...------------------------------------------------- Associate Level Material Indoor Air Pollution Resources: Chapter 19 of Environmental Science and the EPA web site, “Introduction to Air Quality”. Retrieved from, http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ia-intro.html Complete the following chart: Pollutant | Sources | Health effects | Is Your Risk Level Acceptable? | Solutions | Sustainable Replacements, when appropriate | Radon | Natural decay of uranium found in almost all soils. Radon leaks into homes through walls, floors, and water. | Lung cancer | unknown | Seal cracks and build vent system. Increase ventilation.Ventilate crawl space. | Not applicable | Mold | Spores are in the air both indoors and outdoors and adhere to any damp surface. | Asthma and other respiratory illnesses Allergic reactions | yes | Control the moisture by repairing the leak or source of water problem. Prevent condensation by insulating the area. | Not applicable | Formaldehyde | Pressed wood products hardwood, plywood, wall paneling, particleboard, and fiberboard and furniture made with these pressed wood products. | Eyes, nose and throat irritations , nasal cancer and lung cancer. | yes | Use wood products that have lower or zero rates of this pollutant as an ingredient.Keep humidity in house low. | Not applicable | Lead | Paint, dust, soil, and drinking water. | Convulsions, coma or death with high levels.Blood cell damage, central nervous system, and kidneys with low levels. | yes...
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...Indoor air quality has become more and more important because most people spend more than 80% of their time indoors (APS, 2008). In the last several years, a growing number of scientific evidences have indicated that the air within homes, offices, or other indoor environment can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air (Sheldon, 1994). Indoors, the concentration of some harmful chemical and biological matters may be hundreds times higher than that outdoors (Sheldon, 1994). Thus, the situation that chemical, biological, and/or physical matters in the indoor air that cause harmful effects to human health is defined as indoor air pollution. One source of indoor air pollutant is chemical matter, which is caused by combustion, architecture material, and some other things. Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species (Wikipedia, Combustion, 2010). In the indoor environment, combustion refers to the use of oil, natural gas, wood, coal, charcoal, and tobacco. During this course, not only the oxygen in the house is consumed, but also much harmful gas like carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is poisonous to human, is produced and flood into the air. Especially in developing countries, where people cook food with burning wood or coal, the indoor air pollution is more serious (WHO, 2010). Another source of chemical...
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...Indoor air pollution exists in various forms, some of the common pollutants ranging from carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide produced by the gas stoves in households, particulate matter to environmental tobacco smokes (ETS) and many more. For the past few years, there is scientific evidence that prove that the air inside our home or building is more polluted than outdoor air. In addition, the long-time exposure to these indoor pollution has increased the risk in health problems in human for example eye, mouth, throat irritation, asthma, cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. Asbestos is one of the common indoor air pollutants that produced by damaged or deteriorating insulation, fireproofing and acoustical materials. When the asbestos is inhaled...
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...Green Buildings: Better Quality of Life Design of buildings for sustainability – Case study presentation Prof. Bernard V. Lim JP Principal, AD+RG Architecture Design and Research Group Limited Professor, School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong The Hong Kong Community College The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Client: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Project Manager: Campus Development Office, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Project Architect: AD+RG Architecture Design and Research Group Ltd. Architectural Collaborators: AGC Design Ltd. Wang Weijen Architecture Acknowledgements Received - Green Building Award 2008 Merit Award in the New Construction Category. by Professional Green Building Council - Highest BEAM (Building Environmental Assessment Method) rating of Platinum by HKBEAM Society. (The first educational building in Hong Kong to achieve such rating) Acknowledgements Received - Finalist in “World Architecture Festival 2008” in Barcelona on October 2008 - one of the 12 Finalists in the Learning Category and is the only Hong Kong architectural practice in this Category. 0.0 Project Brief (I) Introduction The Project is a high-rise 19-storey institutional building for the Hong Kong Community College. It aims at providing a dynamic and interactive space for youth education while incorporating the sustainable design considerations and construction techniques into the building. 4...
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...Indoor Pollution And Employee Health Tushama Cheris Okraku PRST 5040 – Human Resources Management Dr. Sharon D. Peters Middle Tennessee State University 12/2/12 Abstract Indoor Pollution and Employee Health The paper explores the effects that indoor pollution has on the health of employee from both an employee and employer perspective. It lists some of the issues that are experienced as a result of poor air quality. Environments in which air quality issues are commonly found are also discussed in studies that have been conducted. What causes poor air quality and how they affect employees are communicated to provide a blueprint for organizations to use to prevent such concerns from becoming issues to their employees. Also outlined are ways for organizations to recognize and reduce air quality issues to minimize organizational productivity loss and workers compensation claims that sometimes come as a result of poor air quality. Introduction Employee safety and health concerns have changed drastically over the past couple of decades. They have moved from the bodily injuries of industrial workers to the ergonomic challenges of office workers. These concerns can range from carpal tunnel syndrome to air quality issues. “One of the downsides of opting for environmentally “green” office buildings can produce illnesses such as itchy eyes and trouble breathing, a phenomenon some called “sick building syndrome” (Dessler, 2013; 553). This has caused issues such...
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...Hudack BIO102 Environment and People Dr. Mike Mooring 09 December 2015 Indoor Air Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa Introduction Environmental pollution is a major topic and a major global challenge that has become very popular over the last few decades. Air pollution has specifically gained major interests from researchers, governments, and international organizations due to the major impacts associated with it. When a topic such as air pollution is mentioned, most of the people will automatically link it to the idea of things like smog, power plants and emissions from vehicles. However, these are considered examples of outdoor air pollutants. There exists another class of pollutants, which pollute the air inside the houses. These are called indoor air pollutants. Indoor air pollution is when the indoor pollutants or things such as gases and particles contaminate the air indoors. Indoor air pollution refers to the pollution of the air inside the houses or the living spaces. It is the presence of one or more contaminants indoor that carry a certain degree of health risks. The sub-Saharan Africa is among the regions in the world that have been highly affected by indoor air pollution. The aim of this document is to discuss the challenge of indoor air pollution in the region of sub-Saharan Africa. Solid fuel is the major source of this indoor air pollution and particle suspension in the air of these homes. In this region where the population is too poor to be...
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...101 Professor Hohmann April 06 2011 Air pollution Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the atmosphere. Pollutants in the air are a serious environmental issue today. We as an industrial society have become far too familiar with terms like smog, radon, lead, asbestos, ozone, and carbon monoxide. We have also seen on the news, read in the newspaper, or experienced in our own lives some of the harmful consequences that result from these pollutants. Air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Worldwide air pollution is responsible for large numbers of deaths and cases of respiratory disease. While major stationary sources are often identified with air pollution, the greatest source of emissions is actually mobile sources, mainly automobiles. Gases such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming, have recently gained recognition as pollutants by climate scientists, while they also recognize that carbon dioxide is essential for plant life through photosynthesis. Federal involvement began in 1970 with the introduction of the Clean Air Act. In the nearly 30 years it has been in effect it has undergone some changes, but the purpose has remained the same: " to establish and enforce air quality standards that protect public...
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...expands, so does time periods that people spend in different interior spaces. Indoor air quality is of particular interest, since it effects behavior, ventilation, and the health of people. There is major concern for health issues resulting from indoor air pollution, as well as from the atmosphere. Similar to the Volatile organic compounds used in polluting indoor air quality, uses of similar chemicals are causing atmospheric issues as well. Compounds originate from indoor sources; a point of origin of gases or other materials which appears constantly in a similar way, although formed by mixtures of indoor and outdoor pollutants, it is a combination of the VOCs emitted gases from certain solids or liquids, which include varieties of chemicals from indoor and outdoor sources. If looking at seasons as a means of ventilation, this influences amounts of chemicals released into the air and into the environments people live and work. Sources such as vehicle emissions, tobacco smoke, wooden furniture, flooring, wallpapers, and gluing emissions are just a few of pollutants contaminating the air. Everyday uses of products like paints, lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, and pesticides also have a harmful effect on the atmosphere. Current research shows ‘the ozone layer deteriorating due to the release of pollution containing chemicals like chlorine and bromine. Seasonal variations cause higher indoor levels of VOC’s to accumulate from abated ventilation in the winter compared...
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...Air Quality Rod Taylor Trident University Dr. Persaud Write a 2-3 page paper in which you do the following: 1. Describe the common health problems associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution in urban settings. 2. Describe why children are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollutants. 3. Describe how you (as a Health Educator and consultant in this multi-disciplinary team), would assist the nurse to plan and implement a program that will reduce the exposure of this community to air pollution as well as reduce the impact of air pollution on the health of children. In your response, make sure to include preventive steps that can be taken by the community (home and school, for example) to reduce the exposure of children to air pollutants. Please be sure to support your opinion with evidence from the literature. Assignment Expectations: Use information from the modular background readings as well as any good quality resource you can find. LENGTH: 2-3 pages typed and double-spaced, in addition to a cover page. Air Quality Air pollution is a major problem, especially in urban areas where there are relatively more sources of pollution. In this regard, considering the pollution in general has negative impacts on health, people living in urban areas tend to suffer more from the negative consequences of air pollution than people living in rural areas. It is highly beneficial to understand the health problems linked to urban air pollution...
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...the extraction of freshwater from the earth. Once the water is extracted, the land below will start to shift, therefore changing the lands natural formation. When this occurs, the ocean in certain regions will rise due to the ground levels dropping lower than normal. Storms such as tornados, hurricanes, avalanches, mud slides and lighting storms that all increasing in regularity and size due to the unstable atmospheric conditions and to the rising of warm moist air being mixed with cold air which causes tropical storms such as hurricanes and tornados. As in the current tornados in Oklahoma that have occurred repeatedly. Warm air in the mountains will cause avalanches and mud slides and promotes other increasing problems for certain cultures. People 50 years ago who lived in the areas where these issues were monitored as possible threats, now worry endlessly sue to the increase and frequent occurrences of such horrific problems on a more regular basis due to global warming temperature rising from air pollutions (Davidson, 2006). Due to greenhouse gases, both natural and anthropogenic meaning manmade, produce harmful vapors such as fossil fuels which...
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...Impact of Indoor Air Quality Towards Workers’ Health Performance on Safety Engineering Perspective Ahmad Shah Hizam bin Md Yasir (GS40361) andMohd Ruzaimi bin Mohd Ariffin (GS38824) | | | Abstract Deterioration of air quality in working environments has now become an increasing and critical in both developed and developing countries. The potential risks and problems related to indoor air pollution has been recognized, and there is a need to measure and establish air quality standards for those working in any confined environments. For health and safety reasons, the indoor air quality (IAQ) in an enclosed building, where a few people are working in it, was investigated. This study aimed to determine the association between indoor air quality and the workers’ health performance in XYZ Company. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among 117 respondents. Assessments on IAQ perception level from staff were conducted through questionnaires, which consist of Indoor Air Quality and Health Performance Survey. The three IAQ variables tested in this study are ventilation, particles contaminant and thermal comfort. DOSH and STRIDE has also measured the IAQ level, which are the concentration of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), temperature as well as humidity. All data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS Software. Based on the data analyzed, building occupants’ satisfaction level is identified. Findings show...
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...environmental noise, according to EN-15251 and CR-1752, in the built environment based on the percentage of dissatisfied related to the equivalent background noise level. Design/methodology/approach – In the European guideline CR-1752 and the standard EN-15251 three categories of the indoor environment in buildings are prescribed (category A, B and C). In the recommendations, the limit whereby the percentage of dissatisfied should remain under varies in each category for both the thermal indoor environment and the air quality. The categories for noise and illumination criteria are not yet explicitly related to a percentage of dissatisfied. Findings – Using the percentage of dissatisfied as the evaluation criterion, when related to the equivalent background noise, produces a more refined evaluation of comfort than an evaluation based on the percentage of seriously disturbed or the effects of sleep deprivation in relation to external noise. Furthermore, this corresponds to the European standards and recommendations concerning quality classification of the indoor environment, based on the percentage of dissatisfied. Originality/value – Based on recent European undertakings concerning the development of categories for the indoor environment based on the percentage of dissatisfied, it is desirable to utilise these categories to noise aspects too, and to relate it to the equivalent background noise level. Keywords Environmental noise, Noise control, Dissatisfied, Discomfort, EN 15251, CR 1752, Comfort...
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...Air Pollution CaTina Massey Environmental Science November 12, 2011 Instructor: Professor Mahoney AIR POLLUTION Air pollution is the biggest problem we as Americans face today. The problem arose during the industrial revolution and has just gotten worse since then. However, the industrial revolution brought many great changes to the world; better transportation, cheaper merchandise, and has made our life better. In the beginning of the industrial revolution, the problem of pollution was not something that people paid attention too. As the science involved, people began to realize the problem with pollution. Many different sources cause air pollution. Automobiles that are burning gasoline produce very harmful gases and incineration of products. Factories produce millions of particles that are carried off into the air. Gaseous by-products produced by chemical plants release these toxic gases when their concentration is at a high enough level. As the world has become more industrialized, the increased amount of air pollution and new health hazards have developed. Air pollution can arise from different sources that we cannot control. For example, forest fires, dust storms, and volcanoes. One of the sources of air pollution is acid rain. Raindrops that are combined with polluted air create acid rain. Acid rain mainly causes the erosion of buildings, destruction of crops, and many other assets. Global warming is also caused by acid rain. Many scientists...
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...Joann Lee Geology Research Paper December 1, 2014 Air Pollution Air pollution can be described as any contaminate or harmful substance to the atmosphere that disturbs the natural composition and chemistry of the air, causing damage to the environment, human health and the quality of life. The air that we breathe is filled with substances and pollutants that are hazardous to our health and these pollutants in the air can take many forms such as gases, solid particles or liquid droplets. Pollution enters the Earth’s atmosphere in many different ways. Air pollution can be created naturally, for example smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, but most air pollution is created by humans, especially from the release of emissions from factories, cars, planes and etc. Air pollution that occurs naturally is considered as a natural source and air pollution caused by humans are called anthropogenic or man-made sources. Air pollution is the most common in large cities due the high volume of people and some of the most polluted cities in the world are Beijing, New Delhi, Los Angeles and Cairo. Although air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles, air pollution can come from indoors also. Burning kerosene, wood, or coal to heat a house can contaminate the air inside the house, resulting in air pollution indoors. The ash and smoke from the burning of the substances can make breathing difficult and can also stick to the walls, food or clothing...
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...liters of air. Every time we breathe, we risk inhaling dangerous chemicals that have found their way into the air. We as humans depend on the air around us to live, without it we would die. We rely on this as an essential source for living. Air pollution includes all contaminants found in the atmosphere. It is another major problem that is yet to be solved. These dangerous substances can be either in the form of gases or particles. The air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and inert gases. Air pollution is a common term meaning the dirtying and gradual destruction of our natural resources, especially our air, water and land. This is referred to as environmental pollution. Once, years ago, the air was fresh and clear and the rivers were clean with fish swimming in the crystal clear waters and streams. This is no longer true today. Air pollution is the dirtying of the air. Where once we had blue skies and fresh air to breathe in, this is no longer the case. The air today is choked with toxic fumes from cars and factories. With more and more cars on the road, the carbon monoxide emitted from the car exhausts has polluted the Earth’s atmosphere. The clearing of land to make way for housing or farms has also lead to forests being destroyed and burnt. But did you know that air pollution also found both outdoors and indoors? It can, Pollutants can be trapped inside buildings, causing indoor pollution that lasts for a long time. The effects of air pollution are diverse...
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