Describes a survey investigating the levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, respirable particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and mutagenicity in the PM5 fraction, as well as temperature and humidity, inside 24 houses in La Pintana, Santiago. An additional survey covered symptoms, signs and respiratory diseases possibly associated with socio-economic factors in the area.
States that there is an evident relationship between the occurrence of mould indoors and medical conditions such as inflammation of the airways, and that glucans, found in active and inactive mould, can be used as a measure of the biomass of mould. Elevated quantities of glucans have been found in buildings where complaints had been made, but where there was no visible mould or mouldy smell. An investigation of an estate of terraced housed found that the quantity of airborne glucans was determined as an indication of the quantity of mould spores in the air in 70 houses.
This report is based on a pilot project for a large epidemiologic study of inner-city asthma, in which exposures to air pollutants will be related to both incidence and prevalance of asthma. Nitrogen dioxide concenmuions were measured in three rooms as well as outdoors in 44 inner-city apartments with gas cooking stoves. Fifty-two separate month-long series of 48-h time-integrated NO, sample. (Palmes tubes) were gathered from fall 1982 to spring 1984. The 48-h average N02 concentrations taken within homes frequently exceeded the U.S.
The existing literature contains strong evidence that characteristics of buildings and indoor environments significantly influence rates of respiratory disease, allergy and asthma symptoms, sick building symptoms, and worker performance. Theoretical considerations, and limited empirical data, suggest that existing technologies and procedures can improve indoor environments in a manner that significantly increases health and productivity.
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