indoor air quality

In this study, we attempt to investigate the level of indoor air pollution and to evaluate itshealth effects on the subjects exposed to pollution in Beijing. About 270 households (90 perdistrict) were selected randomly from three districts (90 per district), representing theindustrial, old downtown and cultural/educational areas of Beijing. The concentrations ofPM10, PM2.5 and SO2 in indoor air were measured in the bedroom and the kitchen of thesubjects homes.

The article compares the definitions and requirements in various standards (ASHRAE 62, DIN 1946, CEN CR 1752, CIBSE guide A, ISO TC 205) related to ventilation and indoor air quality in terms of health, comfort and productivity. It explains how standards, especially CEN CR 1752, define indoor air pollution (use of olf and decipol as well as carbon dioxyde and water vapour concentrations) and outdoor air pollution .

Indoor air is complex with its pollutants constantly changing (in time, spatial distribution and proportions). Furthermore distinction between organic compounds and particles becomes ambiguous.So developing a valid Indoor Air Pollution Indice becomes difficult : a symptom has usually different causes, and a given pollutant brings different effects alone or in combinaison with other kinds of exposure.

The variables that can be quantified in biological systems are called biomarkers. In a broadest sense biomarkers are substitute measures used because the variable of interest cannot be measured for practical, economical or principal reasons.The quality of a substitute measure refers to the quality of the predictions which can be made based on it. Those predictions must have a very low frequency of mistakes.The indices cannot be used alone unless better documentation of the quality of their predictions is established.

This paper presents the results of an indoor air quality-energy audit made in five air-conditioned office buildings in Singapore. Data are presented from both objective and subjective measurements.It appears that on the one hand BSI (Building Symptom Index) values are in correlation with IAQ and thermal comfort acceptability but on the other hand, no significant correlation exists between BSI (Building Symptom Index) and IPSI (Indoor Pollutant Standard Index).

The Indoor Air Pollution Index (IAPI) has been developed to put an end to communication concerns among building tenants, building managers, and IAQ investigators. That index, simple and easy to understand, satisfies the 3 criteria of environmental indices because it relates to occupant symptoms, is easy to communicate to the consumer and can be used as an environmental and management tool for reducing in-office air pollution effectively.The index uses a unitless single number between 0 (lowest pollution level and best IAQ) and ten (highest pollution level and worst IAQ).

Accurate and informative sampling methods are very important in the evaluation of fungalexposure in indoor air quality (IAQ) investigations. We have investigated the relationshipbetween indoor culturable airborne and dust-borne fungi and compared the performance ofculturable and non-culturable air samplersReuter Centrifugal Air Sampler (RCS) and ZefonAi-O-CellTM (AOC).

Novel indoor air purification technology using ions generated by discharge plasma has beendeveloped. The effect of ions on airborne influenza virus has been investigated by the plaquemethod using MDCK cells and the hemagglutination test. It has been discovered that theseions can inactivate influenza virus in air world first. The infection rate of influenza virus toMDCK cells has been drastically reduced with the use of ions generated by the developeddevice. Furthermore the efficacy tests of these ions for polio virus and coxsackie virus havebeen performed.

A novel indoor air purification technology using ions generated by discharge plasma hasbeen developed. With the application of AC voltage between electrodes, dischargeplasma has been occurred and positively charged ions and negatively charged ions havebeen generated at atmospheric pressure. The chemical compositions of the ions have beenclarified to H + (H2O)m and O2 (H2O)n by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy.Bacteriostatic and fungistatic effects of these ions have been investigated.

This paper summarizes efforts to identify economically viable strategies to reduce HVAC-related energy use while improving the indoor air quality for a public zoo facility that houses primates and large cats. The primary focus of energy conservation strategies for the facility centered on use of airto-air energy recovery devices. Computer simulations, validated with experimental data from the facility, were used to estimate energy savings for alternative energy conservation strategies.