Workgroup Report: Indoor Chemistry and Health

Abstract

Chemicals present in indoor air can react with one another, either in the gas phase or on surfaces, altering the concentrations of both reactants and products. Such chemistry is often the major source of free radicals and other short-lived reactive species in indoor environments. To what extent do the products of indoor chemistry affect human health? To address this question, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health sponsored a workshop titled “Indoor Chemistry and Health” on 12–15 July 2004 at the University of California–Santa Cruz. Approximately 70 experts from eight countries participated. Objectives included enhancing communications between researchers in indoor chemistry and health professionals, as well as defining a list of priority research needs related to the topic of the workshop. The ultimate challenges in this emerging field are defining exposures to the products of indoor chemistry and developing an understanding of the links between these exposures and various health outcomes. The workshop was a step toward meeting these challenges. This summary presents the issues discussed at the workshop and the priority research needs identified by the attendees.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) in schools in Johor Bahru, Malaysia: Associations with rhinitis, ocular, throat and dermal symptoms, headache and fatigue

“…The median levels of formaldehyde and benzaldehyde were higher outdoors than indoors, indicating mainly outdoor sources. It is well known that ozone and NO 2 have an important role in reactive indoor and outdoor chemistry where different aldehydes are formed (Weschler, 2001;Weschler et al, 2006). Such reactive chemistry is often the major source of free radicals and other short-lived reactive compounds in indoor environments (Weschler et al, 2006).…”

“…It is well known that ozone and NO 2 have an important role in reactive indoor and outdoor chemistry where different aldehydes are formed (Weschler, 2001;Weschler et al, 2006). Such reactive chemistry is often the major source of free radicals and other short-lived reactive compounds in indoor environments (Weschler et al, 2006). The health significance of reactive indoor chemistry has been documented for terpene oxidation products (Rohr, 2013).…”

“…It could be speculated that the source of formaldehyde in our study could be reactive indoor or outdoor chemistry. Nitrogen dioxide is known to be involved in reactive chemistry with VOC causing formation of different aldehydes (Weschler, 2001;Weschler et al, 2006). The factor analysis revealed that NO 2 and formaldehyde were in the same factor.…”

Significant OH production under surface cleaning and air cleaning conditions: Impact on indoor air quality

“…Note that the NO3 concentration remained low during the whole simulation, never exceeding 0.1 ppt. Although it has been suggested that NO3 concentrations could be as high as 1 ppt indoors, 40 other modelling studies have also predicted low concentrations. 24 Clearly, measurements of NO3…”

Long-term trend of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOC)

“…Indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be associated with signs and symptoms of ill health [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Though the associations of VOCs to ill health have been controversially discussed [9,10] some data show that even small dosages may already account for these observed health effects [2,4,8].…”