Assessment and control of indoor air pollution, pp. These hazards cause and exacerbate a variety of adverse health effects in. In the short term, exposure to high concentrations of indoor air pollution can cause eye irritation, headaches, nose and throat irritation, fatigue, and dizziness. Indoor air pollution by formaldehyde in european countries. If you would like to printed copy, please email air. Effects of indoor air pollution on human health berglund 1992. Indoor air pollutants and the impact on human health. Indoor air pollution is one of the worlds largest environmental problems particularly for the poorest in the world who often do not have access to clean fuels for cooking the global burden of disease is a major global study on the causes and risk factors for death and disease published in the medical journal the lancet. Its purpose is to deliver highquality research and practical guidance to help the industry meet its considerable challenges.
Environmental protection agency, office of air and radiation. The negative outcomes due to the exposure to indoor air pollution are mainly related to physical, chemical and biological properties of pollutants. Gas stoves or badly installed woodburning units with poor ventilation and maintenance can increase the indoor levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particles. This publication is a concise summary of the evidence for health effects of exposure to indoor air pollution from solid fuel use in children and adults. Summary and conclusions indoor pollutants ncbi bookshelf. The weight of an air contaminant in a cubic meter of air 3mgm and the volume ratio ppm v, or just ppm are normally used. Indoor air pollution indoor air is air within a building such as your home, classroom, office, shopping center, hospital or gym. Indoor air quality leaflet pdf file file size 818kb monitoring pollution levels in your home. In some cases, indoor air pollutants may even be 100 times higher than outdoors. Iaq is known to affect the health, comfort and wellbeing of building occupants. Indoor radon exposure, which is the secondleading cause of lung cancer, was rated the numberone environmental health risk. Some individuals are much more sensitive to pollutants than are others. Air pollution reduces the economic value of crops and leads to expensive cleaning of cultural heritage.
Before considering specific toxic agents and environments contributing to the health effects of indoor air pollution, we will consider what makes children particularly. Unlike outdoor air pollution, the effect of indoor air pollution is health related and less of an environmental issue. Effect of using lowpolluting building materials and. Ari is a cause of death globally, causing approximately 19% of all deaths before the age of 5 years, according to a world health organization estimate. In 2016, a study published in the lancet found that longterm exposure to air pollution contributes to the progression of heart disease by accelerating atherosclerosis, a major cause of heart attack and stroke. The ill effects of indoor air pollution result in about 2 million premature deaths per year, wherein 44% are due to pneumonia, 54% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd, and 2% from lung cancer. An increased risk of developing lung cancer has been linked to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke ets and to radon decay products. View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view download pdf for offline viewing. Birth defects and others issues linked to indoor air pollution.
Also, many different factors influence air quality, for example ventilation, cleaning conditions, properties of buildings, products used in households. Indoor air pollution is one of the major hazards that contradict the primal existing aim of buildings. Indoor air pollution environmental health student portal. The problem is homeowners are unaware of these pollutants that are lurking in their homes. Indoor air is air within a building such as your home, classroom, office, shopping center, hospital or gym. So, in this blog and infographic, we discuss the causes of indoor air pollution in detail. In general, children are especially sensitive to air pollution because they breathe 50 percent more air per pound of body weight than adults. From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. This lesson contains six activities that use a variety of instructional strategies and is focused around the organizing question of why study indoor air pollution. This is becauseno matter how active you arehumans spend more time indoors and in your own home.
Impacts of air pollution on human health, ecosystems and. The combined effects of ambient outdoor and household air pollution cause about 7. Report to congress on indoor air quality, volume ii. The health effects of nonindustrial indoor air pollution journal of. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Air pollution can affect our health in many ways with both shortterm and longterm effects. Indoor air quality royal borough of kensington and chelsea. Request pdf indoor air pollution and effects on human health background and purpose. A major study on urban pollution carried out in 650 cities worldwide has confirmed the fear that air pollution impacts on human health in the short term and is directly linked to the deaths of elderly people and those already suffering from illness on a daily basis the study, performed by an international team of 50 scientists and published in the specialist new england journal of medicine. Common pollutants found in homes are volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, particulates, radon, asbestos, and combustion gases and byproducts. The objectives of the indoor air pollution and health iapah research project were to quantify the levels of indoor air pollution iap in irish and scottish homes from indoor combustion sources, and to provide an estimate of the potential health burden, i. Consequently, a large body of literature is now available on diverse aspects of indoor air pollution.
Indoor pollutants could be significant public health risks. Mar 12, 20 indoor air quality is influenced by concentrations of outdoor air pollutants, indoor sources of pollution, characteristics of the building and the habits of the residents. Young children and elderly people often suffer more from the effects of air pollution. Indoor air pollutants affecting child health acmt american. Air pollution contributes to climate change, hence air pollution. The use of disinfectants, cleaning products, accumulated dust and dirt, room fresheners, incense sticks, everything contributes to indoor air pollution. Environmental protection agency sets and enforces air quality standards only for ambient air. Indoor air pollution is when pollutants contaminate air indoors and is a very dangerous problem, claiming more than 2 million lives each year. Indoor air quality is affected by many factors including the type and running conditions of indoor pollution sources, ventilation conditions, as well as indoor activities. Because of the large variety of distinct indoor environmentssingle and multifamily residences, offices, hospitals, restaurants, schools, recreational facilities, transportation facilities, etc. Household air pollution affects all stages of life with multisystemic health effects, and its effects are evident right from preconception to old age. Increased concern regarding indoor air quality especially in the last two decades has led to a number of studies and meetings on the subject. May 27, 20 effects of indoor air pollution on health. The most affected groups are women and younger children, as they spend maximum time at home.
Strategy for sampling chemical substances in indoor air. Surprisingly, indoor air actually poses more health risk than outdoor air. Control measures studies done so far in india provide us enough evidence that indoor air pollution is a cause of increasing morbidities and mortalities, and there is a need for an urgent intervention. World health organization protection of the human environment geneva 2002. Jan 15, 2015 with the continual improvement in our quality of life, indoor air quality has become an important area of concern in the twentyfirst century.
Different groups of individuals are affected by air pollution in different ways. Indoor air pollution refers to chemical, biological and physical contamination of indoor air. Symptoms of indoor air pollution 1 common symptoms of indoor air pollution. In utero exposure to household air pollutants has been shown to have health effects which resonate over the entire lifetime. About 38% of the population in andhra pradesh relied on solid fuels for cooking in 201516. Environment pollution is a widereaching problem and it is likely to influence the health of human populations is great. Who the health effects of indoor air pollution exposure. Radon is a natural radioactive gas released from the earth, and it can be found concentrated in basements in some parts of the united states. Camplex mixtures of organic chemicals in indoor air also have the potential to invoke subtle effects on the central and peripheral nervous system, leading to changes in behaviour and performance. The effects of indoor air pollution in india on health are depicted in table 1. These are the problems more likely to be encountered by the primary health care provider. In addition, outdoor sources may contribute to indoor air pollution. Health consequences of indoor air pollution indoor air quality control measures synopsis of the lesson. In developing countries, the main source of indoor air pollution is biomass smoke which contains suspended particulate matter 5pm, nitrogen dioxide no2, sulphur dioxide so2, carbon monoxide ca.
Health effects due to indoor air pollution sage journals. Major interventional strategies need to be implemented at various levels to help curb this growing menace of household air pollution and its detrimental effects on health. Indoor environmental quality has a sig nificant impact on public health and wellbeing. Sources and health impacts pollutants from natural sources pollutant major sources in the home possible health impacts radon colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that comes from the radioactive decay of uranium or radium. Top 15 causes of indoor air pollution and what you can do. Assessing the health risks of indoor air pollution is very difficult as indoor air may contain over 900 different chemicals, particles and biological materials with potential health effects. This article contains a summary discussion of human health effects linked to indoor air pollution up in. However, less attention has been paid to the potential health effects of indoor air pollution.
Health effects and sources of indoor air pollution. Pdf causes, consequences and control of air pollution. This postnote describes sources of indoor air pollution, the evidence for adverse effects on human health and outlines possible policy responses. If youve been breathing in polluted air for days or weeks at a time, you might start to notice a dry throat or a cough.
In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Jun 28, 2011 top 15 causes of indoor air pollution and what you can do about them read on to find out what deadly air pollutants may be present in your home, office and school. Air pollution is a mix of particles and gases that can reach harmful concentrations both outside and indoors. Indoor biofuel air pollution and respiratory health. Most indoor air pollutants consist of chemicals released, for example, by the use of cleaning products, air fresheners, pesticides and emissions from furniture and construction materials, heating and cooking. Epa studies indicate that the levels of many air pollutants may be two to five times higher in indoor air than outdoor air. Pollutants can cause a wide range of shortterm and longterm health problems. Today, indoor air pollution caused by burning of traditional solid fuels such as woodfuel, agricultural residues, and dried animal dung in unvented cookstoves in rural areas of developing countries is not much different. Indoor air quality iaq is the air quality within and around buildings and structures. Cleaner air has been shown to lead to many health benefits, including the reduction of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases, such as asthma. Common indoor air pollutants university of kentucky. Health effects are presented for individual compounds or pollutant mixtures based on realworld exposure situations.
Indoor air pollution and effects on human health request pdf. The indoor microenvironment has its own pollutants and pollution levels indoors may be higher than those outdoors. The health effects of indoor air pollution and ways to reduce it. Effects of indoor air pollution on human health berglund. In many developing countries, exposure to indoor air pollution causes a major health burden committee on the medical effects of air pollutants, 2004. Systemic effects also result, for example, in reduced oxygencarrying capacity of the blood because of carbon monoxide, which may be a cause of intrauter ine. With the continual improvement in our quality of life, indoor air quality has become an important area of concern in the twentyfirst century. We say indoor air pollution if indoor air is contaminated by smoke, chemicals, smells or particles unlike outdoor air pollution, the effect of indoor air pollution is health related and less of an environmental issue. Indoor air pollutants and their emissions sources, adapted from jones. When it comes to air pollution, most people would associate it with dirty air that exists outside the boundary of their home, school or office building. Abstract this article contains a summary discussion of human health effects linked to indoor air pollution up in homes and other non.
Today, indoor air pollution caused by burning of traditional solid fuels such as woodfuel, agricultural residues, and dried animal dung in unvented cookstoves in rural areas of. Such studies would make it possible to quantify to what extent using lowpolluting building materials would reduce the energy used for ventilation of buildings without compromising indoor air quality. Oecd glossary of statistical terms indoor air pollution. About 27,000 people died from hap in andhra pradesh in 2016 according to gbd 2016. Indoor air pollution indoor air quality indoor air quality is influenced by. Guideline for the characterization of volatile organic compounds emitted from indoor materials and products using small test chambers. The effects of longer exposure, such as lung cancer, may not appear for many years. Air pollution in ghana dangerous levels of toxic air, mainly from car exhaust, rubbish fires, road dust, and soot from biomassfuelled cookstoves, is killing thousands of people in ghana every year, figures from the world health organization who have revealed. Jun 05, 2015 identify possible sources of indoor air pollution. But improving indoor air quality isnt just about keeping contaminants out of your indoor air, its also about maintaining a healthy air flow and getting toxins out when need be. On average, individuals spend about 90 percent of their lives indoors. Many experts recommend indoor air pollutant levels be maintained at 50% or less than the national ambient air quality standards for outdoor.
Estimated premature mortality due to ambient air pollution in india. Effect of indoor air pollution from biomass combustion on. Indoor air pollution results when manmade and natural chemicals, gases, particles, and other substances are produced or released in or near the home. Air pollution reduces plant biodiversity and affects other ecosystem services, such as clean water, recreational activities and carbon storage. Indoor air pollution from biomass fuels, which is strongly poverty related, has. Respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution article pdf available in the international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease 149. Indoor air pollution is linked to increased risk of pneumonia, copd and lung cancer. The major area of public concern and government policy, in terms of the impact of air pollution on human health, continues to be outdoor air. This activity demonstrates how visible and invisible pollutants can spread through the. The medical profession is attempting to improve the situation through increased research on the effects of household air pollution on health. Reducing indoor air pollution is an important step to a lifetime of better health for you and your family. Uk indoor air quality it is well established that outdoor air pollution is harmful to human health. Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health effects, including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, miscarriage.
Studies revealed that the outdoor environment is also an important factor that. The air quality of the indoor environment has been characterized in a limited number of pilot studies. While the council has a responsibility to monitor levels of some key pollutants in the outdoor air we do not have equipment to monitor pollution inside homes. In addition to lung cancer, indoor air pollution can cause other respiratory conditions, such as bronchitis, pneumonia and emphysema 1. Based on cancer risk alone, federal scientists have ranked indoor air pollution as one of the most important environmental problems in the united states. Some indoor pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, can be fatal. Tobacco smoke, cooking and heating appliances, and vapors from building materials, paints, furniture, etc. Air pollution reference list authors title and citation link to article balakrishnan k et al addressing the burden of disease attributable to air pollution in india. Aspects such as thermal insulation, ventilation rates. Indoor air pollution and exposure to hazardous substances in the home are risks we can do something about. In general there are two types of health effects arising from indoor air. You might also feel short of breath, wheezy or have an itchy or runny nose. Air pollution has also been associated with a range of other health risks beyond lung disease, including heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis, and even urinary and bladder cancer. Indoor air pollutants and the impact on human health intechopen.
However, over the last two decades, indoor air quality iaq has caused increasing concern due to the adverse effects that it may have on human health. Lung health institute effects of indoor air pollution. Indoor sources are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Pdf respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution. We say indoor air pollution if indoor air is contaminated by smoke, chemicals, smells or particles. Indoor air pollution can pose a serious health threat. Poor indoor air quality has been linked to sick building syndrome, reduced productivity and impaired learning in schools. Its effects can range from higher disease risks to rising temperatures. When placing this apprehension in context, the world health organization has shown that indoor pollution is responsible for the deaths of 1. Indoor air pollution has occurred since prehistoric times when people moved to live indoors and fire was brought into closed shelters for cooking and space heating 1. This paper provides the insight view about the affects of environment pollution in the perspective of air pollution, water and land soil waste pollution on human by diseases and problems, animals and trees plants. Given that the quality of indoor air can be two to five times.
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