introduction Press reports recently have highlighted the emerging issue of textile impact on indoor air quality (IAQ). In light of this, published statements have ranked air quality, and indoor air quality in particular. among the top four health risks currently facing the general public.’ Consumers and manufacturers alike have become sensitized to the role of textiles in IAQ. CPSC, NIOSH and o...

Energy-efficient buildings need mechanical ventilation. However, there are concerns that inadequate mechanical ventilation may lead to impaired indoor air quality. Using a semi-experimental field study, we investigated if exposure of occupants of two types of buildings (mechanical vs. natural ventilation) differs with regard to indoor air pollutants and climate factors. We investigated living a...

This paper selectively reviews scientific research on the positive effects on building occupant’s health, well-being and productivity that result from the presence of indoor plants in the workplace. Case studies show improvement in indoor air quality, (with a reduction in the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), improved productivity by up to 12%, and reduced absenteeism and staff turno...

OBJECTIVE To examine the role of fungi in the production of sick building syndrome. METHODS A 22 month study in the United States of 48 schools (in which there had been concerns about health and indoor air quality (IAQ). Building indoor air and surface samples, as well as outdoor air samples were taken at all sites to look for the presence of fungi or their viable propagules. RESULTS Five f...

Indoor air pollution (IAP) is a key contributor to the global burden of disease mainly in developing countries. The use of solid fuel for cooking and heating is the main source of IAP in developing countries, accounting for an estimated 3.5 million deaths and 4.5% of Disability-Adjusted Life Years in 2010. Other sources of IAP include indoor smoking, infiltration of pollutants from outdoor sour...

The association between moisture-related microbial growth (mesophilic fungi and bacteria) within insulated exterior walls and microbial concentrations in the indoor air was studied. The studied apartment buildings with precast concrete external walls were situated in a subarctic zone. Actinomycetes in the insulation layer were found to have increased concentrations in the indoor air. The moistu...

A retention-time-locked mass spectral database was created specifically for indoor air analysis by thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (TD/GC/MS). This Indoor Air Toxics Database contains locked retention times and mass spectra for 171 volatile and semivolatile organic compounds that are targets in various indoor air methods. In combination with Agilent's Deconvolution Repor...

BACKGROUND Recent epidemiologic studies have shown that environmental contaminants such as air pollution and tobacco smoke play an important role in the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the severity of AD and indoor air pollution. METHODS The study population consisted of 425 children from 9 kindergartens, Ko...

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has raised serious concerns for public health. Although outdoor individual protection could be achieved by facial masks, indoor air usually relies on expensive and energy-intensive air-filtering devices. Here, we introduce a transparent air filter for indoor air protection through windows that uses natural passive ventilation to effectively protect the indoor a...