Indoor Air Pollution
What Are the Types and Sources of Indoor Air Pollution?
If you are reading this book indoors, you maybe inhale more air
pollution with each breath than if you were outside .According to
EPA studies in the United States.
Levels of 11 common pollutants generally are
(1) two of five times higher inside homes and commercial buildings
than outdoors and (2) as much as 100 times higher in some cases.
Levels of fine particles, which can contain toxins and metals such
as leads and cadmium, can be as much as 60% higher indoors than
outdoors.
Concentrations of several pesticides (such as chlordane),approved
for outdoor use only ,were 10 times greater inside than outside
monitored home (some coming from pesticide dust tracked in on
shoes).
Pollution levels inside cars in traffic-slogged urban areas can be
up to 18 times higher than those outside the vehicles.
The health risk from exposure to such chemicals is magnified
because people typically spend 70-98% of their time indoors or
inside vehicles.
In 1990, the EPA placed indoor air pollution at the top of list of
18 sources of cancer risk.
Sick-Building Syndrome
Danish and U.S. EPA studies have linked pollutants found in
buildings to dizziness ,headaches ,coughing .sneezing ,nausea
,burning eyes chronic fatigue ,and flu-like symptoms ,known as the
sick-building syndrome .New buildings are more commonly sick” than
old ones because of
(1) reduced as exchange(to save energy) and
(2) chemicals released from new carpeting and furniture.
The World Health Organization and the World Bank consider indoor
air pollution one of the world’s most crucial environmental
problems.
Health Dangers from Particles
Research indicates that invisible particles—especially five
particles with diameters less than 10 microns and ultra-fine
particles with diameters less than 2.5 micros -- pose a significant
health hazard .Such particles are emitted by incinerators ,motor
vehicles ,radial tires ,wind erosion ,wood-burning fireplaces , and
power and industrial plants.
Such tiny particles
(1) are not effectively captured by modern air pollution control
equipment,
(2) are small enough to penetrate the respiratory system’s natural
defenses against air pollution and
(3) can bring with them droplets or other particles of toxic or
cancer-causing pollutants that become attached to their surfaces.
Once they are lodged deep with the lungs, these particles can cause
chronic irritation that can
(1) trigger asthma attacks
(2) aggravate other lung diseases
(3) cause lung cancer and
(4) interfere with the blood’s ability to take in oxygen and
release CO2 ,which strains the heart and increases the risk of death from
heart disease.
Note: 1micron equal to 0.001 meters
APDENDIX: EXCERPTS OF NEWSPAPERS
In June 15th ,2004 , the WHO issue the No.153 announcement that the upholstery
contains poisonous pollutant -- formaldehyde ,not only can cause
rhinitis cancersinusitis cancerbut also could result Leukemia Nose
Throat Cancer and Nasal Cancer.
The research carried out by China Association for Standardization
and the Health Protection & Disease Prevention Center for
Chinese Children’s shows: every year, as high as 2.1 million
children die of chest infection caused by upholstery pollution in
China.
A research carried out by a Children’s hospital in Beijing shows
that 90% of family with leukemia children have had decorated their
houses within 6 months of falling ill.
The research done by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in
2006 has shown that there are more than 1,800 types of bacteria in
the air we breathe. They use a biochip technology called PhyloChip”
through detecting of a common DNA sequence in bacteria to
distinguish around 9,000 types of bacteria. As a result, they have
found 1,800 types of bacteria in their air sample.
Chloroform
Source: chlorine—treated water in hot showers.
Possible throat: cancer
Para-dichlorobenzene
Source: air fresheners mothball crystals
Threat: cancer
Tetrachloroethylene
Source: dry-cleaning fluid fumes on clothes
Threat: never disorders, damage to liver and kidneys, possible
cancer.
Formaldehyde
Source: furniture stuffing, paneling, particleboard, foam
insulation.
Threat: irritation of eyes, throat, skin, and lungs, nausea,
dizziness.
Bonze—preen（benzopyrene）
Source: tobacco smoke, woodstoves
Threat: lung cancer.
Styrene
Source: ca
