Public Concern About Indoor Air Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Public Concern About Indoor Air Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay Nowadays, public concern about indoor air pollution and its effects on health among community still in a weak level. Many of them did not realize the present of indoor air pollution on their surroundings. Principal categories of indoor air pollutants consist of combustion products, chemical products, radon, and biological agents. Indoor air pollution refers to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of air in the indoor environment within a home, building, or an institution or commercial facility. People spend more of their time indoor and additional time inside vehicles hence, they are more exposed to indoor air pollution compared to outdoor air pollution. Scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other public and office buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air thus attracted expanded research on this topic. An indoor air pollutant comes from variety sources. Most homes have more than one source that contributes to indoor air problems (Saravanan, 2004). Today, indoor air pollution caused by burning of traditional solid fuels such as woodfuel, agricultural residues, and dried animal dung in unvented cookstoves in rural areas of developing countries is not much different from that of the past (Oanh and Hung, 2005) . The most common sources of indoor air pollution are environment tobacco smoke. The mixture of smoke comes from cigarette and exhaled by smoker which contain more than 4000 compounds and can lead to cancer. Radon also one of the indoor air pollutant and the most common is uranium. Radon gas enters homes through dirt floor, cracks in concrete walls and floor, floor drains and sump pumps. Radon also can cause cancer. Combustion product which comes from woodstoves, fireplaces, gas stoves and unvented kerosene is the sources of indoor air pollution. All of these can produce carbon d ioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particles. Lead comes from lead-based paint, contaminated soil and dust and drinking water. At the high level of lead can cause coma and even death. Lead has been identified as one of the indoor air pollution sources. Many of us did not realize that every day we inhaled polluted air and it originated from our own house. Many household products has been a causes of this problem because its contain organics chemical. All of these products can release organic compounds when using them. One of the most common indoor air pollutants called biological pollutants. There are many types which include dust from mites, bacteria, viruses, molds, pollen and animal dander. Formaldehydes come from the pressed wood products and furniture made with these pressed wood products also indoor air pollutant. Formaldehyde emissions will generally decrease as product age. When the products are new, high indoor temperature or humidity can cause increased released of formaldehyde f rom these products. Next pollutant sources are asbestos. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used widely as building construction materials for insulation and as a fire-retardant. After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in the lung. It can give bad effect to the respiratory system. Other source of indoor air pollutant comes from pesticides. It also include products control insect, termites, radon, fungi, and microbes. Many people spend 80-90% of their lives indoors, thus the high level of indoor air pollutants increases the personal exposure and subsequent health effects, which probably has more impact than exposure to ambient air (Oanh and Hung, 2005). In addition, those who are more exposed in a longer periods and often to indoor air pollutants has a high probability to influence in suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease especially children. Evidence shows that long-term exposure to indoor air pollution can leads to serious respiratory illness. Indoor air pollution can lead to many harmful health effect primarily involve respiratory system. Exposure to indoor air pollution can cause both acute (short term) and chronic (long term) health effect. Acute health effect is sudden and severe exposure and rapid absorption of the substance which can cause eye irritation, headache and nausea. Chronic health effect is characterized repeated exposure of many days, month, or years and the sympt oms may not be immediately appearance such as cancer. The most common effects are lung cancer and heart problem. The seriousness of effects depends on the levels of indoor pollutants, the exposure period, and the nature of the pollutants. (Oanh and Hung 2005). Mitigation step should be taken in order to reduce the effect of indoor air pollution and protect people from further damage of health. This can be done by eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution such as the uses of household product. We can eliminate or limit the uses of this product in our house. We also should increase the ventilation system in our house, office, or any building to make the movement of air to inside or outside and good air exchange rate. Then, we can also install air cleaning devices such as exhaust fan in kitchens and bathrooms. This mitigation effort also should be taken by government especially to conduct or control the emission of greenhouse gases from factories or vehicles which also can contribute to the indoor air pollution by introducing products or devices. For example catalytic converter to the vehicles and for industries, the scrubbers and electrostatic precipitator or electrostatic air cleaner. All of these devices can help and bringing air pollution under control. Catalytic converter is used by automobile manufacturers to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in a cars exhaust. The converter contains a catalyst that oxidized these compounds to carbon dioxide and water. For industries, scrubbers and precipitators are used. Scrubber systems are a diverse group of air pollution control devices that can be used to remove some particulate or gaseous from industrial exhaust streams. Its work by use liquid or a dry reagent to scrub unwanted pollutants from the stream. Scrubbers are one of the primary devices that control gaseous emission to the air. An electrostatic precipitator is a particulate collection device that removes particulates from a flowing gas using the force of an induced electrostatic charge. They are highly efficient filtration devices that minimally impede the flow of gases through the device, and can easily remove fine particulate matter from the air stream. The target in conducting this research proposal is to identify the sources of indoor air pollution because most of the people still did not know what is indoor air pollution and what sources has cause this pollution. This research proposal also has been proposed to observe the effect of indoor air pollution to the human health as the previous research shows that mostly people did not realize that the illness that they get are from the indoor air pollutants. And last objective of this research is to study the solutions in reducing the effect of indoor air pollution to human health since the health problem caused by indoor air pollution increased lately, many mitigation effect should be recognize and practice in order to detect and reduce the indoor air pollutant sources. The important of this research proposal is to open the eyes of mostly people who are still did not know about the indoor air pollution, the sources and the bad effect of this pollution. Besides that, by doing this research proposal, we can spread and tell people the information of indoor air pollution and provide them the best ways to mitigate this pollution and also to recognize and reduce this pollutant sources in their daily life. OBJECTIVES To identify the sources of indoor air pollution. To observe the effect of indoor air pollution to the human health. To study the solutions in reducing the effect of indoor air pollution to human health. LITERATURE REVIEW Component of literature review:- Introduction There are many research have been made by many researchers about the indoor air pollution. May of the state that the indoor air pollution can occurs in the rooms, houses or buildings that did not have a balance rate of exchange of indoor air and outdoor air. The research on indoor air pollution has been done by John in 2000 and he stated that the indoor air quality (IAQ) in any building can be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria), chemicals (such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde), allergens, or any mass or energy stressor that can induce health effects. Based on this statement, we can know a little bit about what are actually indoor air pollution and its characteristics. As many of us spend the greater times of our lives indoor, thus the indoor environment of homes and offices is often more seriously polluted than the outdoor atmosphere. This makes the risks to health may be greater due to the higher contents of indoor air pollutants than the outdoor air pollutants. Research by Saravanan in 2004 found that the major sources of indoor air pollution are those that release gas and particles into air, and inadequate ventilation makes the situation much worse. In this research also states some of the major factors that determine the quality of indoor air such as:- The nature of outdoor air quality around the building. The air exchange rate of the building (ventilation). The materials used in the construction of the building (presence of chemicals). The activities that go on inside the building (cleaning, cooking, heating etc.). Use of household chemicals. Another study done by Lizaridis in 2011 also states that people spent about 85% of their time indoors and additional 3% inside vehicles. Which means that no inside homes or building people can get indoor air pollution, but also inside the cars or vehicles, therefore people are exposed to gaseous air pollutants and particulate matter from both outdoor sources and through infiltration of outdoor air and indoor sources. She also state that the content of indoor air pollution inside homes, buildings, cars or vehicles may have different composition and possibly different toxicities. High toxicities can cause harmful and bad effect to human health especially respiratory system illness. Another study done by Kamaruzzaman and Sabrani in 2011. Researchers have found that pollutants in indoor air occur more regularly and at higher concentrations than in outdoor air. Therefore, it is clear that indoor air has created major source for environmental exposure to air pollutants rather than outdoor. The air quality inside buildings, homes and vehicles are affected and influences by many factors. In an effort to conserve energy, modern building and homes design has favoured tighter structures with low rates of ventilation which can caused unbalances exchange of air to inside and outside. Pollutant sources of indoor air pollution Study done by Syazwan in 2009 found that the factor that contributed to indoor air pollution is poor maintenance and services of heating, ventilation and air conditioning. These factors can increase indoor air pollution level in homes and building. Ventilation play important role in the house or building because it regulate and control the flow of air into and outside. The exchange of air should be balance. Saravanan study in year 2004 shows that indoor air pollution generated by many sources includes from inside and outside the homes and building. There are many sources of pollutant indoor air pollution we generate everyday in our daily life. The important indoor air pollutants are generated by burning of oil, gas, kerosene, wood and tobacco products or produced by building materials, furnishings, wet or damp carpets, household chemical products, air conditioner, dehumidifiers and outdoor sources comes from radon and pesticides. Many study and research by researchers found that inadequate ventilation can increase indoor air pollution level because there is no sufficient air movement to dilute the emissions from indoor sources and carry them out of homes. The more it accumulates inside homes or building, the higher the level of indoor air pollution. All of these can give bad effect to our health. Most common indoor air pollutant stated in the study done by Saravanan are tobacco smoking, biological contaminants, indoor combustion, volatile organic compounds (VOC), radon, formaldehyde, particulate matter, pesticides, and lead. Smokers easily exhaled their smokes to the surrounding without knowing that the smokes are really dangerous to others people health. this is because, tobacco smoke contains a complex mixture of over 4000 compounds, more that 40 of which are known to cause cancer, and as many are strong irritants. Smoking inside the home and building caused for large amounts of indoor pollutants. Besides that, cigarette smoke is another source of formaldehyde. Biological contaminants include pollen, bacteria, fungal spores, mildew and many more. All of these can be produced by unbalanced humidity inside homes and building. Other sources are indoor combustion such as combustion of fuels like kerosene, oil, gas and many more. It can contribute to the concentration of volatil e organic compounds inside the homes and building. Volatile organic compound includes aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Many organic compounds are emitted from construction materials, furnishings and consumer products such as latex paints. Radon became most famous contributes to indoor air pollutants nowadays. Commonly, radon enters homes through well water, penetrates through cracks in buildings and then released into the indoor atmosphere. Radon mostly associated with radioactivity inside the building and homes. Formaldehydes come from many sources. It come from tobacco smoking, it also comes from particle boards, plywood, urea formaldehydes foam and furniture. Other sources of indoor air pollutant are pesticides comes from moth repellants, insecticides termiticides and others pesticides. These products can pollute indoor air. Next is lead. Lead also dangerous and can lead to indoor air pollution. It comes from lead based paint, contaminated soil and contaminated water. Studies of indoor air pollution in cities done by Spengler and Soczek in 1984 shows that indoor air pollution levels sometimes exceed those outdoor because of the presence of significant indoor sources-fuel burning appliances, tobacco smoking, household chemical use, etc. Studies done by Oanh and Hung characterized sources of indoor air pollution into certain categories which consists of combustion products, chemical products, radon, and biological agents. The accumulation of the products and materials into high concentration can be cause by inadequate ventilations. Indoor air pollutants can directly emitted from many sources basically from house activities such as cooking by cookstoves, heaters, tobacco smoking, building materials and pest control chemicals. Indoor air pollutants also emitted from outdoor but from different sources such as volatile organic compounds (VOC) from photochemical industries or vehicles. Effect of indoor air pollution to human health Many researches state the consequences of indoor air pollution especially to our respiratory systems in their research. Buchman has done his study in 1992 and state that indoor air pollution also can cause subsequent in societal and economical conditions. In economic issues, multimillion dollar lawsuits have been reported for compensation for improper ventilation system in building and house and there are many building renovation in order to increase the efficiency of ventilation system. Only after many cases are recognized which caused by indoor air pollution, they realized that how really important is the proper and efficient ventilation system in homes and building. As we know that ventilation system is important to balance the rate of air movement to inside and outside the homes and building. Oanh and Hung also has a same opinion with Buchman, 1992 and states that indoor air pollution will cause subsequent societal and economical conditions. Same description about compensation and renovation of building that may affect economic sectors. Others are stress about the effect of this pollution to human health. Oanh and Hung states in their study in 2005 that the effect of indoor air pollutants to the health may be experienced soon after the exposure or, possibly, years later. This effect called chronic effect and acute effect. Chronic effect characterized repeated exposure of many days, months, or years and the symptoms may not be immediately appearance. Acute effect is the sudden and severe exposure and rapid absorption of the substance and the effect may be experience soon after the exposure. Immediate and short-term effects, including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, may be observed after a single exposure or repeated exposures. T hese effects are normally treatable and sometimes the treatment is simply elimination of the exposure to the pollution sources. Symptoms of some diseases, including asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier fever, may also show up soon after exposure to certain indoor air pollutants. The longer-term effects can be severely weakening or fatal; they include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer. Besides that, in this research, the writer states a few prominent cases related to the indoor air pollution. First is Legionnaires disease which has been identified in 1976. This disease shows pneumonialike symptoms such as high fever, headache, lung consolidation, respiratory failure and death. The diseases are found has been caused by rod-shaped bacteria. The outbreak of the disease in the 1976 Legion convention was linked to aerosols drifting from a cooling tower (of the central air conditioning system) of the hotel, Oanh and Hung, 2005. Cooling towers, whirlpool b aths, showers and respiratory equipment is the example of aerosol-producing devices which can spread the disease. The bacteria also can cause another nonpneumonic and nonfatal disease like Pontiac fever. By treat cooling tower and evaporative condenser water with biocidal chemical, the transmission of this disease can be slower and can be control. Other disease that has been mention by Oanh and Hung in their research is sick building syndrome. The symptoms of this disease are of nonspecific nature like headache, eye, and nose irritation, respiratory diseases (throat irritation, shortness of breath), neurotoxic disease (dizziness), and general fatigue and malaise. But, the symptoms cannot be traced to specific sources. The major causes of this disease have been identified such as inadequate ventilation, chemical contamination, and microbial contamination. The most recent causes are inadequate ventilation. Oanh and Hung also stated few specific indoor air pollution and its health effe ct such as radon, tobacco smoking, asbestos, biological contamination, pollutants from combustion sources and other indoor air pollutants. Uranium is an example of radon and it is a noble gas which is colourless, odorless and the radioactive. It is produced by the decaying process in soil or rock. Usually, radon can be found above the homes or floor and can enter to the indoor environment by crack floor, floor drains and sumps. It also can enter homes by water well. Radon can gives chronic health effect and its shows no immediate effect after the exposure but usually radon disease are related to the lung cancer. As people know that tobacco smoke contain over 4000 compound and more than 40 of which are known to give harmful effect to humans or animals health such as cancer. A few examples of tobacco smoke compounds are nicotine, acrolein, cyanide, nitrosamines and so on. The tobacco smoking can give effect not only the smoker itself but also to the who inhaled back what the tobacco s mokers has exhaled after them inhaled the cigarette. The worst effect is to the people who inhaled back what the smoker has exhaled. It is because of the synergistic effects of the toxic pollutants present in the smoke with other indoor air pollutants such as combustion products and biological contaminations. The effect is more to the respiratory illness such as lung cancer, cardiovascular and broncho-pulmonary disease. The health effects of tobacco smoking on smoker are respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and other cancers. Next sources pollutants are asbestos which is widely used as roof and ceiling as it is resistance to heat and fire for insulation and fire protection. Asbestos also can be found in older homes, pipe and furnace materials, asbestos shingles mildboard, textured paints and other coating materials and floor tiles. Health effects of asbestos fibers depend on chemical and physical characteristics such as size, number and surface charge, Oanh and Hung, 2005. There are four related disease to asbestos exposure; lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and nonmalingnant pleural disease. The symptoms of this effect do not show immediately after the initial exposure and this is called chronic effect. Examples of biological contaminants are molds, mildews, pollens, viruses, bacteria, animal dander and dusts. The famous effects of biological contaminants are allergens. Some of the symptoms of health effects include sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, shortness of breath, dizziness, tiredness, fever and digestive problems. Children, elderly people, and people with breathing problems, allergies and lung disease are particularly susceptible to disease-causing biological agents in the indoor air, Oanh and Hung, 2005. In addition, the most dangerous and powerful biological agents are house dust mites which grow in damp and warm environments. This agent can cause asthma. Next sources of indoor air pollutants are pollutants from combustion s ources. Combustion sources of indoor air pollution include open cooking fires, tobacco smoking, unvented cookstoves and space heaters and vented appliances with improperly installed flue pipes, Oanh and Hung, 2005. These pollutants can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and trachea, bronchus and lung cancer. Other indoor air pollutants such as are ozone and lead also has been most concern pollutants nowadays. Ozone indoors may release from office and domestic equipment such as photocopying machines, commercial electrostatic air cleaners and ion generators. Ozone can cause damage to lung and other respiratory functions. The exposure of ozone also can cause nose and throat irritation and chest constriction. Lead can be used in paint, gasoline, water pipes and others. Lead affects practically all systems within the body Oanh and Hung, 2005. At high concentration and accumulations of lead can caused convultions, coma, and even death. Lower concentration of lead can give effect to brain, central nervous system, blood cells and kidneys. The effect of lead can be adverse to fetuses and young children such as delays in physical and mental development, lower IQ levels, shortened attention spans and increased behavioral problems. Usually, children are more risk in having lead exposure than adults because lead are easily absorbed in growing tissues and the tissues of small children are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Lead in house dust is considered to be the major risk factor for high lead levels in blood in children, Oanh and Hung, 2005. Smith done his research on the urban air pollution and cigarette smoking in 1986 found the several classes of ill health that could be expected from the types and the levels of air pollution exposure in the villager houses. The classes includes:- Chronic obstructive lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and associated heart conditions such as cor pulmonale, which is pathological enlargement of the right side of the heart because of resistance to blood flow through the lungs. Acute respiratory diseases because the respiratory system is less able to protect itself against infection. Low birth weights and associated elevated mortality and morbidity of several sorts in infants born of mothers exposed during pregnancy. Respiratory system cancers, particularly of the lung. These classes can categorized the level of health conditions among the villagers. These 4 classes of ill health are dangerous if there are no action is taken in order to reduce or prevent the increasing of indoor air pollution inside their house or building. Torrest-Duque in 2008 states that in 2000, indoor air pollution was responsible for over 1.6 million deaths and about 3% of the global burden of disease. Of the deaths, acute respiratory infections accounted for 59% and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases almost 41%, leaving lung cancer as a relatively minor contributor. This shows that health diseases related to the respiratory system has been increased and caused by indoor air pollution. The record shows the evidence to the people about how dangerous is indoor air pollution to the human health and it can cause not only cancer but also can cause death. Other global burden of disease includes HIV and AIDS, tobacco smoking, obesity and indoor air pollution also one of the list. Preventive measure Without knowing where the sources come, we cannot prevent the pollution from occurs. By knowing the sources and where it comes, we can find the effective ways in order to reduce and prevent it turn worst in our daily life activities. Oanh and Hung in their studies state that awareness of the type and number of potential sources is the most important step in effort to reduce indoor air pollution and stated it as a task for indoor air pollution management. First, we should diagnosing indoor air quality problems in our homes or buildings. We can diagnosing it by using several steps such as the symptoms of health effects, potential indoor air pollution sources, life styles and activities and the indications of ventilation problems. By looking at these characteristics, we can know whether there is indoor air pollution in the homes or building. Examples of symptom of health are eyes irritations, dizziness, headache and etc. Potential indoor air pollutions sources include construction mater ials of homes or building such as roof made of asbestos. Life style and activities such as uses of cooking sources can indicate the presence of indoor air pollution. And also the efficiency of ventilation systems in building or homes can determine the level of indoor air pollution. After diagnosing indoor air quality problems in building, we can proceed either monitoring indoor air or control strategies which are more to solving problem. There are three step that are stated by Oanh and Hung in their studies. First is ventilation. Ventilation is really important things that we should give more intention. This is because ventilation plays important role in control our air regulation rates in homes or building. Every houses and building has to have a good and efficient ventilation system to control air rates and comfort environment inside houses and buildings. Next preference step is source management and exposure control. Oanh and Hung said that reduction of indoor air pollution level can be achieved through the source emission reduction, reduction of pollutants inflow from outdoors and increase outflow of pollutants from indoors and increase of air pollutant sinks. However, we cannot totally eliminate the sources and it may not be practical. The third step is air cleaner. But, indoor air cleaning is helpful only in combination with efforts to remove the sources. Besides that, Oanh and Hung also state the management of indoor pollutant sources such as radon, tobacco smoke, combustion product in homes, asbestos, organic pollutants from household products, pollutants from household chemicals, and etc. In the way to mitigate the transmission of radon to the indoor environment, the proper design of houses during the construction should be considered. This can prevent the entering of radon to the residences. The techniques that applicable is the selection of construction sites with low permeable soil, modification of sites by removing high-radium-containing subsoil, or cover the ground surface with low-radium-containing soil, which has high resistance to soil gas flow, and designing houses with minimum radon exposure. 3 techniques stated can be considered during the construction of houses. For the existing houses, also should have some modification on their houses design to minimize the exposure of radon. First is use of diffusion barrier/sealants made of nonpermeable material to seal cracks to prevent the flow of radon. Second is the use of suction fans to exhaust soil gas from beneath building and substructure to prevent the entry of radon into basement and the third techniques is house pressurization to create outward airflow direction. The best way to prevent the emission of tobacco smoke in house or public buildings is by ban the smoking. Besides that, we also should increase the ventilation systems in the places which smoking takes place. But, this mitigation effort only reduces the gas emission from the tobacco smoking and not eliminates it. A next source of indoor air pollutant is combustion products in homes. The sources are from the combustion appliances cooking and heating devices. The sources can be controlled from emitted more indoor air pollutants such as uses of cleaner fuels and clear-burning devices, optimization of operation and maintenance of appliances, and installation of proper flue gas system to vent out smoke. Besides that, by replaced oil and gas stoves or woodstoves with electrical appliances for cooking and space heating will produce cleaner air to the indoor environment. Oanh and Hung also provide mitigation step for asbestos. Asbest os or asbestos-containing materials (ACM) can produce dust and particles that can easily inhaled by human respiratory. Asbestos usually use as roof on houses or building and the best way to reduce and prevent the contribution of this sources to indoor air pollution, we should avoid the uses of asbestos in construction of airtight, roof or ceiling of our houses. Besides that, the periodical inspection should be conducted for any damage of ACM. Next sources are organic-pollutants from household materials. The preventive measure should be started by the manufacturer of the household products by produce more safe products. Consumers also should know and avoid from use the product which is emitted the indoor air pollutant. Oanh and Hung stated 5 prevention measure by consumer for reduction emission of indoor air pollutant sources; evaluate and select low-VOC-impact building materials and products, precondition materials such as carpets and furniture, to minimize emissions before installa tion, install building materials and products based on their VOC decay rates(aging), ventilate buildings during and after installation of new materials and products and delay occupancy until VOC concentrations has been reduced adequately. Pollutants from household chemical such as pesticides, wood preservatives, air fresheners and etc also one of the indoor air pollutants sources. Oanh and Hung stated that the proper choice of chemical formulations, appropriate application method, application rate, and practices can greatly reduce the hazards associated with these chemicals. Saravanan also mention about the same mitigation steps in reducing and prevent the increasing of indoor air pollution in his studies in 2004. His stress on the eliminating or controlling the sources of pollution in homes, apartment and offices. Same like others researches, Saravanan said that ventilation system is important devices in controlling indoor air pollution and it can be done by increasing ventilation and installing air-cleaning devices. His also mention that we should take other necessary precautions to minimize and eliminate the effect of this pollution