Indoor Air Quality News

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Certain fires cause health problems, says NOAA

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Cigarette smoking, forest fires and wood-burning can release a chemical that may be at least partly responsible for human health problems related to smoke exposure, according to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The health effects of such exposure are not fully known. In the body isocyanic acid, described by the chemical formula HNCO, is part of a biochemical pathway linked with cataracts and inflammation that can trigger cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Until now, the acid had not been measured in air outdoors or in tobacco smoke.

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U Michigan goes smoke-free

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The University of Michigan is becoming a smoke-free campus.

Under the new rules, smoking is prohibited in all university buildings, facilities, grounds, and university-owned vehicles. It is permitted only for controlled research, educational, theatrical, or religious ceremonial purposes, with prior approval of the dean or director responsible for the facility.

Smoking in privately owned vehicles and on sidewalks adjacent to public thoroughfares is not prohibited.  The sale of tobacco products is prohibited in all university buildings, facilities and
grounds.

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Skin flakes can reduce air pollution

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Flakes of skin that people shed at the rate of 500 million cells every day are not just a nuisance—they can contribute to reducing indoor air pollution, according to a study published in the American Chemical Society’s journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

Charles Weschler and colleagues explain that humans shed their entire outer layer of skin every two to four weeks at the rate of 0.001 – 0.003 ounces of skin flakes every hour. Those flakes contain skin oils, including cholesterol and “squalene,” and are a major constituent of the dust that accumulates on tables and other surfaces in homes and offices. Past research suggested that squalene from passengers’ skin had a role in reducing levels of ozone — a pollutant that can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and worsen asthma symptoms — from the air in airplane cabins.

The researchers found that:  “Squalene in settled dust … contributes, in a small way, to the indoor removal of ozone,” reducing indoor ozone levels roughly 2% to 15%.

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Urban development helps pollutants accumulate

BOULDER, Colo.—Research suggests that widespread urban development alters weather patterns in a way that can make it easier for pollutants to accumulate during warm summer weather instead of being blown out to sea.

The international study, led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), could have implications for the air quality of fast-growing coastal cities in the United States and other mid-latitude regions overseas. The reason: the proliferation of strip malls, subdivisions, and other paved areas may interfere with breezes needed to clear away smog and other pollution.

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Mold does not affect childhood asthma

TRONDHEIM, Norway—A study on mold growth in buildings, carried out at NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), suggests different approaches to increasing the knowledge of mold growth in buildings, and possible links between mold growth and health effects in humans.

Perhaps the most surprising discovery was that there was no link between mold-spore concentrations (CFU) in the investigated children’s bedrooms and asthma or allergy among the children.

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