of relationships between contaminant concentrations on one hand and different rates of ventilation and how these rates are expressed on the other.
Discusses the nature of the problem of indoor air pollution, limitations in the authority of established health agencies in the US to control the problem, research needs and some control options. Indoor pollutants of current concern include radon, tobacco smoke, emissions from unvented indoor combustion appliances, aeropathogens, formaldehyde and pesticides.
Particulate and gaseous emissions from indoor combustion appliances.and smoking can elevate the indoor concentrations of various pollutants. Indoor pollutant concentrations resulting from operating one or several combustion appliances, or from sidestream tobacco smoke, were measured in a 27m3 environmental chamber under varying vent ilation rates. The combustion appliances investigated were gas-fired cooking stoves, unvemed kerosene--fi red space heaters, and unvented natural gas-fired space heaters.
Login