Indoor Air Pollution and its Impact on Health

A vast majority of the global population is remaining indoors. Adults spend 90% of their time  in their offices or in their houses. The kids are either studying in their schools or colleges in small and over crowded class rooms or learning their lessons in their not very big  houses.

The leisure time activities like jogging, playing out door, running, walking in the garden and enjoying cool breeze and experiencing nature are replaced by several indoor activities like watching TV serials, movies, playing indoor games, attending gym for fitness and health, playing video games and gaming in the internet for entertainment. Technology has revolutionised our  leisure time activities.

 The indoor activities are increasing and out door activities are decreasing. This is the sorry state of affair of the present day children, youth and the elderly through out the world. People are confined to places where temperature, atmospheric pressure and other fine vital elements of nature are completely and artificially controlled. Majority of offices, schools, colleges and even residences are exposed to airborne  contamination to a large extent. People are ignoring the fact that pollution can occur indoor also.

The fact is that people are not experiencing nature in the full form. They are also neglecting the indoor quality of air and quality of breathing. They are living in the contaminated air. There may be several gadgets in the market that purify indoor air. We are still not aware how much it is cost effective and how much they can ward off the adverse effects of indoor air pollution.   

Indoor Air Pollution poses a global threat for the wellness and welfare of mankind.Hence, Indoor Air Pollution is a key factor in affecting one’s health.It is several times worse than out door pollution. It is caused by:

1. Closely built  buildings or structures  causing air tightness.
2. Poorly designed air conditioning and ventillation systems.
3. Indoor sources of pollution.
4. Outdoor sources of pollution.
5. Absence of greenery in and around the buildings.

When structures are closely built, circulation of air is poor and there is inadequate supply of fresh air into the building. As a result pollutants from outside are drawn into the building. Dust, dirt, pollen are released from such buildings.

Poorly designed air conditioning systems in  buildings  result in small amount  of out door air entering into the building.There is production of  fungi, molds, and disease causing microbes in the building. Poor ventillation causes severe health problems.

There are several sources of Indoor Air Pollution. They are:

• Combustion sources like oil, coal, wood, kerosene, cooking  gas.
• Furniture made of plastic and pressed wood.
• Building materials like cement, asbestos, bricks, mortar, paints and  varnishes.
• Household cleaning materials like bleaching solutions, cleaning solutions, etc.
• Home decors like Carpets, foam cushions, mattresses, cabinets  and curtains.
• Packaging  materials like  thermocol, plastic bags, polythene covers etc.
• Insecticides like mosquito  and cockroach repellants like gammaxene, DDT etc;
• Air freshners.
• Pesticides like Benzene Hexachloride, Endrin etc.
• Electronic and Electrical appliances like Acs,  Refrigerators, Fans, Computers, Cell phones  etc.
• Non-stick cookware, tefflon coated vessels and tawa emit poisonous fumes when heated above 500 degree celsius.
• Children’s craft materials like paint, glue, markers etc spread toxic chemicals into the air.
• Personal care products like perfumes, sprays, lotions, talcum powder etc.
• Personal sanitation products like napkins, diapers etc.
• Air pollution from  outside the structures and buildings.

 Indoor Air Pollution sources release gases, fumes or fine particles into the indoor air. Inadequate ventilation increases the pollutants. Insufficient outdoor air concentrates the emissions from the various sources. High temperature and humidity levels increase the Indoor Air Pollution. Most of our homes/offices  are compact with poor circulation of outdoor air. The pollutants are trapped inside and we breathe the pollutants and not fresh air rich in oxygen.

Indoor Air Pollution in Residences:

Our  home is harbouring certain chemical pollutants and we are living helplessly. These chemical pollutants certainly pose a threat to our functional health. They cause  dangerous and severe  diseases which are difficult to cure.

Chlorine treated water in hot showers  contain  chloroform  that may cause cancer.

Moth balls and Air freshners contain Di-chlorobenzene which is carcinogenic.

Cleaning solutions of clothes contain Tetrachloroethylene, (volatile organic compounds) may cause nerve disorders and damages vital organs like liver and kindneys.

Pressed wooden furniture, foam cushions contain Formaldehyde which  may cause irritation of eyes, throat,lungs and  skin. It may also cause nausea and dizziness.

Tobacco smoke contain several harmful chemicals and is sure to cause cancer of the lungs, respiratory ailments and  heart diseases.

Body hair shed by pet animals contain allergens and  may  cause skin diseases & respiratory ailments etc.

Carpets and plastic products contain styrene and may damage liver and kidneys.

Paint strippers and thinners contain Methylene chloride and may cause nerve disorders and diabetes.

Kerosene stoves, Gas burners and woodstoves emit carbon monoxide  causing head aches, drowsiness and irregular heart beat.

Growth of mold due to moisture in the rainy season on wooden furniture and leather goods triggers  diseases like asthma, and invades tissues of the lungs and respiratory track.

Insulated pipes, vinyl flooring/ceiling contain Asbestose and may cause lung diseases.

Soaps, detergents and floor cleaning agents contain Benzene a petrochemical and may induce leukemia.

Dirty floors, cracks in concrete walls and floors, floor drains, and sumps contain Radon gas. When radon gas is  trapped inside the  buildings  becomes a cause of concern as Radon gas is radio active. We suffer from radiation effect.

Our Indoor cooling and heating systems release CFC, causing respiratory disorders.

Strange but TRUE -facts of  indoor air pollution!!!

• An adult human produces 300BTU of heat per hour and 45 grams of sweat per hour.
• Each person inhales  3,500 gallons of air every day.
• Each person sheds upto 700,000 skin flakes per day.
• In an ounce of dust there are about 40,000 dust mites, a common household allergen.

Health effects of indoor air pollution may be experienced immediately or over a period of time. People also react differently to  different types of pollutants. Certain immediate symptoms of Indoor Air Pollution include  irritation, fever,coughing, sneezing, watery eyes,headache, asthma and so on. The effect will depend on the amount of exposure, age, individual immunity to the environment and so on. The long term effect on health is heart diseases, respiratory problems and cancer.  

It is absolutely clear that  mankind should fight against Indoor Air pollution to maintain the quality of air we breathe indoors. We should adapt GREEN LIFE STYLES to sustain air quality.  It is high time that we should develop indigenous methods to purify indoor air time to time using appropriate GREEN TECHNOLOGY. We should develop sustainable air pollution control technology. External  air pollution and Indoor air pollution go hand in hand. If one is the cause, the otheris the result. If one is controlled  the other can be easily tackled and stabilised. Therefore we should develop air quality monitoring system.

GO GREEN TO CONTROL INDOOR AIR POLLUTION!!!

(To be continued)