An initial study of behavioral addiction symptom severity and demand for indoor tanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Becirevic, Amel; Reed, Derek D; Amlung, Michael; Murphy, James G; Stapleton, Jerod L; Hillhouse, Joel J

2017-10-01

Indoor tanning remains a popular activity in Western cultures despite a growing body of literature suggesting its link to skin cancer and melanoma. Advances in indoor tanning research have illuminated problematic patterns of its use. With problems such as difficulty quitting, devoting resources toward its use at the expense of healthy activities, and excessive motivation and urges to tan, symptoms of excessive indoor tanning appear consistent with behavioral addiction. The present study bridges the gap between clinical approaches to understanding indoor tanning problems and behavioral economic considerations of unhealthy habits and addiction. Eighty undergraduate females completed both the Behavioral Addiction Indoor Tanning Screener and the Tanning Purchase Task. Results suggest that behavioral economic demand for tanning significantly differs between risk classification groups, providing divergent validity to the Behavioral Addiction Indoor Tanning Screener and offering additional evidence of the sensitivity of the Tanning Purchase Task to differentiating groups according to tanning profiles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Residential Indoor Temperature Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Booten, Chuck [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Robertson, Joseph [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Christensen, Dane [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Heaney, Mike [Arrow Electronics, Centennial, CO (United States); Brown, David [Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Norton, Paul [Norton Energy Research and Development, Boulder, CO (United States); Smith, Chris [Ingersoll-Rand Corp., Dublin (Ireland)

2017-04-07

In this study, we are adding to the body of knowledge around answering the question: What are good assumptions for HVAC set points in U.S. homes? We collected and analyzed indoor temperature data from US homes using funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America (BA) program, due to the program's reliance on accurate energy simulation of homes. Simulations are used to set Building America goals, predict the impact of new building techniques and technologies, inform research objectives, evaluate home performance, optimize efficiency packages to meet savings goals, customize savings approaches to specific climate zones, and myriad other uses.

A holistic approach to improving indoor environmental quality: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milam, J.A.; Kinser, D.E.

1993-01-01

One of the big six accounting firms recently consolidated several offices into a regional headquarters located in a southern metropolitan city. This regional headquarters involved seven floors totalling 187,000 square feet of tenant space in a new high rise building. The accounting firm realized that improving their employees' work environment would provide significant savings from increased worker productivity and reduced absenteeism. Therefore, the firm retained Environmental Design International (EDI) to provide consulting services to create and maintain an environmentally healthy office space. The creation of a healthy, productive and safe indoor environment involves a total, holistic approach to the various elements that affect indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in a building. A holistic approach requires detailed evaluation of all areas that impact indoor environmental quality and not just the more common review of HVAC systems. This case study shows that the optimization of a healthy indoor environment is an endless, all inclusive process: beginning with the initial construction material selections and environmental systems design; continuing through the construction and commissioning phases; and progressing to pro-active monitoring of IEQ parameters to protect the tenant's investment in a healthy, productive and safe indoor environment

Enabling Indoor Location-Based Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radaelli, Laura

Indoor spaces have always attracted interest from different scientific disciplines. Relatively recent interest in indoor settings by computer scientists is driven in part by the increasing use of smartphones, which serve as a platform for service delivery and can generate extensive volumes...... of trajectory data that can be used to study how people actually use indoor spaces. In this dissertation, we contribute partial solutions that address challenges in indoor positioning and indoor trajectory management and analysis. The key enabler of indoor location-based services and indoor movement analysis...... is a well-functioning positioning system that can be easily deployed in most public places. Different technologies are able to provide indoor positioning with different accuracy and coverage, but it is difficult to find a technology that by itself can provide good positioning in the many different layouts...

Investigation of indoor air quality at residential homes in Hong Kong - case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shun Cheng Lee; Waiming Li; Chiohang Ao

2002-01-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a matter of public concern in Hong Kong. Recently, the Hong Kong Government has recognized the potential risk and problems related to indoor air pollution, and it is striving to establish IAQ objectives for different types of indoor environments. This study attempts to provide more information about the present IAQ of local resident flats. Air pollutants measured in this study included carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), respirable suspended particulate matter (PM 10 ), formaldehyde (HCHO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne bacteria. The results of this study indicate that the 8-h average concentrations of CO 2 and PM 10 in the domestic kitchens investigated were 14% and 67% higher than those measured in the living rooms. The indoor air pollution caused by PM 10 was more serious in domestic kitchens than in living rooms as almost all of the kitchens investigated had higher indoor levels of PM 10 . The majority of the domestic living rooms and kitchens studied had average concentrations of airborne bacteria higher than 500CFU/m 3 . The mean total bacteria count recorded in kitchens was greater than that obtained in living rooms by 23%. In homes where occupants smoke, the negative impact of benzene, toluene and m,p-xylene on the IAQ was greatly enhanced. The use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove has more significant impact on indoor VOCs than the use of cooking stoves with natural gas as cooking fuel. (Author)

Perceived indoor environment and occupants’ comfort in European “Modern” office buildings: The OFFICAIR Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sakellaris, I.A.; Saraga, D.E.; Mandin, C.; Roda, C.; Fossati, S.; Kluizenaar, Y. de; Carrer, P.; Dimitroulopoulou, S.; Mihucz, V.G.; Szigeti, T.; Hänninen, O.; Oliveira Fernandes, E. de; Bartzis, J.G.; Bluyssen, P.M.

2016-01-01

Indoor environmental conditions (thermal, noise, light, and indoor air quality) may affect workers’ comfort, and consequently their health and well-being, as well as their productivity. This study aimed to assess the relations between perceived indoor environment and occupants’ comfort, and to

Studies on indoor radon concentrations in Karimanagar district of Telangana State, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivas Reddy, G.; Vinay Kumar Reddy, K.; Sreenivasa Reddy, B.; Ch Gopal Reddy, P.; Yadagiri Reddy, P.; Rama Reddy, K.

2015-01-01

Karimnagar district of Telangana state in India falls geologically under the Karimnagar Granulite Terrain (KGT) and, is well known for several types of granites. Studies revealed that the radiation levels are elevated with these granitic rocks. The indoor radon concentrations are estimated in about 80 dwellings, selected randomly in Karimnagar district, using LR-115 Type-II Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors based Twin Chamber Cup dosimeters for a period of one year on quarterly basis. The dose rates due to the radon concentrations are calculated. The seasonal variations of the indoor radon concentrations have been studied. Further, the dependency of indoor radon concentrations on different types of dwellings is also discussed in the present paper. (author)

Effects of radon in indoor air studied

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auvinen, A.

1994-01-01

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and colourless radioactive noble gas that enters indoor air from the ground. Radon causes lung cancer. A committee set up to evaluate the health risks of chemical substances has been drafting a report on radon, which will compile the major research findings on the lung cancer risk posed by radon. Animal tests have shown that even small doses of radon can cause lung cancer. Smokers seem to contract radon-induced lung cancer more readily than non-smokers. Because research findings have been conflicting, however, it is not known exactly how high the risk of lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure really is. Several major research projects are under way to obtain increasingly accurate risk assessments. An on-going European joint project brings together several studies - some already finished, some still being worked on. In this way it will be possible to get more accurate risk assessments than from individual studies. In order to prevent lung cancer, it is important to continue the work of determining and reducing radon connects and to combat smoking. (orig.)

Study on indoor thermal environment in winter for rural residences in Yulin region

Science.gov (United States)

Yanjun, Li; Weixiao, Han

2018-02-01

Yulin region is located in the northern part of Shaanxi Province, China. The winter here is very cold and it has a long duration. In this paper, a rural residence which was located in Yulin region was taken as a study object. Indoor thermal environment of the rural residence were tested, including indoor air temperature and air relative humidity. Then, test data were analyzed. It was summarized that indoor thermal environment of test room can not fully meet human thermal comfort needs, and some tactics of regulation building thermal environment were proposed. This research contributes to improvement of indoor thermal environment for local rural residences and it provides reference for rural residences in other cold regions.

Effectiveness of Indoor Plant to Reduce CO2 in Indoor Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suhaimi Mohd Mahathir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Modern country strongly emphasizes on indoor air quality (IAQ because it can effect on human health and productivity. Numerous efforts were performed to make sure that sustainability of IAQ is guaranteed. In the last 4th decade, researchers discover that indoor plants have abilities to reduce indoor air pollution. Generally, plants, carbon dioxide (CO2, light, and temperature involve in the photosynthesis process. This paper intends to study the effectiveness of seven indoor plants (Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Kadaka Fern, Prayer Plant, Spider Plant, and Syngonium to reduce CO2 with different light level. This study was conducted in one cubic meter of chamber, and each plant was put into the chamber individually with CO2 concentration in the chamber is set at 1000±50ppm, and light intensities is set at 300 and 700 lux, while temperature were fixed at 25±1°C. Based on the results, only the Spider Plant was not able to absorb CO2 during the test at 300 lux of light intensity. Meanwhile, Prayer Plant performed well when tested at 300 or 700 lux of light intensity compare to other investigates plants. This study can conclude that light intensity play an important role for the plant to absorb CO2 effectively. All the indoor plants absorbed more CO2, when the light intensity is increased.

Indoor air pollution exposure from use of indoor stoves and fireplaces in association with breast cancer: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Alexandra J; Teitelbaum, Susan L; Stellman, Steven D; Beyea, Jan; Steck, Susan E; Mordukhovich, Irina; McCarty, Kathleen M; Ahn, Jiyoung; Rossner, Pavel; Santella, Regina M; Gammon, Marilie D

2014-12-12

Previous studies suggest that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may adversely affect breast cancer risk. Indoor air pollution from use of indoor stoves and/or fireplaces is an important source of ambient PAH exposure. However, the association between indoor stove/fireplace use and breast cancer risk is unknown. We hypothesized that indoor stove/fireplace use in a Long Island, New York study population would be positively associated with breast cancer and differ by material burned, and the duration and timing of exposure. We also hypothesized that the association would vary by breast cancer subtype defined by p53 mutation status, and interact with glutathione S-transferases GSTM1, T1, A1 and P1 polymorphisms. Population-based, case-control resources (1,508 cases/1,556 controls) were used to conduct unconditional logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Breast cancer risk was increased among women reporting ever burning synthetic logs (which may also contain wood) in their homes (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.11, 1.84), but not for ever burning wood alone (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.77, 1.12). For synthetic log use, longer duration >7 years, older age at exposure (>20 years; OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.02, 2.67) and 2 or more variants in GSTM1, T1, A1 or P1 (OR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.09, 2.69) were associated with increased risk. Burning wood or synthetic logs are both indoor PAH exposure sources; however, positive associations were only observed for burning synthetic logs, which was stronger for longer exposures, adult exposures, and those with multiple GST variant genotypes. Therefore, our results should be interpreted with care and require replication.

Residential indoor air quality guideline : ozone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Ozone (O 3 ) is a colourless gas that reacts rapidly on surfaces and with other constituents in the air. Sources of indoor O 3 include devices sold as home air cleaners, and some types of office equipment. Outdoor O 3 is also an important contributor to indoor levels of O 3 , depending on the air exchange rate with indoor environments. This residential indoor air quality guideline examined factors that affect the introduction, dispersion and removal of O 3 indoors. The health effects of prolonged exposure to O 3 were discussed, and studies conducted to evaluate the population health impacts of O 3 were reviewed. The studies demonstrated that there is a significant association between ambient O 3 and adverse health impacts. Exposure guidelines for residential indoor air quality were discussed. 14 refs.

Indoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, I.H.

2001-01-01

Indoor air pollution is a potential risk to human health. Prolonged exposure to indoor pollutants may cause various infectious, allergic and other diseases. Indoor pollutants can emanate from a broad array of internal and external sources. Internal sources include building and furnishing materials, consumer and commercial products, office equipment, micro-organisms, pesticides and human occupants activities. External sources include soil, water supplies and outside makeup air. The main indoor air pollutants of concern are inorganic gases, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds, pesticides, radon and its daughters, particulates and microbes. The magnitude of human exposure to indoor pollutants can be estimated or predicted with the help of mathematical models which have been developed using the data from source emission testing and field monitoring of pollutants. In order to minimize human exposure to indoor pollutants, many countries have formulated guidelines / standards for the maximum permissible levels of main pollutants. Acceptable indoor air quality can be achieved by controlling indoor pollution sources and by effective ventilation system for removal of indoor pollutants. (author)

NFC Internal: An Indoor Navigation System

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdenizci, Busra; Coskun, Vedat; Ok, Kerem

2015-01-01

Indoor navigation systems have recently become a popular research field due to the lack of GPS signals indoors. Several indoors navigation systems have already been proposed in order to eliminate deficiencies; however each of them has several technical and usability limitations. In this study, we propose NFC Internal, a Near Field Communication (NFC)-based indoor navigation system, which enables users to navigate through a building or a complex by enabling a simple location update, simply by touching NFC tags those are spread around and orient users to the destination. In this paper, we initially present the system requirements, give the design details and study the viability of NFC Internal with a prototype application and a case study. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of the system and compare it with existing indoor navigation systems. It is seen that NFC Internal has considerable advantages and significant contributions to existing indoor navigation systems in terms of security and privacy, cost, performance, robustness, complexity, user preference and commercial availability. PMID:25825976

Air filtration and indoor air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bekö, Gabriel

2006-01-01

Demands for better indoor air quality are increasing, since we spend most of our time indoors and we are more and more aware of indoor air pollution. Field studies in different parts of the world have documented that high percentage of occupants in many offices and buildings find the indoor air...... decent ventilation and air cleaning/air filtration, high indoor air quality cannot be accomplished. The need for effective air filtration has increased with increasing evidence on the hazardous effects of fine particles. Moreover, the air contains gaseous pollutants, removal of which requires various air...... cleaning techniques. Supply air filter is one of the key components in the ventilation system. Studies have shown that used ventilation filters themselves can be a significant source of indoor air pollution with consequent impact on perceived air quality, sick building syndrome symptoms and performance...

Workshop on indoor air quality research needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

Workshop participants report on indoor air quality research needs including the monitoring of indoor air quality, report of the instrumentation subgroup of indoor air quality, health effects, and the report of the control technology session. Risk analysis studies addressing indoor environments were also summarized. (DLS)

Workshop on indoor air quality research needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

Workshop participants report on indoor air quality research needs including the monitoring of indoor air quality, report of the instrumentation subgroup of indoor air quality, health effects, and the report of the control technology session. Risk analysis studies addressing indoor environments were also summarized

Polluted air--outdoors and indoors.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, I; Maynard, R L

2005-09-01

Many air pollutants which are considered important in ambient (outdoor) air are also found, sometimes at higher levels, in indoor air. With demanding standards having been set for many of these pollutants, both in the workplace and ambient air, consideration of the problems posed by indoor pollution is gaining pace. Studies on exposure to pollutants found in the indoor domestic environment are increasing and are contributing to an already significant compilation of datasets. Improvement in monitoring techniques has helped this process. Documented reports of fatalities from carbon monoxide poisonings are still worrying. However, studies on health effects of non-fatal, long term, low dose, indoor exposure to carbon monoxide and other pollutants, are still inconclusive and too infrequently documented. Of particular concern are the levels of air pollutants found in the domestic indoor environment in developing countries, despite simple interventions such as vented stoves having shown their value. Exposure to biomass smoke is still a level that would be considered unacceptable on health grounds in developed countries. As in the occupational environment, steps need to be taken to control the risks from exposure to the harmful constituents of indoor air in the home. However, the difficulty regarding regulation of the domestic indoor environment is its inherent privacy. Monitoring levels of pollutants in the home and ensuring regulations are adhered to, would likely prove difficult, especially when individual behaviour patterns and activities have the greatest influence on pollutant levels in indoor air. To this end, the Department of Health is developing guidance on indoor air pollution to encourage the reduction of pollutant levels in indoor domestic air. The importance of the effects of domestic indoor air on health and its contribution to the health of the worker are increasingly appreciated. Occupational physicians, by training and interest, are well placed to extend

Indoor Chemistry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weschler, Charles J.; Carslaw, Nicola

2018-01-01

This review aims to encapsulate the importance, ubiquity, and complexity of indoor chemistry. We discuss the many sources of indoor air pollutants and summarize their chemical reactions in the air and on surfaces. We also summarize some of the known impacts of human occupants, who act as sources...... and sinks of indoor chemicals, and whose activities (e.g., cooking, cleaning, smoking) can lead to extremely high pollutant concentrations. As we begin to use increasingly sensitive and selective instrumentation indoors, we are learning more about chemistry in this relatively understudied environment....

Study of a Greek area with enhanced indoor radon concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louizi, A.; Nikolopoulos, D.; Koukouliou, V.; Kehagia, K.

2003-01-01

In this paper the focus is on Arnea Chalkidikis, an area in Greece with granitic geological background and indications of possible elevated radon concentration indoors. Data are reported of indoor radon measurements with etched track detectors and those used for dosimetric estimations. Moreover, data are reported on soil gas and soil radon concentrations in Arnea, as well as radon and uranium concentrations in water samples. From the measured radon concentrations in water samples the contribution to the overall dose has been calculated. For a period of 1 month, indoor radon and progeny activity has also been monitored in the dwelling that has the maximum indoor radon concentration in Greece. This dwelling is in Arnea and the dose delivered to the inhabitants has been calculated. Mean annual effective dose due to indoor radon was 4.5 mSv and about 11% of this was due to the use of water. Mean soil gas concentration and soil radon concentration were (90 ± 30) kBq m -3 (P -3 (P -1 (P<0.05). (author)

Indoor air quality study of forty east Tennessee homes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawthorne, A.R.; Gammage, R.B.; Dudney, C.S.

1984-12-01

Over a one-year period, measurements of indoor air pollutants (CO/sub x/, NO/sub x/, formaldehyde, volatile organics, particulates, and radon) were made in 40 homes in East Tennessee. The houses were of various ages with different types of insulation and heating. Over one-half of the houses exceeded the ASHRAE indoor ceiling guideline of 0.1 ppM for formaldehyde on at least one occasion. Over the duration of the study, older houses averaged 0.04 ppM of formaldehyde while houses less than 5 years old averaged 0.08 ppM (P -1 when the duct fan was operated (measurements prior to December 1982). This report presents the study design and implementation, describes the monitoring protocols, and provides a complete set of the data collected during the project. 25 references, 29 figures, 42 tables

Controlling Indoor Air Pollution from Moxibustion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Yen Lu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Indoor air quality (IAQ control of hospitals plays a critical role in protecting both hospital staffs and patients, particularly those who are highly susceptible to the adverse effects of indoor noxious hazards. However, moxibustion in outpatient departments (OPDs of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM may be a source of indoor air pollution in hospitals. Some studies have investigated indoor air pollution during moxibustion in Chinese medicine clinics (CMCs and moxibustion rooms, demonstrating elevated air pollutants that pose a threat to the health of medical staff and patients. Our study investigated the indoor air pollutants of indoor carbon dioxide (CO2, carbon monoxide (CO, formaldehyde (HCHO, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs, airborne particulate matter with a diameter of ≤10 µm (PM10 and ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5 during moxibustion in an acupuncture and moxibustion room of the OPD in a hospital in Taipei. To evaluate the different control strategies for indoor air pollution from moxibution, a comparison of air pollutants during moxibution among the methods of using alternative old moxa wools, local exhaust ventilation and an air cleaner was conducted. In this study, burning alternative old moxa wools for moxibustion obviously reduced all gaseous pollutants except for aerosols comparing burning fresh moxa wools. Using local exhaust ventilation reduced most of the aerosols after burning moxa. We also found that using an air cleaner was inefficient for controlling indoor air pollutants, particularly gaseous pollutants. Therefore, combining replacing alternative old moxa wools and local exhaust ventilation could be a suitable design for controlling indoor air pollution during moxibustion therapy.

NFC Internal: An Indoor Navigation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busra Ozdenizci

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Indoor navigation systems have recently become a popular research field due to the lack of GPS signals indoors. Several indoors navigation systems have already been proposed in order to eliminate deficiencies; however each of them has several technical and usability limitations. In this study, we propose NFC Internal, a Near Field Communication (NFC-based indoor navigation system, which enables users to navigate through a building or a complex by enabling a simple location update, simply by touching NFC tags those are spread around and orient users to the destination. In this paper, we initially present the system requirements, give the design details and study the viability of NFC Internal with a prototype application and a case study. Moreover, we evaluate the performance of the system and compare it with existing indoor navigation systems. It is seen that NFC Internal has considerable advantages and significant contributions to existing indoor navigation systems in terms of security and privacy, cost, performance, robustness, complexity, user preference and commercial availability.

Indoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anwar, J.; Hussain, F.

2005-01-01

Indoor air pollution after being a neglected subject for a number of years, is attracting attention recently because it is a side effect of energy crisis. About 50% of world's 6 billion population, mostly in developing countries, depend on biomass and coal in the form of wood, dung and crop residues for domestic energy because of poverty. These materials are burnt in simple stoves with incomplete combustion and infants, children and women are exposed to high levels of indoor air pollution for a considerable period, approximately between 2-4 hours daily. Current worldwide trade in wood fuel is over US $7 billion and about 2 million people are employed full time in production and marketing it. One of the most annoying and common indoor pollutant in both, developing and developed countries, is cigarette smoke. Children in gas-equipped homes had higher incidences of respiratory disease. Babies' DNA can be damaged even before they are born if their mothers breathe polluted air. Exposure to indoor air pollution may be responsible for nearly 2 million excess deaths in developing countries and for 4% of the global burden of the disease. Only a few indoor pollutants have been studied in detail. Indoor air pollution is a major health threat on which further research is needed to define the extent of the problem more precisely and to determine solutions by the policy-makers instead of neglecting it because sufferers mostly belong to Third World countries. (author)

Healthy indoors : achieving healthy indoor environments in Canada : Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2002-01-01

A large proportion of the lives of Canadians is spent indoors, whether in vehicles, restaurants, shopping malls, offices or houses. The health of people working and living in those indoor settings might be damaged a a result, despite best efforts. Indoor pollution has been identified as one of the most serious risks to human health, according to numerous leading authorities, among them the American Lung Association, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). A large number of cancer deaths are attributed to indoor pollution each year in the United States, as well as respiratory health problems. A causal link between certain indoor exposures and the development and provocation of asthma was established recently in a report on asthma and indoor air quality published by the National Academy of Sciences/Institute of Medicine. Exposure to indoor pollutants has also resulted in thousands of children experiencing elevated blood lead levels. Not enough attention is paid in Canada to pollution in buildings by government agencies, corporations and other non-governmental organizations and citizens. Not much seems to have changed in the past thirty years. An ambitious strategy by Pollution Probe was described in this document, listing the initial goals and measures required to achieve those goals. The creation of Healthy Indoors Partnership (HIP) was proposed to regroup all the stakeholders under the same umbrella. refs., tabs

External eye symptoms in indoor environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolkoff, P

2017-03-01

Eye irritation, for example dry or irritated eyes, is generally among top three reported symptoms in office-like environments, in particular among workplaces with cognitive demanding visual display unit (VDU) work. The symptoms are especially among middle and advanced ages and particularly among women more than men. The symptoms are also among the most commonly reported complaints in the eye clinic. To be in a position to interpret the high prevalence of eye symptoms, a multidisciplinary and integrated approach is necessary that involves the external eye physiology (separate from internal eye effects), eye diseases (evaporative dry eye (DE), aqueous-deficient DE, and gland dysfunctions), and risk factors that aggravate the stability of precorneal tear film (PTF) resulting in hyperosmolarity and initiation of inflammatory reactions. Indoor environmental, occupational and personal risk factors may aggravate the PTF stability; factors such as age, contact lenses, cosmetics, diet, draft, gender, low humidity and high temperature, medication, outdoor and combustion pollutants, and VDU work. Psychological stressors may further influence the reporting behavior of eye symptoms. The impact of the risk factors may occur in a combined and exacerbating manner. © 2016 The Authors. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Study on Using Passive RFID Tags for Indoor Positioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.L. Ting

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Radio frequency identification (RFID is the technology that put an RFID tag on objects or people, so that they can be identified, tracked, and managed automatically. With its wide application in the automobile assembly industry, warehouse management and the supply chain network, RFID has been recognized as the next promising technology in serving the positioning purpose. Existing positioning technologies such as GPS are not available indoors as the terminal cannot get the signal from satellites. To enhance the availability of the positioning systems for indoors, the development of RFID positioning system for locating objects or people have became a hot topic in recent research. Compared with conventional active and high‐cost solutions, this paper studied the feasibility of using passive RFID tags for indoor positioning and object location detection to provide real time information for tracking movement. Results of experiment show that readability of the passive RFID positioning system is satisfactory, and it is a more cost effective solution when compared with other positioning technologies.

Indoor climate design for a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.; Lony, R.J.M.; Schellen, H.L.

2008-01-01

The paper presents a case study on the performance based design for the indoor climate of a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads. Several scenarios of the past performance and new control classes are simulated and evaluated. The results include the influence of hygric inertia

Assessment of external dose indoors in Lithuania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilkyte, L.; Butkus, D.; Morkunas, G.

2006-01-01

The aim of this paper was an assessment of external exposure indoors and its dependence on construction materials and indoor radon concentrations in Lithuanian living houses. Relationship of absorbed dose rate in air indoors and activity indexes of the most commonly used construction materials (wood, concrete and bricks) have been studied using results received in measurements done in >4700 rooms in 1995-2005. Possible connections of dose rate indoors with indoor radon concentrations are also discussed. Findings of this study helped to make an assessment of the mean value of effective dose of Lithuanian population due to external exposure indoors which is equal to 0.58 mSv y -1 . The received data might also be used in improvement of quality of personal dosimetric measurements done in premises constructed of different construction materials. (authors)

A study of radon 222 transfer indoors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maximilien, R.; Robe, M.C.; Archimbaud, M.

1985-01-01

Indoor exposure can vary considerably depending upon the natural environment (geology, climate), man-made arrangements (building materials, insulation and ventilation systems...) or way of living. In order to specify the sources and assess their respective contribution in a given dwelling, a good knowledge of radon transfer and dispersion processes is required as well as a heavy experimental device (continuous radon and ventilation monitoring...). The study must be limited to some cases selected by a systematic measurement program either because they are representative of dwelling conditions, or preferably on account of their high radon level, the origin of which will be investigated. As a consequence, countermeasures can be developed. A pilot study has been carried out on radon transport in two houses of the Rhone river valley. The two houses -selected among 131 other ones for their high radon levels- are built with the same architectural approach and located very close to each other, yet the factors accounting for domestic exposure are quite different. Indoor parameters are at the origin of various radon concentrations in the case of low natural ventilation; conversely, outdoor parameters only seem to act in the case of high ventilation. For a larger part, however, radon seems to emanate from under the foundations of both houses [fr

Indoor Positioning using Wi-Fi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Mikkel Baun; Krarup, Mads Vering; Stisen, Allan

The past decade has witnessed substantial research on methods for indoor Wi-Fi positioning. While much effort has gone into achieving high positioning accuracy and easing fingerprint collection, it is our contention that the general problem is not sufficiently well understood, thus preventing...... deployments and their usage by applications to become more widespread. Based on our own and published experiences on indoor Wi-Fi positioning deployments, we hypothesize the following: Current indoor Wi-Fi positioning systems and their utilization in applications are hampered by the lack of understanding...... of the requirements present in the real-world deployments. In this paper, we report findings from qualitatively studying organisational requirements for indoor Wi-Fi positioning. The studied cases and deployments cover both company and public-sector settings and the deployment and evaluation of several types...

Indoor air quality in Brazilian universities.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurado, Sonia R; Bankoff, Antônia D P; Sanchez, Andrea

2014-07-11

This study evaluated the indoor air quality in Brazilian universities by comparing thirty air-conditioned (AC) (n = 15) and naturally ventilated (NV) (n = 15) classrooms. The parameters of interest were indoor carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature, relative humidity (RH), wind speed, viable mold, and airborne dust levels. The NV rooms had larger concentration of mold than the AC rooms (1001.30 ± 125.16 and 367.00 ± 88.13 cfu/m3, respectively). The average indoor airborne dust concentration exceeded the Brazilian standards (indoor air quality in Brazilian university classrooms affects the health of students. Therefore, indoor air pollution needs to be considered as an important public health problem.

Indoor air quality study of forty east Tennessee homes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hawthorne, A.R.; Gammage, R.B.; Dudney, C.S.; Hingerty, B.E.; Schuresko, D.D.; Parzyck, D.C.; Womack, D.R.; Morris, S.A.; Westley, R.R.; White, D.A.

1984-12-01

Over a one-year period, measurements of indoor air pollutants (CO/sub x/, NO/sub x/, formaldehyde, volatile organics, particulates, and radon) were made in 40 homes in East Tennessee. The houses were of various ages with different types of insulation and heating. Over one-half of the houses exceeded the ASHRAE indoor ceiling guideline of 0.1 ppM for formaldehyde on at least one occasion. Over the duration of the study, older houses averaged 0.04 ppM of formaldehyde while houses less than 5 years old averaged 0.08 ppM (P < 0.01). The highest concentration of formaldehyde measured was 0.4 ppM in a new home. Diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in levels of formaldehyde in some homes were as much as twofold and tenfold, respectively. The highest levels of formaldehyde were usually recorded during summer months. The concentration in indoor air of various organics was at least tenfold higher than in outdoor air. Carbon monoxide and nitrgen oxides were usually <2 and <0.02 ppM, respectively, except when gas stoves or kerosene space heaters were operating, or when a car was running in the garage. In 30% of the houses, the annual indoor guideline for radon, 4 pCi/L, was exceeded. The mean radon level in houses built on the ridgelines was 4.4 pCi/L, while houses located in the valleys had a mean level of 1.7 pCi/L (P < 0.01). The factor having the most impact on infiltration was operation of the central duct fan of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. The mean rate of air exchange increased from 0.39 to 0.74 h/sup -1/ when the duct fan was operated (measurements prior to December 1982). This report presents the study design and implementation, describes the monitoring protocols, and provides a complete set of the data collected during the project. 25 references, 29 figures, 42 tables.

Indoor air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Trine Susanne; Recevska, Ieva

 The objective of the 35th specific agreement is to provide support to the EEA activities in Environment and Health (E&H) on the topic of indoor air quality. The specific objectives have been to provide an overview of indoor air related projects in EU and indoor air related policies as well...... as idenfiying "good practices" to reduce health impact of indoor air exposure and suggest areas for future improvements....

Accurate estimation of indoor travel times

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prentow, Thor Siiger; Blunck, Henrik; Stisen, Allan

2014-01-01

The ability to accurately estimate indoor travel times is crucial for enabling improvements within application areas such as indoor navigation, logistics for mobile workers, and facility management. In this paper, we study the challenges inherent in indoor travel time estimation, and we propose...... the InTraTime method for accurately estimating indoor travel times via mining of historical and real-time indoor position traces. The method learns during operation both travel routes, travel times and their respective likelihood---both for routes traveled as well as for sub-routes thereof. InTraTime...... allows to specify temporal and other query parameters, such as time-of-day, day-of-week or the identity of the traveling individual. As input the method is designed to take generic position traces and is thus interoperable with a variety of indoor positioning systems. The method's advantages include...

Variation of indoor radon concentration and ambient dose equivalent rate in different outdoor and indoor environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stojanovska, Zdenka; Janevik, Emilija; Taleski, Vaso [Goce Delcev University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Stip (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Boev, Blazo [Goce Delcev University, Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences, Stip (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Zunic, Zora S. [University of Belgrade, Institute of Nuclear Sciences ' ' Vinca' ' , Belgrade (Serbia); Ivanova, Kremena; Tsenova, Martina [National Center of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ristova, Mimoza [University in Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematic, Institute of Physics, Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Ajka, Sorsa [Croatian Geological Survey, Zagreb (Croatia); Bossew, Peter [German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Berlin (Germany)

2016-05-15

Subject of this study is an investigation of the variations of indoor radon concentration and ambient dose equivalent rate in outdoor and indoor environments of 40 dwellings, 31 elementary schools and five kindergartens. The buildings are located in three municipalities of two, geologically different, areas of the Republic of Macedonia. Indoor radon concentrations were measured by nuclear track detectors, deployed in the most occupied room of the building, between June 2013 and May 2014. During the deploying campaign, indoor and outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates were measured simultaneously at the same location. It appeared that the measured values varied from 22 to 990 Bq/m{sup 3} for indoor radon concentrations, from 50 to 195 nSv/h for outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates, and from 38 to 184 nSv/h for indoor ambient dose equivalent rates. The geometric mean value of indoor to outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates was found to be 0.88, i.e. the outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates were on average higher than the indoor ambient dose equivalent rates. All measured can reasonably well be described by log-normal distributions. A detailed statistical analysis of factors which influence the measured quantities is reported. (orig.)

Indoor multipath mitigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dragünas, Kostas; Borre, Kai

2010-01-01

There are many applications that require continuous positioning in combined outdoor urban and indoor environments. GNSS has been used for a long time in outdoor environments, while indoor positioning is still a challenging task. One of the major degradations that GNSS receivers experience indoors...

Ventilation influence upon indoor air radon level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Deyuan

1995-01-01

Levels of indoor radon in air are studied by a continuous electrostatic radon monitor under normal living conditions to evaluate the influence of air conditioned ventilation on indoor air radon level. Results show that the indoor air radon concentrations are not much more than those without household conditioner living condition, although using household conditioner requires a sealed room which should lead to a higher radon level. Turning on air conditioner helps lower indoor radon level. Therefore, the total indoor air Rn levels are normal > ventilation > exhaust or in-draft > exhaust plus in-draft

Evaluation of the Mating Competitiveness of the Adult Oriental Fruit Fly Reared as Larvae in Liquid vs. Those Raised on Standard Wheat-based Diets

Science.gov (United States)

Three strains (standard lab, DTWP pupal color sexing strain and wild strain) of adult oriental fruit flies, which were reared as larvae on a liquid diet, mill feed diet (Tanaka’s diet), or natural host fruit diet, were evaluated for mating competitiveness in both indoor and outdoor Boller’s mating c...

Indoor air quality: a UK perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadge, A.

1995-01-01

Outdoor air quality has generally improved in the UK over the last 2 decades but during this period changing conditions within the home have tended to reduce ventilation and increase the opportunity for accumulation of undesirable levels of indoor air pollutants. Information obtained from laboratory and epidemiological studies suggest that indoor air pollutants are an important cause of avoidable morbidity and mortality in the UK. This paper reviews the major indoor air pollutants of concern in the UK and considers some of the special issues relevant to indoor environment. (author) 3 figs., 37 refs

Outdoor-indoor air pollution in urban environment: Challenges and opportunity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Y.C. eLeung

2015-01-01

Full Text Available With the continual improvement in our quality of life, indoor air quality has become an important area of concern in the 21st century. Indoor air quality is affected by many factors including the type and running conditions of indoor pollution sources, ventilation conditions, as well as indoor activities. Studies revealed that the outdoor environment is also an important factor that cannot be neglected for indoor air quality studies. In this review, the indoor and outdoor air pollution relationships obtained from different studies are discussed in order to identify the key factors affecting the indoor air quality. As climate change is recognized as imposing impacts on the environment, how it affects the indoor air quality and the health impacts to the occupants will be evaluated in this paper. The major challenges and opportunities in indoor/outdoor air pollution studies will be highlighted.

Indoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spengler, J.D.

1985-01-01

Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives

Study on water evaporation rate from indoor swimming pools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rzeźnik Ilona

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The air relative humidity in closed spaces of indoor swimming pools influences significantly on users thermal comfort and the stability of the building structure, so its preservation on suitable level is very important. For this purpose, buildings are equipped with HVAC systems which provide adequate level of humidity. The selection of devices and their technical parameters is made using the mathematical models of water evaporation rate in the unoccupied and occupied indoor swimming pool. In the literature, there are many papers describing this phenomena but the results differ from each other. The aim of the study was the experimental verification of published models of evaporation rate in the pool. The tests carried out on a laboratory scale, using model of indoor swimming pool, measuring 99cm/68cm/22cm. The model was equipped with water spray installation with six nozzles to simulate conditions during the use of the swimming pool. The measurements were made for conditions of sports pools (water temperature 24°C and recreational swimming pool (water temperature 34°C. According to the recommendations the air temperature was about 2°C higher than water temperature, and the relative humidity ranged from 40% to 55%. Models Shah and Biasin & Krumm were characterized by the best fit to the results of measurements on a laboratory scale.

A View Indoors, Indoor Environment Division's e-Article Series

Science.gov (United States)

The Indoor Environments Division has created partnership with public and private sector entities to help encourage the public to take action to minimize their risk and mitigate indoor air quality problems.

An indoor chemical cocktail

Science.gov (United States)

Gligorovski, Sasho; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.

2018-02-01

In the past 50 years, many of the contaminants and chemical transformations that occur in outdoor waters, soils, and air have been elucidated. However, the chemistry of the indoor environment in which we live most of the time—up to 90% in some societies—is not nearly as well studied. Recent work has highlighted the wealth of chemical transformations that occur indoors. This chemistry is associated with 3 of the top 10 risk factors for negative health outcomes globally: household air pollution from solid fuels, tobacco smoking, and ambient particulate matter pollution (1). Assessments of human exposure to indoor pollutants must take these reactive processes into consideration.

Psychotropic substances in indoor environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cecinato, Angelo; Romagnoli, Paola; Perilli, Mattia; Patriarca, Claudia; Balducci, Catia

2014-10-01

The presence of drugs in outdoor air has been established, but few investigations have been conducted indoors. This study focused on psychotropic substances (PSs) at three schools, four homes and one office in Rome, Italy. The indoor drug concentrations and the relationships with the outdoor atmosphere were investigated. The optimised monitoring procedure allowed for the determination of cocaine, cannabinoids and particulate fractions of nicotine and caffeine. In-field experiments were performed during the winter, spring and summer seasons. Psychotropic substances were observed in all indoor locations. The indoor concentrations often exceeded those recorded both outdoors at the same sites and at the atmospheric pollution control network stations, indicating that the drugs were released into the air at the inside sites or were more persistent. During winter, the relative concentrations of cannabinol, cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol depended on site and indoor/outdoor location at the site. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of indoor air quality data from East Tennessee field studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudney, C.S.; Hawthorne, A.R.

1985-08-01

This report presents the results of follow-up experimental activities and data analyses of an indoor air quality study conducted in 40 East Tennessee homes during 1982-1983. Included are: (1) additional experimental data on radon levels in all homes, repeat measurements in house No. 7 with elevated formaldehyde levels, and energy audit information on the participants' homes; (2) further data analyses, especially of the large formaldehyde data base, to ascertain relationships of pollutant levels vs environmental factors and house characteristics; (3) indoor air quality data base considerations and development of the study data base for distribution on magnetic media for both mainframe and desktop computer use; and (4) identification of design and data collection considerations for future field studies. A bibliography of additional publications related to this effort is also presented

Indoor air quality in urban and rural kindergartens: short-term studies in Silesia, Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Błaszczyk, Ewa; Rogula-Kozłowska, Wioletta; Klejnowski, Krzysztof; Kubiesa, Piotr; Fulara, Izabela; Mielżyńska-Švach, Danuta

2017-01-01

More than 80% of people living in urban areas who monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed limits defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Although all regions of the world are affected, populations in low-income cities are the most impacted. According to average annual levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5, ambient particles with aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less) presented in the urban air quality database issued by WHO in 2016, as many as 33 Polish cities are among the 50 most polluted cities in the European Union (EU), with Silesian cities topping the list. The aim of this study was to characterize the indoor air quality in Silesian kindergartens based on the concentrations of gaseous compounds (SO 2 , NO 2 ), PM2.5, and the sum of 15 PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including PM2.5-bound benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), as well as the mutagenic activity of PM2.5 organic extracts in Salmonella assay (strains: TA98, YG1024). The assessment of the indoor air quality was performed taking into consideration the pollution of the atmospheric air (outdoor). I/O ratios (indoor/outdoor concentration) for each investigated parameter were also calculated. Twenty-four-hour samples of PM2.5, SO 2 , and NO 2 were collected during spring in two sites in southern Poland (Silesia), representing urban and rural areas. Indoor samples were taken in naturally ventilated kindergartens. At the same time, in the vicinity of the kindergarten buildings, the collection of outdoor samples of PM2.5, SO 2 , and NO 2 was carried out. The content of BaP and the sum of 15 studied PAHs was determined in each 24-h sample of PM2.5 (indoor and outdoor). In the urban site, statistically lower concentrations of SO 2 and NO 2 were detected indoors compared to outdoors, whereas in the rural site, such a relationship was observed only for NO 2 . No statistically significant differences in the concentrations of PM2.5, PM2.5-bound BaP, and Σ15 PAHs

A CFD study for evaluating the effects of natural ventilation on indoor comfort conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Mora-Pérez

2017-03-01

Full Text Available There is an increasing interest in improving energy efficiency in buildings due to the increased awareness about environmental impact and energy cost. Natural ventilation is an environmentally friendly technique which has become more attractive way for reducing energy use while it also provides acceptable comfort conditions. The research shows a case study building in which the natural ventilation effect due to wind-driven forces on indoor comfort conditions is evaluated. Moreover, the architectural solutions selected during the building design phase to improve the natural ventilation behaviour are successfully validated in a full-scale building. The indoor comfort conditions are evaluated through contrasted performance indicators: draught risk (DR, predicted percentage of dissatisfied people (PPD and predicted mean vote (PMV indexes. The results show that air movement due to natural ventilation allows increasing indoor air temperature maintaining the initial comfort conditions. Therefore, the mechanical air conditioning use can be postponed until the indoor air temperature is high and would, consequently, reduce the total building energy consumption. Thereby, a proper natural ventilation focus during the initial design stage could improve the building energy efficiency without compromising the indoor comfort conditions.

Tobacco smoke particles and indoor air quality (ToPIQ - the protocol of a new study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mueller Daniel

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Since decades it is well documented that ETS can be harmful to human health and causes premature death and disease. In comparison to the huge research on toxicological substances of ETS, less attention was paid on the concentration of indoor ETS-dependent particulate matter (PM. Especially, investigation that focuses on different tobacco products and their concentration of deeply into the airways depositing PM-fractions (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 must be stated. The tobacco smoke particles and indoor air quality study (ToPIQS will approach this issue by device supported generation of indoor ETS and simultaneously measurements of PM concentration by laser aerosol spectrometry. Primarily, the ToPIQ study will conduct a field research with focus on PM concentration of different tobacco products and within various microenvironments. It is planned to extend the analysis to basic research on influencing factors of ETS-dependent PM concentration.

Indoor air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Indoor Air Quality is rapidly becoming a major environmental concern because a significant amount of people spend a substantial amount of time in a variety of different indoor environments. Health effects from indoor pollutants fall into two categories: those that are experienced immediately after exposure and those that do not show up until years later. They are: radon, formaldehyde, asbestos, lead and household organic chemicals. The authors presented a source-by-source look at the most common indoor air pollutants, their potential health effects, and ways to reduce their levels in the home. There are three basic strategies to improve indoor air quality: one method is source control, another is through ventilation improvements, and the third is the utilization of some sort of mechanical device such as air cleaners

Indoor Tanning Dependence in Young Adult Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Mays, Darren; Atkins, Michael B; Ahn, Jaeil; Tercyak, Kenneth P

2017-11-01

Background: There is mounting evidence that young people can develop a dependence on indoor tanning, but research on factors associated with indoor tanning dependence remains limited. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated factors associated with indoor tanning dependence in a community sample of 389 non-Hispanic white young adult women ages 18 to 30 who had indoor tanned ≥1 time in the past year. Participants completed measures of indoor tanning dependence, including the modified CAGE and modified Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-IV psychiatric screening assessments, indoor tanning behavior and beliefs, and behavioral and psychiatric comorbidity. Results: Overall, 22.6% of the sample screened positive for indoor tanning dependence. In multivariable analyses, indoor tanning dependence was associated with younger age of indoor tanning initiation [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.79; P = 0.017], indoor tanning ≥20 times in the past year (aOR = 3.03; P = 0.015), stronger beliefs about the benefits of tanning (aOR = 2.15; P = 0.004), greater perceived susceptibility to indoor tanning risks (aOR = 2.72; P tanning dependence among young, non-Hispanic white women is associated with behaviors that increase the risk of skin cancer, beliefs favoring the perceived benefits of tanning, and comorbid risks such as stronger beliefs about physical appearance and depressed mood. Impact: Comprehensive skin cancer prevention efforts should address indoor tanning dependence among young women and its leading risk factors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(11); 1636-43. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Residential indoor air quality guideline : carbon monoxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a tasteless, odourless, and colourless gas that can be produced by both natural and anthropogenic processes, but is most often formed during the incomplete combustion of organic materials. In the indoor environment, CO occurs directly as a result of emissions from indoor sources or as a result of infiltration from outdoor air containing CO. Studies have shown that the use of specific sources can lead to increased concentrations of CO indoors. This residential indoor air quality guideline examined the factors influencing the introduction, dispersion and removal of CO indoors. The health effects of exposure to low and higher concentrations of CO were discussed. Residential maximum exposure limits for CO were presented. Sources and concentrations in indoor environments were also examined. 17 refs., 2 tabs.

Indoor and outdoor urban atmospheric CO2: Stable carbon isotope constraints on mixing and mass balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanes, Yurena; Yapp, Crayton J.

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → 13 C of indoor CO 2 indicates proportion of C 4 -derived carbon in occupants' diet. → Flux balance model for ventilated rooms shows rapid approach to CO 2 steady-state. → From extant indoor CO 2 data more dietary C 4 carbon in American than European diets. → Local outdoor urban CO 2 increase of 17 ppm in ten years, no change in average 13 C. - Abstract: From July to November 2009, concentrations of CO 2 in 78 samples of ambient air collected in 18 different interior spaces on a university campus in Dallas, Texas (USA) ranged from 386 to 1980 ppm. Corresponding δ 13 C values varied from -8.9 per mille to -19.4 per mille. The CO 2 from 22 samples of outdoor air (also collected on campus) had a more limited range of concentrations from 385 to 447 ppm (avg. = 408 ppm), while δ 13 C values varied from -10.1 per mille to -8.4 per mille (avg.=-9.0 per mille). In contrast to ambient indoor and outdoor air, the concentrations of CO 2 exhaled by 38 different individuals ranged from 38,300 to 76,200 ppm (avg. = 55,100 ppm), while δ 13 C values ranged from -24.8 per mille to -17.7 per mille (avg. = -21.8 per mille). The residence times of the total air in the interior spaces of this study appear to have been on the order of 10 min with relatively rapid approaches (∼30 min) to steady-state concentrations of ambient CO 2 gas. Collectively, the δ 13 C values of the indoor CO 2 samples were linearly correlated with the reciprocal of CO 2 concentration, exhibiting an intercept of -21.8 per mille, with r 2 = 0.99 and p 2 data representing 18 interior spaces (with varying numbers of occupants), and the coincidence of the intercept (-21.8 per mille) with the average δ 13 C value for human-exhaled CO 2 demonstrates simple mixing between two inputs: (1) outdoor CO 2 introduced to the interior spaces by ventilation systems, and (2) CO 2 exhaled by human occupants of those spaces. If such simple binary mixing is a common feature of interior spaces, it

Indoor Wood-Burning Stove and Fireplace Use and Breast Cancer in a Prospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Alexandra J; Sandler, Dale P

2017-07-18

Indoor burning of fuel for heating or cooking releases carcinogens. Little is known about the impact of indoor air pollution from wood-burning stoves or fireplaces on breast cancer risk. In a large prospective cohort study, we evaluated the risk of breast cancer in relation to indoor heating and cooking practices. Sister Study participants ( n =50,884) were recruited from 2003–2009. Breast cancer–free women in the United States or Puerto Rico, 35–74 y old, with a sister with breast cancer were eligible. Participants completed questionnaires on indoor heating and cooking practices for both their enrollment and their longest adult residence. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between indoor heating/cooking and breast cancer. A total of 2,416 breast cancer cases were diagnosed during follow-up (mean=6.4 y). Having an indoor wood-burning stove/fireplace in the longest adult residence was associated with a higher breast cancer risk [HR=1.11 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.22)]; the risk increased with average frequency of use [≥once/week, HR=1.17 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.34)] (p for trend=0.01). An elevated HR was seen for women burning wood [HR=1.09 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.21)] or natural gas/propane [HR=1.15 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.32)]. No association was observed for burning artificial fire-logs [HR=0.98 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.12)] except among women from western states [HR=1.36 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.81)]. In this prospective study, using an indoor wood-burning stove/fireplace in the longest adult residence at least once a week and burning either wood or natural gas/propane was associated with a modestly higher risk of breast cancer. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP827.

A pilot study of indoor air quality in screen golf courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Goung, Sun-Ju Nam; Yang, Jinho; Kim, Yoon Shin; Lee, Cheol Min

2015-05-01

The aims of this study were to provide basic data for determining policies on air quality for multi-user facilities, including the legal enrollment of the indoor air quality regulation as designated by the Ministry of Environment, and to establish control plans. To this end, concentrations of ten pollutants (PM10, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), radon (Rn), oxone (O3), total bacteria counts (TBC), and asbestos) in addition to nicotine, a smoking index material used to determine the impact of smoking on the air quality, were investigated in indoor game rooms and lobbies of 64 screen golf courses. The average concentration of none of the ten pollutants in the game rooms and lobbies of screen golf courses was found to exceed the limit set by the law. There were, however, pollutant concentrations exceeding limits in some screen golf courses, in order to establish a control plan for the indoor air quality of screen golf courses, a study on the emission sources of each pollutant was conducted. The major emission sources were found to be facility users' activities such as smoking and the use of combustion appliances, building materials, and finishing materials.

Coping with Indoor Air Pollution

Science.gov (United States)

... Pollution > Coping with Indoor Air Pollution Font: Outdoor Pollution Indoor Air Pollution Asthma Triggers For Kids and Teachers Coping with Indoor Air Pollution Indoor air pollution is irritating to everyone: But people who ...

Psychosocial dimensions of solving an indoor air problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Kähkönen, Erkki; Reijula, Kari

2002-03-01

This investigation focuses on the psychological and social dimensions of managing and solving indoor air problems. The data were collected in nine workplaces by interviews (n = 85) and questionnaires (n = 375). Indoor air problems in office environments have traditionally utilized industrial hygiene or technical expertise. However, indoor air problems at workplaces are often more complex issues to solve. Technical questions are inter-related with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the solving process are also put to the test. In the present study, the interviewees were very critical of the process of solving the indoor air problem. The responsibility for coordinating the problem-managing process was generally considered vague, as were the roles and functions of the various parties. Communication problems occurred and rumors about the indoor air problem circulated widely. Conflicts were common, complicating the process in several ways. The research focused on examining different ways of managing and resolving an indoor air problem. In addition, reference material on the causal factors of the indoor air problem was also acquired. The study supported the hypothesis that psychosocial factors play a significant role in indoor air problems.

Indoor Tanning

Science.gov (United States)

... proof that indoor tanning is safer than tanning outdoors. Indoor tanning systems give concentrated UV exposure regardless ... For example, it’s essential for promoting good bone health. While UV ... a tan to get that benefit. According to the Surgeon General, fair and light- ...

[Schools, office buildings, leisure settings: diversity of indoor air quality issues. Global review on indoor air quality in these settings].

Science.gov (United States)

Mandin, C; Derbez, M; Kirchner, S

2012-07-01

This review provides a global overview of indoor air quality issues in schools, office buildings and recreational settings. It presents the most recent scientific publications and the on-going work conducted in France in the frame of the indoor air quality Observatory. Monitoring campaigns on indoor air quality in schools have been carried out in the recent years in Europe. However, few studies have specifically addressed the role of exposure in these buildings on children's health. Indoor air quality in office buildings has been little studied so far. However, some specificities, such as emissions from electronic devices, frequent cleaning, impossibility to open windows in high-rise buildings, for example, should be examined and their role on the health and comfort studied. Finally, even if the time spent in recreational settings is short, the quality of indoor air should also be considered because of specific pollution. This is the case of indoor swimming pools (exposure to chlorination byproducts) and ice-rinks (exposure to exhaust from machines used to smooth the ice). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Study on Data Clustering and Intelligent Decision Algorithm of Indoor Localization

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zexi

2018-01-01

Indoor positioning technology enables the human beings to have the ability of positional perception in architectural space, and there is a shortage of single network coverage and the problem of location data redundancy. So this article puts forward the indoor positioning data clustering algorithm and intelligent decision-making research, design the basic ideas of multi-source indoor positioning technology, analyzes the fingerprint localization algorithm based on distance measurement, position and orientation of inertial device integration. By optimizing the clustering processing of massive indoor location data, the data normalization pretreatment, multi-dimensional controllable clustering center and multi-factor clustering are realized, and the redundancy of locating data is reduced. In addition, the path is proposed based on neural network inference and decision, design the sparse data input layer, the dynamic feedback hidden layer and output layer, low dimensional results improve the intelligent navigation path planning.

Risk factors of indoor fall injuries in community-dwelling older women: a prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jia; Xia, Qinghua; Jiang, Yu; Zhou, Peng; Li, Yuhua

2015-01-01

The aims of the study were to explore the characteristics and the potential risk factors of indoor fall injuries in community-dwelling older women, and to provide evidence for the future intervention strategy. A prospective cohort of 3043 women aged 60 years old and above from 3 selected counties in Shanghai was followed up on the outcomes of indoor fall injuries for up to 1 year. Demographic and health data were collected during admission; the physical function, balance ability and home-living environment were examined by a structured questionnaire when admitted. The outcome of indoor fall injury was investigated by a visit in month 3, month 6 and month 12 after baseline survey. Univariate analysis and Multiple Logistic Regression Model were used to examine the associations between potential risk factors and outcomes of indoor fall injuries. Two hundred and thirty-one of the 3043 women (7.6%) eventually suffered indoor fall injuries at least once during the 1-year follow-up. The injurious falls of women were significantly associated with age, educational level, marital status, health status, balance ability, physical activity and home-living environment in the univariate analyses. Women who worried about falls and restrained activities for it were more likely to suffer fall injury. Younger women, with less chronic disease, with good balance ability and living in good corridor environment, were less likely to receive fall injury in multiple logistic regression analyses. Multidimensional factors were associated with indoor fall injuries for community-dwelling older women. Proper clinical treatment of chronic disease and improvement of women's balance ability, as well as reducing the risk factor of indoor environment, which will play vital roles in preventing indoor fall injuries, should be prioritized for the intervention strategy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the atmospheric chemistry of radon progeny in laboratory and real indoor atmospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hopke, P.K.

1992-07-01

This report describes studies on the chemical and physical behavior of the [sup 218]Po atom immediately following its formation by the alpha decay of radon. Because small changes in size for activity in the sub-10 nm size range result in large changes in the delivered dose per unit exposure, this behavior must be understood if the exposure to radon progeny and its dose to the cells in the respiratory tract are to be fully assessed. The specific tasks of the controlled laboratory studies are to determine the formation rates of [center dot]OH radicals formed by the radiolysis of air following radon decay, to examine the formation of particles by the radiolytic oxidation of substances like SO[sub 2] ethylene, and H[sub 2]S to lower vapor pressure compounds and determine the role of gas phase additives such as H[sub 2]O and NH[sub 3] in determining the particle size, to measure the rate of ion-induced nucleation using a thermal diffusion cloud chamber, and to measure the neutralization rate of [sup 218]Po[sub x][sup +] in O[sub 2] at low radon concentrations. Tasks of the exposure studies in occupied indoor spaces are to initiate measurements of the activity size distributions in actual homes with occupants present so that the variability of the indoor activity size distributions can be assessed with respect to indoor aerosol sources and general lifestyle variations of the occupants, to initiate a prospective study of the utility of measurement of deposited [sup 210]Pb embedded in glass surfaces as a measure of the long-term, integrated exposure of the population to radon, and to develop the methodology to determine the hygroscopicity of the indoor aerosol so that the changes in deposition efficiency of the radioactive indoor aerosol with hygroscopic growth in the respiratory tract can be assessed.

Fungi and mites on humid indoor walls : a laboratory study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koren, L.G.H.; Kort, H.S.M.; Siebers, Rob; Cunningham, M.; Fitzharris, P.

2000-01-01

The potential allergen source formed by mites and fungi developing on walls has been studied in a semi-natural model. Gypsum and wooden pieces, representing indoor walls, were artificially soiled with one of two different organic compounds, a yeast/vegetable mixture (Mannite) or a red currant juice

Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants' Comfort in European "Modern" Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellaris, Ioannis A; Saraga, Dikaia E; Mandin, Corinne; Roda, Célina; Fossati, Serena; de Kluizenaar, Yvonne; Carrer, Paolo; Dimitroulopoulou, Sani; Mihucz, Victor G; Szigeti, Tamás; Hänninen, Otto; de Oliveira Fernandes, Eduardo; Bartzis, John G; Bluyssen, Philomena M

2016-04-25

Indoor environmental conditions (thermal, noise, light, and indoor air quality) may affect workers' comfort, and consequently their health and well-being, as well as their productivity. This study aimed to assess the relations between perceived indoor environment and occupants' comfort, and to examine the modifying effects of both personal and building characteristics. Within the framework of the European project OFFICAIR, a questionnaire survey was administered to 7441 workers in 167 "modern" office buildings in eight European countries (Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). Occupants assessed indoor environmental quality (IEQ) using both crude IEQ items (satisfaction with thermal comfort, noise, light, and indoor air quality), and detailed items related to indoor environmental parameters (e.g., too hot/cold temperature, humid/dry air, noise inside/outside, natural/artificial light, odor) of their office environment. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relations between perceived IEQ and occupants' comfort. The highest association with occupants' overall comfort was found for "noise", followed by "air quality", "light" and "thermal" satisfaction. Analysis of detailed parameters revealed that "noise inside the buildings" was highly associated with occupants' overall comfort. "Layout of the offices" was the next parameter highly associated with overall comfort. The relations between IEQ and comfort differed by personal characteristics (gender, age, and the Effort Reward Imbalance index), and building characteristics (office type and building's location). Workplace design should take into account both occupant and the building characteristics in order to provide healthier and more comfortable conditions to their occupants.

Using big data from air quality monitors to evaluate indoor PM2.5 exposure in buildings: Case study in Beijing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, JinXing; Ji, Wei; Ben, YuJie; Hassan, Muhammad Azher; Fan, WenHong; Bates, Liam; Dong, ZhaoMin

2018-05-19

Due to time- and expense- consuming of conventional indoor PM 2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm) sampling, the sample size in previous studies was generally small, which leaded to high heterogeneity in indoor PM 2.5 exposure assessment. Based on 4403 indoor air monitors in Beijing, this study evaluated indoor PM 2.5 exposure from 15th March 2016 to 14th March 2017. Indoor PM 2.5 concentration in Beijing was estimated to be 38.6 ± 18.4 μg/m 3 . Specifically, the concentration in non-heating season was 34.9 ± 15.8 μg/m 3 , which was 24% lower than that in heating season (46.1 ± 21.2 μg/m 3 ). A significant correlation between indoor and ambient PM 2.5 (p < 0.05) was evident with an infiltration factor of 0.21, and the ambient PM 2.5 contributed approximately 52% and 42% to indoor PM 2.5 for non-heating and heating seasons, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratio was estimated to be 0.73 ± 0.54. Finally, the adjusted PM 2.5 exposure level integrating the indoor and outdoor impact was calculated to be 46.8 ± 27.4 μg/m 3 , which was approximately 42% lower than estimation only relied on ambient PM 2.5 concentration. This study is the first attempt to employ big data from commercial air monitors to evaluate indoor PM 2.5 exposure and risk in Beijing, which may be instrumental to indoor PM 2.5 pollution control. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The world's largest study of the indoor environment in commercial kitchens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Bjarne W.; Simone, Angela

2013-01-01

The International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy (ICIEE) at DTU Civil Engineering has conducted a study on the thermal conditions of the working environment in more than 100 commercial kitchens in the USA during summer and winter. The study shows that employees generally feel the working...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives in indoor and outdoor air in an eight-home study

Science.gov (United States)

Chuang, Jane C.; Mack, Gregory A.; Kuhlman, Michael R.; Wilson, Nancy K.

A pilot field study was performed in Columbus, OH, during the winter of 1986/1987. The objectives were to determine the feasibility of the use of a newly developed quiet sampler in indoor air sampling for particles and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC) and to measure the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), PAH derivatives, and nicotine in air in selected residences. Eight homes were chosen for sampling on the basis of these characteristics: electric/gas heating system, electric/gas cooking appliances, and the absence/presence of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The indoor sampler was equipped with a quartz-fiber filter to collect particles followed by XAD-4 resin to trap SVOC. A PS-1 sampler with a similar sampling module was used outdoors. The indoor air was sampled in the kitchen and living room areas over two consecutive 8-h periods. The outdoor air was sampled concurrently with the indoor samples over a 16-h period. Fifteen PAH, five nitro-PAH, five oxygenated PAH, and three nitrogen heterocyclic compounds were determined in these samples. The most abundant PAH found indoors was naphthalene. The indoor concentrations of PAH derivatives were lower than those of their parent compounds. Average concentrations of all but three target compounds (naphthalene dicarboxylic acid anhydride, pyrene dicarboxylic acid anhydride, and 2-nitrofluoranthene) were higher indoors than outdoors. Environmental tobacco smoke was the most significant influence on indoor pollutant levels. Homes with gas heating systems had higher indoor pollutant levels than homes with electric heating systems. However, the true effects of heating and cooking systems were not characterized as accurately as the effects of ETS because of the small sample sizes and the lack of statistical significance for most pollutant differences in the absence of ETS. The concentrations of PAH marker compounds (phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene) correlated well with the concentrations

Indoor Radon Concentration Related to Different Radon Areas and Indoor Radon Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Juhásová Šenitková, Ingrid; Šál, Jiří

2017-12-01

Indoor radon has been observed in the buildings at areas with different radon risk potential. Preventive measures are based on control of main potential radon sources (soil gas, building material and supplied water) to avoid building of new houses above recommended indoor radon level 200 Bq/m3. Radon risk (index) estimation of individual building site bedrock in case of new house siting and building protection according technical building code are obligatory. Remedial actions in buildings built at high radon risk areas were carried out principally by unforced ventilation and anti-radon insulation. Significant differences were found in the level of radon concentration between rooms where radon reduction techniques were designed and those where it was not designed. The mathematical model based on radon exhalation from soil has been developed to describe the physical processes determining indoor radon concentration. The model is focused on combined radon diffusion through the slab and advection through the gap from sub-slab soil. In this model, radon emanated from building materials is considered not having a significant contribution to indoor radon concentration. Dimensional analysis and Gauss-Newton nonlinear least squares parametric regression were used to simplify the problem, identify essential input variables and find parameter values. The presented verification case study is introduced for real buildings with respect to various underground construction types. Presented paper gives picture of possible mathematical approach to indoor radon concentration prediction.

Indoor Climate Quality Assessment -

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ansaldi, Roberta; Asadi, Ehsan; Costa, José Joaquim

This Guidebook gives building professionals useful support in the practical measurements and monitoring of the indoor climate in buildings. It is evident that energy consumption in a building is directly influenced by required and maintained indoor comfort level. Wireless technologies for measure...... for measurement and monitoring have allowed a significantly increased number of possible applications, especially in existing buildings. The Guidebook illustrates several cases with the instrumentation of the monitoring and assessment of indoor climate.......This Guidebook gives building professionals useful support in the practical measurements and monitoring of the indoor climate in buildings. It is evident that energy consumption in a building is directly influenced by required and maintained indoor comfort level. Wireless technologies...

Towards Mobile Information Systems for Indoor Space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxiang Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of Internet of things (IOT and indoor positioning technologies such as Wi-Fi and RFID, indoor mobile information systems have become a new research hotspot. Based on the unique features of indoor space and urgent needs on indoor mobile applications, in this paper we analyze some key issues in indoor mobile information systems, including positioning technologies in indoor environments, representation models for indoor spaces, query processing techniques for indoor moving objects, and index structures for indoor mobile applications. Then, we present an indoor mobile information management system named IndoorDB. Finally, we give some future research topics about indoor mobile information systems.

Indoor air purificaton using heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation, Part 2: Kinetic study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, Q.; Ballari, M.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2010-01-01

In part I to this article [1], the application of the heterogeneous photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) theory for the indoor air quality improvement was presented. With a modified TiO2 that can be activated by visible light as the photocatalyst coated on a special wall paper, and one typical indoor air

Influence of diet and rearing system on heavy pig performance, carcass and meat quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adalberto Falaschini

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Identifying alternative dietary protein sources and new types of outdoor rearing techniques that enhance animal welfare, thus optimising costs and production performance, are among the main objectives of nutritionists and breeders. The aim of this study was to compare two types of rations where pea and potato concentrate completely substituted soybean in intensively and extensively bred swine. Forty Large White × Duroc piglets weighing about 40 kg were divided into 4 groups of 10 sex- and weightmatched individuals: Indoor rearing + Control diet, Indoor rearing + Experimental diet, Outdoor rearing + Control diet, Outdoor rearing + Experimental diet. Different diets were formulated for the growing phase (40-100 kg and the fattening period (100-slaughter; pigs, weighed individually every 40 days to estimate the average daily gain and feed conversion rate, were slaughtered when they reached the weight for Italian ham production. The following measurements were obtained: carcass weight, slaughtered yield, weight of lean cuts, pH 45 minutes and 24 hours post mortem. 40 semimembranosus muscle samples were analysed for colour parameters (L*, a* and b*, moisture, fat, protein and ash while the energy values were calculated. Semimembranosus intramuscular fat and ham backfat were analysed for fatty acid profile. Statistical analysis of performances data was conducted using design with repeated measures and the slaughterhouse, meat and fat composition data were subjected to ANOVA. The results show that soybean can be completely substituted with other protein crops. Rearing and slaughterhouse performances were not affected by the diet, whereas significant differences emerged with the rearing system. Diet composition significantly affected lean meat proportion (50.0 vs 48.2 and fat thickness of 3/4 Thoracic Vertebra (25.3 vs 28.3 mm, while the rearing system significantly affected all carcass quality measures. Some parameters were better in outdoorthan

Indoor air: Reference bibliography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, D.; Staves, D.; McDonald, S.

1989-07-01

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency initially established the indoor air Reference Bibliography in 1987 as an appendix to the Indoor Air Quality Implementation Plan. The document was submitted to Congress as required under Title IV--Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Research of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. The Reference Bibliography is an extensive bibliography of reference materials on indoor air pollution. The Bibliography contains over 4500 citations and continues to increase as new articles appear

Characterizing the source of radon indoors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nero, A.V.; Nazaroff, W.W.

1983-09-01

Average indoor radon concentrations range over more than two orders of magnitude, largely because of variability in the rate at which radon enters from building materials, soil, and water supplies. Determining the indoor source magnitude requires knowledge of the generation of radon in source materials, its movement within materials by diffusion and convection, and the means of its entry into buildings. This paper reviews the state of understanding of indoor radon sources and transport. Our understanding of generation rates in and movement through building materials is relatively complete and indicates that, except for materials with unusually high radionuclide contents, these sources can account for observed indoor radon concentrations only at the low end of the range observed. Our understanding of how radon enters buildings from surrounding soil is poorer, however recent experimental and theoretical studies suggest that soil may be the predominant source in many cases where the indoor radon concentration is high. 73 references, 3 figures, 1 table

Indoor Air Quality in Brazilian Universities

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Sonia R. Jurado

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the indoor air quality in Brazilian universities by comparing thirty air-conditioned (AC (n = 15 and naturally ventilated (NV (n = 15 classrooms. The parameters of interest were indoor carbon dioxide (CO2, temperature, relative humidity (RH, wind speed, viable mold, and airborne dust levels. The NV rooms had larger concentration of mold than the AC rooms (1001.30 ± 125.16 and 367.00 ± 88.13 cfu/m3, respectively. The average indoor airborne dust concentration exceeded the Brazilian standards (<80 µg/m3 in both NV and AC classrooms. The levels of CO2 in the AC rooms were significantly different from the NV rooms (1433.62 ± 252.80 and 520.12 ± 37.25 ppm, respectively. The indoor air quality in Brazilian university classrooms affects the health of students. Therefore, indoor air pollution needs to be considered as an important public health problem.

Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards Indoor Pollution Emissions from Building Materials; Case of Study: Gypsum Boards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silverio Hernández Moreno

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Este reporte presenta una evaluación de las emisiones de materiales de construcción, al interior de los edificios que pueden causar daño a la salud de los usuarios durante la ocupación, pues emiten sustancias tóxicas al interior de los edificios. Este reporte presenta un caso de studio que evalúa a los tableros de yeso, frecuentemente usados en la construcción de muros divisorios y falsos plafones. La parte experimental se basa en un espacio tridimensional el cual simula un cuarto de cualquier tipo de edificación; por ejemplo: un salón de clases u oficina. Las condiciones ambientales al interior, tales como: ventilación, temperatura y humedad, afectan directamente las emisiones de sustancias químicas por los materiales de construcción. La metodología se basa en la comparación de materiales convencionales y materiales alternativos con distinta composición y similares características, en donde usamos métodos de prueba, condiciones ambientales, instrumentos y herramientas similares. Este es un estudio muy importante para entender los problemas relacionadoscon la contaminación ambiental, específicamente del aire y sus efectos en el interior de los edificios, y que se relaciona directamente con la salud pública e indirectamente con los sistemas constructivos y la selección de materiales en los edificios. Las pruebas concluyen que los materiales alternativos (de contenido reciclado son mejores que los tradicionales, porque reducen la contaminación del aire al interior de los edificios. This report presents an evaluation of emissions from indoor building materials that may cause health damage to the people who occupy the building, since these materials emit toxic chemicals into the air and indoor surfaces. This report presents a case study which evaluates Gypsum Boards, frequently used in the construction of dividing walls and ceilings. The experimental part of this report is based on a three-dimensional space that simulates a

Impact of the spectral and spatial properties of natural light on indoor gas-phase chemistry: Experimental and modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Blocquet, M; Guo, F; Mendez, M; Ward, M; Coudert, S; Batut, S; Hecquet, C; Blond, N; Fittschen, C; Schoemaecker, C

2018-05-01

The characteristics of indoor light (intensity, spectral, spatial distribution) originating from outdoors have been studied using experimental and modeling tools. They are influenced by many parameters such as building location, meteorological conditions, and the type of window. They have a direct impact on indoor air quality through a change in chemical processes by varying the photolysis rates of indoor pollutants. Transmittances of different windows have been measured and exhibit different wavelength cutoffs, thus influencing the potential of different species to be photolysed. The spectral distribution of light entering indoors through the windows was measured under different conditions and was found to be weakly dependent on the time of day for indirect cloudy, direct sunshine, partly cloudy conditions contrary to the light intensity, in agreement with calculations of the transmittance as a function of the zenithal angle and the calculated outdoor spectral distribution. The same conclusion can be drawn concerning the position within the room. The impact of these light characteristics on the indoor chemistry has been studied using the INCA-Indoor model by considering the variation in the photolysis rates of key indoor species. Depending on the conditions, photolysis processes can lead to a significant production of radicals and secondary species. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Behaviors of radon in indoor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mochizuki, Sadamu; Shimo, Michikuni.

1987-01-01

The source of radon ( 222 Rn) in the atmosphere is radioactive nuclide, uranium ( 238 U), which exists fairly common throughout the earth's crust. Radium ( 226 Ra) descended from uranium produce radon ( 222 Rn) of noble gas by decay. After formation in the ground, radon diffuses into the atmosphere. Without exception radon decay products are heavy metals which soon become attached to natural aerosols. Therefore, radon and its daughters (decay products) appear also in indoor environment, and generally, their concentration levels become higher than that of outdoor air due to build-up effects in the closed indoor environments. With the progress of the study on the influence of radon and its daughers on human health, it has become clear that they act effectively as an exciting cause of lung cancer. So, the study on the risk evaluation of them in room air has become to be very important. Concequently, the behaviors of radon and its daughters in indoor environment, first of all, should be studied in detail for the accurate estimation of the risk caused by them. In this special edition, fundamental characteristics of radon and its daughters, some measuring methods, theoretical considerations and some observational evidences obtained from various circumstances of indoor environment are described inorder to grasp and understand the behaviors of radon and its daughters in the indoor environment. (author)

Vitality of plants to live in the indoor environment

Science.gov (United States)

Shamsuri, Mohd Mahathir Suhaimi; Leman, A. M.; Hariri, Azian; Idris, Ahmad Fu'ad; Afandi, Azizi

2017-09-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is generally a public concern because 90% of people spend their time indoor. IAQ must be preserved wisely to guarantee the health of the building occupants. One of the ways to maintain the quality of air is by placing plants in the building. However, all plants come from the outdoor, and the environment is different compared to indoor. Environmental factors such as temperature and light will absolutely affect the growth of the plant. Light and temperature that are too bright or too deem can wither the plants. Nevertheless, certain plant is capable of adapting with different situation after assimilation process has been conducted. This study intends to analyze the capacity of seven selected plants (Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Kadaka Fern, Prayer Plant, Spider Plant, and Syngonium) to live in an indoor environment. The vitality of plants is based on photosynthetic level that is measured using leaf - chamber (LI-COR 6400). Two groups of plants were located in indoor and outdoor (indigenous location) setting, and were allowed to assimilate for two months before measurement were carried out. The results for the plant located indoor shows that only Spider Plant cannot perform photosynthesis under 300 lux, where the photosynthetic value remains negative. Meanwhile, other plants such as Anthurium, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Kadaka Fern, Prayer Plant, and Syngonium that were left indoor showed similar 300 lux in which conform the ability of the plants to perform photosynthesis with the value of 0.3, 0.15, 0.35, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.1. In comparison, all of the plants that were stationed indoor and outdoor (except Spider Plant), the light compensation point (LCP) for indoor shows smaller value than the outdoor. This is because all the indoor plants had down - regulated their photosynthesis process by becoming more sensitive to light after their assimilation. From this study, it can be concluded that all plants except Spider Plant is able to live

Climate change and health: Indoor heat exposure in vulnerable populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White-Newsome, Jalonne L.; Sánchez, Brisa N.; Jolliet, Olivier; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Parker, Edith A.; Timothy Dvonch, J.; O'Neill, Marie S.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Climate change is increasing the frequency of heat waves and hot weather in many urban environments. Older people are more vulnerable to heat exposure but spend most of their time indoors. Few published studies have addressed indoor heat exposure in residences occupied by an elderly population. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between outdoor and indoor temperatures in homes occupied by the elderly and determine other predictors of indoor temperature. Materials and methods: We collected hourly indoor temperature measurements of 30 different homes; outdoor temperature, dewpoint temperature, and solar radiation data during summer 2009 in Detroit, MI. We used mixed linear regression to model indoor temperatures' responsiveness to weather, housing and environmental characteristics, and evaluated our ability to predict indoor heat exposures based on outdoor conditions. Results: Average maximum indoor temperature for all locations was 34.85 °C, 13.8 °C higher than average maximum outdoor temperature. Indoor temperatures of single family homes constructed of vinyl paneling or wood siding were more sensitive than brick homes to outdoor temperature changes and internal heat gains. Outdoor temperature, solar radiation, and dewpoint temperature predicted 38% of the variability of indoor temperatures. Conclusions: Indoor exposures to heat in Detroit exceed the comfort range among elderly occupants, and can be predicted using outdoor temperatures, characteristics of the housing stock and surroundings to improve heat exposure assessment for epidemiological investigations. Weatherizing homes and modifying home surroundings could mitigate indoor heat exposure among the elderly.

Sampling strategies for indoor radon investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prichard, H.M.

1983-01-01

Recent investigations prompted by concern about the environmental effects of residential energy conservation have produced many accounts of indoor radon concentrations far above background levels. In many instances time-normalized annual exposures exceeded the 4 WLM per year standard currently used for uranium mining. Further investigations of indoor radon exposures are necessary to judge the extent of the problem and to estimate the practicality of health effects studies. A number of trends can be discerned as more indoor surveys are reported. It is becoming increasingly clear that local geological factors play a major, if not dominant role in determining the distribution of indoor radon concentrations in a given area. Within a giving locale, indoor radon concentrations tend to be log-normally distributed, and sample means differ markedly from one region to another. The appreciation of geological factors and the general log-normality of radon distributions will improve the accuracy of population dose estimates and facilitate the design of preliminary health effects studies. The relative merits of grab samples, short and long term integrated samples, and more complicated dose assessment strategies are discussed in the context of several types of epidemiological investigations. A new passive radon sampler with a 24 hour integration time is described and evaluated as a tool for pilot investigations

Current Indoor Air Quality in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Jinno, Hideto

2016-01-01

People spend more than two thirds of their daily time indoors. Hence, maintaining a healthy indoor environment is indispensable for the prevention of building related illness. In Japan, guidelines for indoor air quality have been established for 13 volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs). These guidelines are now under revision by the Committee on Sick House Syndrome: Indoor Air Pollution. In order to gain information on the current indoor air pollutants and their levels, we carried out a nation-wide survey of VOCs and aldehydes in indoor residential air during 2012-2013. In this review, I concisely summarized the current indoor air quality of Japan.

Indoor Air Quality Assessment and Study of Different VOC Contributions within a School in Taranto City, South of Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annalisa Marzocca

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Children spend a large amount of time in school environments and when Indoor Air Quality (IAQ is poor, comfort, productivity and learning performances may be affected. The aim of the present study is to characterize IAQ in a primary school located in Taranto city (south of Italy. Because of the proximity of a large industrial complex to the urban settlement, this district is one of the areas identified as being at high environmental risk in Italy. The study carried out simultaneous monitoring of indoor and outdoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC concentrations and assessed different pollutants’ contributions on the IAQ of the investigated site. A screening study of VOC and determination of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX, sampled with Radiello® diffusive samplers suitable for thermal desorption, were carried out in three classrooms, in the corridor and in the yard of the school building. Simultaneously, Total VOC (TVOC concentration was measured by means of real-time monitoring, in order to study the activation of sources during the monitored days. The analysis results showed a prevalent indoor contribution for all VOC except for BTEX which presented similar concentrations in indoor and outdoor air. Among the determined VOC, Terpenes and 2-butohxyethanol were shown to be an indoor source, the latter being the indoor pollutant with the highest concentration.

Indoor decomposition study in Malaysia with special reference to the scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raja M. Zuha

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae are a diversified insect group of forensic importance. Their frequent presence on human corpses indoors and in concealed environments can be the sole indicators to estimate the minimum post mortem interval (PMImin. However, bionomics of scuttle flies on decomposing animal carcasses are rarely documented indoors. The objective of this research is to observe and document the occurrence of scuttle flies on decomposing animal carcass placed inside a portable cabin maintained at room temperature (≈25.0 °C in Bangi, Malaysia. This study was conducted in two rounds for a period of 40-day each and samplings were carried out in different intervals. Adult scuttle flies were aspirated directly from the carcass and preserved in 70% ethanol. Their larvae and pupae were reared until adult stage to facilitate identification. Megaselia scalaris (Loew, Megaselia spiracularis (Schmitz and Dohrniphora cornuta (Bigot were the scuttle flies found on the carcasses with M. scalaris being the earliest and dominant to colonize the body. This cosmopolitan species proved to be the best indicator to estimate PMImin indoor but in the increased presence of other fly species, it might be relegated to a secondary role. The scuttle flies were also found to coexist with other dipterans of forensic importance in an indoor environment, mainly Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius (Diptera: Calliphoridae. This information expands the knowledge on the bionomics of scuttle flies on decomposing animal remains indoors.

Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia

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Yardany Ramos-Pastrana

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Preliminary study of insects associated to indoor body decay in Colombia. This is the first report studying insects associated to indoor body decay process of a white pig (Sus scrofa (Artiodactyla, Suidae in a controlled indoor environment in an urban area of Florencia city, Amazonia Piedmont, Colombia. For a period of 54 days, 9,220 individuals (immature and adults, distributed in 3 orders, 5 families, 10 genera, and 10 species were collected using entomological nets and tweezers. Five decaying stages are described (fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay and remains. During the fresh stage we recorded Cochliomyia macellaria (Fabricius, 1775, Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819, Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann, 1830, Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; during the bloating stage C. macellaria, C. albiceps, Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann, 1819, Hemilucillia semidiaphana (Rondani, 1850, Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, O. aenescens, Oxysarcodexia sp., Lepidodexia sp., Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 and Lasiphanes sp.; during the active decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, L. eximia, M. domestica, O. aenescens, Lepidodexia sp. D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp.; during the advanced decay C. macellaria, C. albiceps, M. domestica, Lepidodexia sp. and Lasiophanes sp.; and during the remains stage C. albiceps, D. maculatus and Lasiophanes sp. The insects were sorted out in 3 ecological categories; necrophagous, predators and parasites and sarco-saprophagous. According to Chao and Jack estimators, total richness was observed on day 20, with 100% of the expected species.

Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) study: study design, methods and quality assurance/control results.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisel, Clifford P; Zhang, Junfeng; Turpin, Barbara J; Morandi, Maria T; Colome, Steven; Stock, Thomas H; Spektor, Dalia M; Korn, Leo; Winer, Arthur; Alimokhtari, Shahnaz; Kwon, Jaymin; Mohan, Krishnan; Harrington, Robert; Giovanetti, Robert; Cui, William; Afshar, Masoud; Maberti, Silvia; Shendell, Derek

2005-03-01

The Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) Study was undertaken to evaluate the contribution of outdoor sources of air toxics, as defined in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, to indoor concentrations and personal exposures. The concentrations of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 17 carbonyl compounds, and fine particulate matter mass (PM(2.5)) were measured using 48-h outdoor, indoor and personal air samples collected simultaneously. PM2.5 mass, as well as several component species (elemental carbon, organic carbon, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and elemental analysis) were also measured; only PM(2.5) mass is reported here. Questionnaires were administered to characterize homes, neighborhoods and personal activities that might affect exposures. The air exchange rate was also measured in each home. Homes in close proximity (<0.5 km) to sources of air toxics were preferentially (2:1) selected for sampling. Approximately 100 non-smoking households in each of Elizabeth, NJ, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA were sampled (100, 105, and 105 respectively) with second visits performed at 84, 93, and 81 homes in each city, respectively. VOC samples were collected at all homes, carbonyls at 90% and PM(2.5) at 60% of the homes. Personal samples were collected from nonsmoking adults and a portion of children living in the target homes. This manuscript provides the RIOPA study design and quality control and assurance data. The results from the RIOPA study can potentially provide information on the influence of ambient sources on indoor air concentrations and exposure for many air toxics and will furnish an opportunity to evaluate exposure models for these compounds.

Pilot study on indoor climate investigation and computer simulation in historical museum building: Amerongen Castle, the Netherlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raha Sulaiman

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The indoor climate is one of the most important factors contributing to climate-induced damage to the building materials and cultural collections of a monumental building. The Dutch monumental building - Amerongen Castle, and the collections housed in it show severe deterioration caused by inappropriate historical indoor environment. Assessments of the indoor climate, especially on the room temperature and relative humidity, are necessary to analyze the causes and impacts of climate change. As the building was flooded in year 1993 and 1996, extra attention is paid to investigate the effects of flooding to it. This pilot study was aimed to identify the buildup linkages between the known past, historical data on indoor environment and indoor climate performance in the building through simulation based-prediction. This paper focuses on the methodology of indoor climate investigation from the past to the current situation. A hypothesis was developed on backcasting-based prediction simulation which can be used to identify the accepted historical indoor climate where during those times there probably was no damage to the building and the collection. A simulation method based on heat, air and moisture transport is used with the HAMBase program. The computer model representing the Grand Salon of Amerongen Castle was calibrated by comparing real measurements to simulation results. It shows that the differences were only to the minimum of -1.8C and maximum of 3.2C. The data for the historical outdoor weather files was obtained by interpolating outdoor ancient climatology constructed by MATLAB. Based on archival research, indoor thermal history was gathered as input for the profiles used in simulation. Further, the calibrated computer model can be used to simulate past indoor climate and investigate the process of the deterioration of the room and the collections mainly due to the fluctuation of indoor temperature and relative humidity. At the end

Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants’ Comfort in European “Modern” Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioannis A. Sakellaris

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Indoor environmental conditions (thermal, noise, light, and indoor air quality may affect workers’ comfort, and consequently their health and well-being, as well as their productivity. This study aimed to assess the relations between perceived indoor environment and occupants’ comfort, and to examine the modifying effects of both personal and building characteristics. Within the framework of the European project OFFICAIR, a questionnaire survey was administered to 7441 workers in 167 “modern” office buildings in eight European countries (Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Occupants assessed indoor environmental quality (IEQ using both crude IEQ items (satisfaction with thermal comfort, noise, light, and indoor air quality, and detailed items related to indoor environmental parameters (e.g., too hot/cold temperature, humid/dry air, noise inside/outside, natural/artificial light, odor of their office environment. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relations between perceived IEQ and occupants’ comfort. The highest association with occupants’ overall comfort was found for “noise”, followed by “air quality”, “light” and “thermal” satisfaction. Analysis of detailed parameters revealed that “noise inside the buildings” was highly associated with occupants’ overall comfort. “Layout of the offices” was the next parameter highly associated with overall comfort. The relations between IEQ and comfort differed by personal characteristics (gender, age, and the Effort Reward Imbalance index, and building characteristics (office type and building’s location. Workplace design should take into account both occupant and the building characteristics in order to provide healthier and more comfortable conditions to their occupants.

Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants’ Comfort in European “Modern” Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sakellaris, Ioannis A.; Saraga, Dikaia E.; Mandin, Corinne; Roda, Célina; Fossati, Serena; de Kluizenaar, Yvonne; Carrer, Paolo; Dimitroulopoulou, Sani; Mihucz, Victor G.; Szigeti, Tamás; Hänninen, Otto; de Oliveira Fernandes, Eduardo; Bartzis, John G.; Bluyssen, Philomena M.

2016-01-01

Indoor environmental conditions (thermal, noise, light, and indoor air quality) may affect workers’ comfort, and consequently their health and well-being, as well as their productivity. This study aimed to assess the relations between perceived indoor environment and occupants’ comfort, and to examine the modifying effects of both personal and building characteristics. Within the framework of the European project OFFICAIR, a questionnaire survey was administered to 7441 workers in 167 “modern” office buildings in eight European countries (Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). Occupants assessed indoor environmental quality (IEQ) using both crude IEQ items (satisfaction with thermal comfort, noise, light, and indoor air quality), and detailed items related to indoor environmental parameters (e.g., too hot/cold temperature, humid/dry air, noise inside/outside, natural/artificial light, odor) of their office environment. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the relations between perceived IEQ and occupants’ comfort. The highest association with occupants’ overall comfort was found for “noise”, followed by “air quality”, “light” and “thermal” satisfaction. Analysis of detailed parameters revealed that “noise inside the buildings” was highly associated with occupants’ overall comfort. “Layout of the offices” was the next parameter highly associated with overall comfort. The relations between IEQ and comfort differed by personal characteristics (gender, age, and the Effort Reward Imbalance index), and building characteristics (office type and building’s location). Workplace design should take into account both occupant and the building characteristics in order to provide healthier and more comfortable conditions to their occupants. PMID:27120608

Scopulariopsis and scopulariopsis-like species from indoor environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.H.C. Woudenberg

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Scopulariopsis-like species are often reported from the indoor environment, as well as from clinical samples. The lack of type isolates and thorough phylogenetic studies in the Microascaceae hampered the correct identification of these isolates. Based on recent phylogenetic studies, which resulted in multiple name changes, the aim is to molecularly identify the Scopulariopsis and scopulariopsis-like species which occur in the indoor environment and give an overview of the current species in these genera and their habitats. Strains from the CBS culture collection were supplemented with almost 80 indoor strains of which the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 and intervening 5.8S nrDNA (ITS, beta-tubulin (tub2 and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1 gene regions were sequenced for phylogenetic inference. The multi-gene phylogenies recognise 33 Microascus species and 12 Scopulariopsis species and showed that the recently established genus Fuscoannellis, typified by Scopulariopsis carbonaria, should be synonymized with the genus Yunnania. Seven new Microascus species, four new Scopulariopsis species, and one new Yunnania species, are described, and a new name in Microascus and two new name combinations (one in Microascus, and one in Yunnania are proposed. In the indoor environment 14 Microascus species and three Scopulariopsis species were found. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (22 indoor isolates and Microascus melanosporus (19 indoor isolates are the most common indoor species, in number of isolates, followed by M. paisii (8 indoor isolates and S. candida (7 indoor isolates. A genus phylogeny based on the ITS, tef1 and the large subunit 28S nrDNA (LSU of the type or representative isolates of all here recognised species is provided depicting all species habitats. No correlation between phylogenetic relationship and habitat preference could be observed. Ten species which are found indoor are also found in relation with human-derived samples. A

A study on seasonal variations of indoor gamma dose in Bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miah, M. Idrish

2005-01-01

Monthly variation of gamma dose rate measured in indoor air of buildings of Bangladesh was found to vary cosinusoidally through a period of 1 year. Significant seasonal variations were observed. Maximum dose rate, however, was observed in January and a minimum in July. Dose rate in January was 32% higher than the annual average, whereas dose rate in July was 50% lower. Seasonally varied ventilation and air exchange rates of the houses might play an important role in the observed variation. The average reduction with respect to winter dose was 59% in summer. Because of lower ventilation and air exchange rates between indoor and outdoor atmosphere, it is expected that the indoor dose rate would be higher in basements than that of upper floors. Monthly dose rate was also found to be influenced by the meteorological conditions. Correlations between dose rate and temperature (r 2 =0.85), rainfall (r=-0.83) and atmospheric pressure (r=0.92) were obtained, but no significant correlation (r=-0.45) was seen between dose rate and humidity. The results show that the seasonal variations of indoor dose rates should be taken into account to estimate annual effective dose equivalent. (author)

Correlation between indoor radon and soil gas availability: Results of field studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kothari, B.K.; Kunz, C.; Lilley, W.

1990-01-01

To correlate indoor radon concentrations with soil gas, the authors have carried out a field survey of surficial material in selected regions of New York State. The survey consisted of measurements of gamma radiation, Ra-226, Rn-222 and the permeability for gas flow in surficial material. Based on the data, three areas with a potential for above average indoor radon concentrations have been identified: (1) a black shale region in Onondaga County; (2) a granitic region in Orange County; and (3) a black shale region in Erie County. For an area with potential for below-average indoor radon concentrations, sandy deposits on Long Island with an average concentration of 0.7 pCi Ra-226/g and 160 pCi Rn-222/L at 2-feet depth, have been selected. Fifteen homes from each of these four areas are under test for indoor radon. Measurements of air infiltration rates and soil gas availability parameters are planned for all 60 homes

Indoor air quality environmental information handbook: Combustion sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-06-01

This environmental information handbook was prepared to assist both the non-technical reader (i.e., homeowner) and technical persons (such as researchers, policy analysts, and builders/designers) in understanding the current state of knowledge regarding combustion sources of indoor air pollution. Quantitative and descriptive data addressing the emissions, indoor concentrations, factors influencing indoor concentrations, and health effects of combustion-generated pollutants are provided. In addition, a review of the models, controls, and standards applicable to indoor air pollution from combustion sources is presented. The emphasis is on the residential environment. The data presented here have been compiled from government and privately-funded research results, conference proceedings, technical journals, and recent publications. It is intended to provide the technical reader with a comprehensive overview and reference source on the major indoor air quality aspects relating to indoor combustion activities, including tobacco smoking. In addition, techniques for determining potential concentrations of pollutants in residential settings are presented. This is an update of a 1985 study documenting the state of knowledge of combustion-generated pollutants in the indoor environment. 191 refs., 51 figs., 71 tabs.

Indoor air quality in low-energy houses in the Netherlands: Does mechanical ventilation provide a healthy indoor environment?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Balvers, J.R.; Boxem, G.; Wit, de M.H.; Strøm-Tejsen, P; Olesen, B.W.; Wargocki, P; Zukowska, D; Toftum, J

2008-01-01

Increasing environmental awareness has led to new, energy-efficient building standards such as the German Passivhaus-standard. This study was designed to investigate the indoor air quality (IAQ) of four different Dutch low-energy houses built according to this standard. Air flow, indoor air

Indoor air quality: The hidden side of the indoor environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oliveira Fernandes, E. de; Bluyssen, P.M.; Clausen, G.H.

1996-01-01

The physical environment can be defined and understood in manv different ways, both from its nature, e.g., thermal, accoustic, etc., or its dimension, e.g., global, local, urban, indoors. The indoor environment is much more than the space or the light effects; it is the result of a complex

Evaluation of the Indoor Environment in the Comfort Houses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunsgaard, Camilla; Heiselberg, Per; Knudstrup, Mary-Ann

2012-01-01

and in a process of doing so, it is important to maintain a good and healthy indoor environment and not on the expense of it. One way of saving energy is to build passive houses. This paper presents the result of a case study of some of the first certified passive houses in Denmark, called the Comfort Houses....... The paper evaluates the indoor environment through both quantitative measurements in the houses and qualitative interviews with the occupants about their experiences of the indoor environment. Two set of knowledge which together gives a more complete and holistic picture of the indoor environment. The study...

Study on indoor radon exposure and its effect on human health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xinwei

2005-01-01

Radon and its daughters relate to people health. Radon widely exists in the nature. The paper discusses the source, exposure and activity level of indoor radon, systematically analyzes the hazards and dose-response of residential radon exposure, and at last indicates the concrete method of controlling residential radon concentration. By interdicting radon pollution source and ventilation might effectively reduce indoor radon concentration and improve environmental air quality. (authors)

Education of indoor enviromental engineering technology

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kic, P.; Zajíček, Milan

2011-01-01

Roč. 9, Spec. 1 (2011), s. 83-90 ISSN 1406-894X. [Biosystems Engineering 2011. Tartu, 12.05.2011-13.05.2011] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : Biosystems engineering * indoor environment * study * programs Subject RIV: AM - Education http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2011/VS/zajicek-education of indoor enviromental engineering technology.pdf

Indoor navigation by image recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Io Teng; Leong, Chi Chong; Hong, Ka Wo; Pun, Chi-Man

2017-07-01

With the progress of smartphones hardware, it is simple on smartphone using image recognition technique such as face detection. In addition, indoor navigation system development is much slower than outdoor navigation system. Hence, this research proves a usage of image recognition technique for navigation in indoor environment. In this paper, we introduced an indoor navigation application that uses the indoor environment features to locate user's location and a route calculating algorithm to generate an appropriate path for user. The application is implemented on Android smartphone rather than iPhone. Yet, the application design can also be applied on iOS because the design is implemented without using special features only for Android. We found that digital navigation system provides better and clearer location information than paper map. Also, the indoor environment is ideal for Image recognition processing. Hence, the results motivate us to design an indoor navigation system using image recognition.

A study on contaminant transport in indoor air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pujala, Usha; Sen, Soubhadra; Subramanian, V.; Srinivas, C.V.; Baskaran, R.; Venkatraman, B.

2016-01-01

In case of an accidental release of radioactive contaminant inside a well-ventilated room, the same will be transported to the different parts of the room due to the circulation of indoor air. To ensure safety of the operating personnel, it is important to identify the ideal locations for keeping the warning alarm systems. To address the problem, a detailed study is required where numerical simulation has to be supported by experimental verification. A computational methodology has already been verified for this purpose (IGC report-no.323). In this work, a study on the transport of an inert aerosol inside a well-ventilated isolated room has been carried out

Indoor Air Pollution in Non Ac Passenger Bus

Science.gov (United States)

El Husna, Iksiroh; Unzilatirrizqi, Rizal D. Yan El; Karyanto, Yudi; Sunoko, Henna R.

2018-02-01

Passenger buses have been one of favorite means of transportation in Indonesia due to its affordability and flexibility. Intensity of human activities during the trip in the buses have a potential of causing indoor air pollution (polusi udara dalam ruang; PUDR). The indoor air pollution has an impact of 1000-time bigger than outdoor air pollution (polusi udara luar ruang; PULR) on lung. This study aimed to find out indoor air pollution rate of non air conditioned buses using an approach to biological agent pollutant source. The study applied an analysis restricted to microorganisms persistence as one of the sources of the indoor air pollution. The media were placed in different parts of the non AC buses. This study revealed that fungs were found in the non AC buses. They became contaminants and developed pathogenic bacteria that caused air pollution.

Indoor Air Pollution in Non Ac Passenger Bus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El Husna Iksiroh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Passenger buses have been one of favorite means of transportation in Indonesia due to its affordability and flexibility. Intensity of human activities during the trip in the buses have a potential of causing indoor air pollution (polusi udara dalam ruang; PUDR. The indoor air pollution has an impact of 1000-time bigger than outdoor air pollution (polusi udara luar ruang; PULR on lung. This study aimed to find out indoor air pollution rate of non air conditioned buses using an approach to biological agent pollutant source. The study applied an analysis restricted to microorganisms persistence as one of the sources of the indoor air pollution. The media were placed in different parts of the non AC buses. This study revealed that fungs were found in the non AC buses. They became contaminants and developed pathogenic bacteria that caused air pollution.

Indoor air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollowell, C.D.

1981-06-01

Rising energy prices, among other factors, have generated an incentive to reduce ventilation rates and thereby reduce the cost of heating and cooling buildings. Reduced ventilation in buildings may significantly increase exposure to indoor air pollution and perhaps have adverse effects on occupant health and comfort. Preliminary findings suggest that reduced ventilation may adversely affect indoor air quality unless appropriate control strategies are undertaken. The strategies used to control indoor air pollution depend on the specific pollutant or class of pollutants encountered, and differ somewhat depending on whether the application is to an existing building or a new building under design and construction. Whenever possible, the first course of action is prevention or reduction of pollutant emissions at the source. In most buildings, control measures involve a combination of prevention, removal, and suppression. Common sources of indoor air pollution in buildings, the specific pollutants emitted by each source, the potential health effects, and possible control techniques are discussed

A comparative study of indoor radon concentrations between dwellings and schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapdan, E.; Altinsoy, N.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of radon concentrations between dwellings and the schools located in the same regions and to obtain related indoor average radon concentration dwelling–school correction factor for similar locations. The research has been carried out by determining indoor radon concentrations at schools and dwellings located at the same districts in the selected two separate research fields called The Former Adapazari region and The New Adapazari region in the city of Adapazari using a total of 81 Cr-39 passive radon detectors for 75 days. The average radon concentrations have been determined for the dwellings and the schools in 15 districts of the Former Adapazari region as 59.9 Bq m −3 and 57.1 Bq m −3 , respectively. The results in 4 districts of the New Adapazari region were 63.5 Bq m −3 for the dwellings and 61.0 Bq m −3 for the schools. Moreover, the annual effective doses were calculated as 1.33 mSv/y and 1.41 mSv/y for the dwellings of Former Adapazari and New Adapazari, respectively. It was seen that the doses received in the dwellings are about four times the doses received in the schools. The indoor radon concentration dwelling–school correction factor was found to be 1.04±0.01 for the research area.

Microbiological assessment of indoor air of teaching hospital wards ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Thus, the objective of this study is to provide fundamental data related to the microbial quality of indoor air of Jimma University Specialized Hospital wards, to estimate the health hazard and to create standards for indoor air quality control. METHODS: The microbial quality of indoor air of seven wards of Jimma University ...

Calorie shifting diet versus calorie restriction diet: A comparative clinical trial study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayed Hossein Davoodi

2014-01-01

Conclusions: The CSD diet was associated with a greater improvement in some anthropometric measures, Adherence was better among CSD subjects. Longer and larger studies are required to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of CSD diet.

Dynamic tracking performance of indoor global positioning system: An experimental and theoretical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gang Zhao

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The automation level has been improved rapidly with the introduction of large-scale measurement technologies, such as indoor global positioning system, into the production process among the fields of car, ship, and aerospace due to their excellent measurement characteristics. In fact, the objects are usually in motion during the real measurement process; however, the dynamic measurement characteristics of indoor global positioning system are much limited and still in exploration. In this research, we focused on the dynamic tracking performance of indoor global positioning system and then successfully built a mathematical model based on its measurement principles. We first built single and double station system models with the consideration of measurement objects’ movement. Using MATLAB simulation, we realized the dynamic measurement characteristics of indoor global positioning system. In the real measurement process, the experimental results also support the mathematical model that we built, which proves a great success in dynamic measurement characteristics. We envision that this dynamic tracking performance of indoor global positioning system would shed light on the dynamic measurement of a motion object and therefore make contribution to the automation production.

Indoor Semantic Modelling for Routing: The Two-Level Routing Approach for Indoor Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Liu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Humans perform many activities indoors and they show a growing need for indoor navigation, especially in unfamiliar buildings such as airports, museums and hospitals. Complexity of such buildings poses many challenges for building managers and visitors. Indoor navigation services play an important role in supporting these indoor activities. Indoor navigation covers extensive topics such as: 1 indoor positioning and localization; 2 indoor space representation for navigation model generation; 3 indoor routing computation; 4 human wayfinding behaviours; and 5 indoor guidance (e.g., textual directories. So far, a large number of studies of pedestrian indoor navigation have presented diverse navigation models and routing algorithms/methods. However, the major challenge is rarely referred to: how to represent the complex indoor environment for pedestrians and conduct routing according to the different roles and sizes of users. Such complex buildings contain irregular shapes, large open spaces, complicated obstacles and different types of passages. A navigation model can be very complicated if the indoors are accurately represented. Although most research demonstrates feasible indoor navigation models and related routing methods in regular buildings, the focus is still on a general navigation model for pedestrians who are simplified as circles. In fact, pedestrians represent different sizes, motion abilities and preferences (e.g., described in user profiles, which should be reflected in navigation models and be considered for indoor routing (e.g., relevant Spaces of Interest and Points of Interest. In order to address this challenge, this thesis proposes an innovative indoor modelling and routing approach – two-level routing. It specially targets the case of routing in complex buildings for distinct users. The conceptual (first level uses general free indoor spaces: this is represented by the logical network whose nodes represent the spaces and edges

A numerical study on the performance evaluation of ventilation systems for indoor radon reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Ji Eun; Park, Hoon Chae; Choi, Hang Seok; Cho, Seung Yeon; Jeong, Tae Young; Roh, Sung Cheoul [Yonsei University, Wonju (Korea, Republic of)

2016-03-15

Numerical simulations were conducted using computational fluid dynamics to evaluate the effect of ventilation conditions on radon ({sup 222}Rn) reduction performance in a residential building. The results indicate that at the same ventilation rate, a mechanical ventilation system is more effective in reducing indoor radon than a natural ventilation system. For the same ventilation type, the indoor radon concentration decreases as the ventilation rate increases. When the air change per hour (ACH) was 1, the indoor radon concentration was maintained at less than 100 Bq/m{sup 3}. However, when the ACH was lowered to 0.01, the average indoor radon concentration in several rooms exceeded 148 Bq/ m{sup 3}. The angle of the inflow air was found to affect the indoor air stream and consequently the distribution of the radon concentration. Even when the ACH was 1, the radon concentrations of some areas were higher than 100 Bq/m{sup 3} for inflow air angles of 5 .deg. and 175 .deg.

Indoor randon concentration. Temperature and wind effects; Concentrazione di radon indoor. Effetto del vento e della temperatura

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sesana, L.; Benigni, S. [Milan Univ., Milan (Italy). Ist. di Fisica Generale Applicata

2000-12-01

The present study analyses and discusses the behaviour of the indoor radon concentration in a research house. Hourly measurements were carried out in the basement of the house from November 1998 up to June 1999. In many sequences of days radon concentration in the room under analysis shows strong variation all day long with accumulation in the evening and overnight and decrease in the morning and in the afternoon. Measurements of wind velocity, indoor and outdoor temperatures and outdoor-indoor pressure difference were performed and their trend is compared with the observed radon concentration. The exhalation of radon from walls, floor and ceiling and the pressure difference driven exhalation from the soil are discussed, particularly the relation with the temperature differences. The air exchange rates between the house and the outdoor air are studied. [Italian] Si analizza e si discute il comportamento della concentrazione di radon indoor nel seminterrato di una casa di ricerca. Misure orarie sono state effettuate da novembre 1998 a giugno 1999. In molte sequenze di giorni la concentrazione del radon nel locale in analisi presenta forti variazioni nel corso della giornata con un accumulo notturno e decrescita nelle ore diurne. Sono state eseguite misure della velocita' del vento, delle temperature outdoor e indoor e della differenza di pressione outdoor-indoor e il loro andamento e' stato confrontato con quello della concentrazione del radon. Vengono discusse l'esalazione del radon dalle pareti, dal pavimento e dal soffitto e l'esalazione pressure difference driven dal suolo. Il rateo dei ricambi d'aria tra il locale e l'aria outdoor e' studiato.

Indoor Air Quality and Asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Golden

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Numerous contaminants in indoor air and their potential to cause or exacerbate asthma continue to be a subject of public health concern. Many agents are causally associated with or can exacerbate asthma, particularly in children. For formaldehyde, an established respiratory irritant based on numerous studies, the evidence for an association with asthma is still considered only limited or suggestive. However, there is no evidence that indicates increased sensitivity to sensory irritation to formaldehyde in people often regarded as susceptible such as asthmatics. Acrolein, but not formaldehyde, was significantly associated with asthma in a large cohort of children. This prompted an evaluation of this highly irritating chemical that had never previously been considered in the context of the indoor air/childhood asthma issue. Because acrolein is more potent than formaldehyde as a respiratory irritant and ubiquitous in indoor air, it is plausible that previous studies on potential risk factors and childhood asthma may be confounded by formaldehyde acting as an unrecognized proxy for acrolein.

Spatial subdivision of complex indoor environments for 3D indoor navigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diakite, A.A.; Zlatanova, S.

2018-01-01

As we realize that we spend most of our time in increasingly complex indoor environments, applications to assist indoor activities (e.g. guidance) have gained a lot of attention in the recent years. The advances in ubiquitous computing made possible the development of several spatial models

Sistem Navigasi Indoor Menggunakan Sinyal Wi-Fi dan Kompas Digital Berbasis Integrasi dengan Smartphone untuk Studi Kasus pada Gedung Bertingkat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alifa Ridho Musthafa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Sistem navigasi menggunakan teknologi GPS saat ini sudah sangat maju ketika digunakan di luar ruangan. Namun, sistem tersebut masih kurang akurat ketika digunakan di dalam ruangan. Hal tersebut disebabkan karena GPS tidak bekerja dengan baik ketika berada di dalam ruangan. Di sisi lain, sudah ada sistem yang dapat menggantikan GPS untuk studi kasus di dalam ruangan, salah satunya yaitu sistem indoor localization berbasis Wi-fi. Memanfaatkan sistem indoor localization berbasis Wi-fi, dibuatlah sistem navigasi yang dapat digunakan di dalam ruangan. Sistem indoor localization digunakan untuk menentukan posisi pengguna. Setelah posisi pengguna diketahui, rute terbaik menuju tujuan pengguna ditentukan dengan bantuan algoritma A* dan kompas digital digunakan untuk menentukan arah kemana pengguna harus pergi. Studi kasus ini dilakukan di kampus Teknik Informatika ITS. Sistem indoor localization yang digunakan untuk menggantikan fungsi GPS dalam menentukan posisi mampu menghasilkan presentase rata-rata akurasi pendeteksian lokasi sebesar 88,953%. Sedangkan untuk uji coba pencarian rute, sistem indoor navigation dapat memberikan rute terpendek pada semua kasus percobaan.

Core public health functions for BC : evidence review : air quality-indoor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Copes, R.; Ouellette, V.; Lee, K.S.; Brauer, M. [British Columbia Ministry of Health, Victoria, BC (Canada)

2006-04-15

Indoor sources of pollutants can have a major impact on the health of Canadians, as pollutant concentrations are often higher indoors than outdoors. This paper assessed data compiled by public health indoor air interventions. The aim of the study was to identify the current state of evidence on the impacts of indoor pollution in order to develop performance improvement plans for public health programs in British Columbia (BC). The literature review used several databases to review interventions involving humidity control; ventilation; particulate matter; indoor allergens; and environmental tobacco smoke. Results of the review showed that improving inadequate ventilation can significantly decrease the prevalence of sick building syndrome as well as other self-reported symptoms attributed to indoor air pollution. A review of the literature also demonstrated that many building ventilation systems are not functioning to design specifications. The poor quality of studies on the health impacts of particulate matter or dust made it difficult to fully assess the benefits of particle filtration on human health. Studies investigating the impacts of controlling indoor allergens suggested that the avoidance of dust mites may benefit people with allergies. Evidence gained from studies on environmental tobacco smoke showed that banning or restricting smoking will reduce the burden of illness from pollutants in indoor air. 20 refs., 3 tabs.

Core public health functions for BC : evidence review : air quality-indoor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copes, R.; Ouellette, V.; Lee, K.S.; Brauer, M.

2006-04-01

Indoor sources of pollutants can have a major impact on the health of Canadians, as pollutant concentrations are often higher indoors than outdoors. This paper assessed data compiled by public health indoor air interventions. The aim of the study was to identify the current state of evidence on the impacts of indoor pollution in order to develop performance improvement plans for public health programs in British Columbia (BC). The literature review used several databases to review interventions involving humidity control; ventilation; particulate matter; indoor allergens; and environmental tobacco smoke. Results of the review showed that improving inadequate ventilation can significantly decrease the prevalence of sick building syndrome as well as other self-reported symptoms attributed to indoor air pollution. A review of the literature also demonstrated that many building ventilation systems are not functioning to design specifications. The poor quality of studies on the health impacts of particulate matter or dust made it difficult to fully assess the benefits of particle filtration on human health. Studies investigating the impacts of controlling indoor allergens suggested that the avoidance of dust mites may benefit people with allergies. Evidence gained from studies on environmental tobacco smoke showed that banning or restricting smoking will reduce the burden of illness from pollutants in indoor air. 20 refs., 3 tabs

Graph Model Based Indoor Tracking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian Søndergaard; Lu, Hua; Yang, Bin

2009-01-01

The tracking of the locations of moving objects in large indoor spaces is important, as it enables a range of applications related to, e.g., security and indoor navigation and guidance. This paper presents a graph model based approach to indoor tracking that offers a uniform data management...

Indoor environmental quality and energy consumption relation in offices: case study of two offices in Iran

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ashrafian, Touraj; Moazzen Ferdos, Nazanin [Islamic Azad University Tabriz branch (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], email: t.ashrafian@gmail.com, email: moazzen_arch@yahoo.com; Haghlesan, Masoud [Islamic Azad University, Ilkhichi Branch (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], email: mhaghlesan@yahoo.com

2011-07-01

Nowadays, most people spend more than 90% of their time indoors, therefore the quality of the indoor environment has a significant impact on human health. However, improving indoor environment quality (IEQ) requires a higher energy consumption through increasing lighting, heating and cooling. The aim of this study is to determine an appropriate level of IEQ with the least energy consumption possible. The relation between energy consumption and IEQ in 2 offices in Iran has been studied through the use of questionnaires and simulations. It was found that IEQ has a great impact on workers' productivity and that diminishing the energy consumption does not necessarily translate into economic benefits. In addition it was found that lighting and heating are the main sources of energy consumption and that noise and light are what most influence worker productivity. This study highlighted the relation between energy consumption and IEQ and pointed out the most important factors.

Usability analysis of indoor map application in a shopping centre

Science.gov (United States)

Dewi, R. S.; Hadi, R. K.

2018-04-01

Although indoor navigation is still new in Indonesia, its future development is very promising. Similar to the outdoor one, the indoor navigation technology provides several important functions to support route and landmark findings. Furthermore, there is also a need that indoor navigation can support the public safety especially during disaster evacuation process in a building. It is a common that the indoor navigation technologies are built as applications where users can access this technology using their smartphones, tablets, or personal computers. Therefore, a usability analysis is important to ensure the indoor navigation applications can be operated by users with highest functionality. Among several indoor map applications which were available in the market, this study chose to analyse indoor Google Maps due to its availability and popularity in Indonesia. The experiments to test indoor Google Maps was conducted in one of the biggest shopping centre building in Surabaya, Indonesia. The usability was measured by employing System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. The result showed that the SUS score of indoor Google Maps was below the average score of other cellular applications to indicate the users still had high difficulty in operating and learning the features of indoor Google Maps.

The mutagenicity of indoor air particles in a residential pilot field study: Application and evaluation of new methodologies

Science.gov (United States)

Lewtas, Joellen; Goto, Sumio; Williams, Katherine; Chuang, Jane C.; Petersen, Bruce A.; Wilson, Nancy K.

The mutagenicity of indoor air paniculate matter has been measured in a pilot field study of homes in Columbus, Ohio during the 1984 winter. The study was conducted in eight all natural-gas homes and two all electric homes. Paniculate matter and semi-volatile organic compounds were collected indoors using a medium volume sampler. A micro-forward mutation bioassay employing Salmonella typhimurium strain TM 677 was used to quantify the mutagenicity in solvent extracts of microgram quantities of indoor air particles. The mutagenicity was quantified in terms of both mutation frequency per mg of organic matter extracted and per cubic meter of air sampled. The combustion source variables explored in this study included woodburning in fireplaces and cigarette smoking. Homes in which cigarette smoking occurred had the highest concentrations of mutagenicity per cubic meter of air. The average indoor air mutagenicity per cubic meter was highly correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked. When the separate sampling periods in each room were compared, the mutagenicity in the kitchen samples was the most highly correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked.

A feasibility study of geogenic indoor radon mapping from airborne radiometric survey in northern Thailand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wattananikorn, K. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand)], E-mail: kittic@science.cmu.ac.th; Emharuthai, S. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Wanaphongse, P. [Office of Atoms for Peace, Bangkok (Thailand)

2008-01-15

Experiments were carried out in seven test sites on three Quaternary alluvial and terrace deposit basins of northern Thailand, to test the possibility of using airborne equivalent uranium to predict geogenic indoor radon values of the region. The methodology was based on the correlation among soil gas permeability, soil radon concentration and indoor radon, as well as a relationship between soil radon and airborne uranium values. The methodology established works rather well when tested in areas of known indoor radon. Based on the predicted values that were obtained from this method, indoor radon in most areas of alluvial and terrace deposit basins of northern Thailand is less than 44Bq/m{sup 3}. There is no area in these basins where predicted indoor radon exceeds 74Bq/m{sup 3}.

THE EXTRACTION OF INDOOR BUILDING INFORMATION FROM BIM TO OGC INDOORGML

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.-A. Teo

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Indoor Spatial Data Infrastructure (indoor-SDI is an important SDI for geosptial analysis and location-based services. Building Information Model (BIM has high degree of details in geometric and semantic information for building. This study proposed direct conversion schemes to extract indoor building information from BIM to OGC IndoorGML. The major steps of the research include (1 topological conversion from building model into indoor network model; and (2 generation of IndoorGML. The topological conversion is a major process of generating and mapping nodes and edges from IFC to indoorGML. Node represents every space (e.g. IfcSpace and objects (e.g. IfcDoor in the building while edge shows the relationships between nodes. According to the definition of IndoorGML, the topological model in the dual space is also represented as a set of nodes and edges. These definitions of IndoorGML are the same as in the indoor network. Therefore, we can extract the necessary data in the indoor network and easily convert them into IndoorGML based on IndoorGML Schema. The experiment utilized a real BIM model to examine the proposed method. The experimental results indicated that the 3D indoor model (i.e. IndoorGML model can be automatically imported from IFC model by the proposed procedure. In addition, the geometric and attribute of building elements are completely and correctly converted from BIM to indoor-SDI.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SEASONAL SLEEP CHANGE AND INDOOR TANNING1,2

OpenAIRE

CULNAN, ELIZABETH; KLOSS, JACQUELINE D.; DARLOW, SUSAN; HECKMAN, CAROLYN J.

2015-01-01

Identification of risk factors for indoor tanning may ultimately aid the development of better indoor tanning prevention strategies, which is pertinent given the association between indoor tanning and skin cancer. This study aimed to examine the relationship between seasonal sleep change and indoor tanning. Women tanners (N= 139) completed self-report measures including items relating to seasonal sleep changes, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), reasons for tanning, tanning during the winter ...

Impact of operating wood-burning stoves on indoor air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Afshari, Alireza; Jensen, Ole Michael; Bergsøe, Niels Christian

2011-01-01

A field study on the impact of operating and reloading wood-burning stoves on the indoor air quality was carried out during two consecutive winters. In contrast to the majority of recent studies, which focussed on the ambient air quality and the penetration of particles to the indoor air......, this study aims to understand to what extent the operation of a stove contributes to the generation of concentration of ultrafine particles in the indoor air. Therefore, different stoves were ignited in one session by the owner of the stove and in a subsequent session by an expert on wood-burning stoves....... The study was conducted in seven typical Danish detached houses without other indoor activities taking place. In each house the average air change rate during one week was measured (using passive tracer gas technique) and the indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity were recorded continuously...

Diet and Asthma: Is It Time to Adapt Our Message?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurent Guilleminault

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder which is associated with airway inflammation. Environmental factors, in association with genetic susceptibility, play a critical role in asthma pathophysiology. Inhaled allergens, smoke exposure, indoor and outdoor air pollution are common triggers of asthma symptoms. Although the role of diet has clearly established mechanisms in diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, it is not commonly identified as a causal factor in asthma. However, some dietary patterns, such as the Western diet, which includes a high intake of refined grains, processed and red meats, and desserts, have pro-inflammatory effects. On the contrary, the Mediterranean diet, with high intake of fruits and vegetables has anti-inflammatory properties. The influence of food on asthma outcomes is of growing interest, but dietary habits of asthma patients are not commonly investigated in clinical practice. In this review, we focus on the impact of diet on asthma risk and asthma control. We also detail the influence of diet on obese patients with asthma.

Advanced airflow distribution methods for reduction of personal exposure to indoor pollutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Guangyu; Kosonen, Risto; Melikov, Arsen

2016-01-01

The main objective of this study is to recognize possible airflow distribution methods to protect the occupants from exposure to various indoor pollutants. The fact of the increasing exposure of occupants to various indoor pollutants shows that there is an urgent need to develop advanced airflow ...... distribution methods to reduce indoor exposure to various indoor pollutants. This article presents some of the latest development of advanced airflow distribution methods to reduce indoor exposure in various types of buildings.......The main objective of this study is to recognize possible airflow distribution methods to protect the occupants from exposure to various indoor pollutants. The fact of the increasing exposure of occupants to various indoor pollutants shows that there is an urgent need to develop advanced airflow...

Indexing the Trajectories of Moving Objects in Symbolic Indoor Space

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian Søndergaard; Lu, Hua; Yang, Bin

2009-01-01

. This scenario calls for the indexing of indoor trajectories. Based on an appropriate notion of indoor trajectory and definitions of pertinent types of queries, the paper proposes two R-tree based structures for indexing object trajectories in symbolic indoor space. The RTR-tree represents a trajectory as a set......Indoor spaces accommodate large populations of individuals. With appropriate indoor positioning, e.g., Bluetooth and RFID, in place, large amounts of trajectory data result that may serve as a foundation for a wide variety of applications, e.g., space planning, way finding, and security...... for each index. An empirical performance study suggests that the two indexes are effective, efficient, and robust. The study also elicits the circumstances under which our proposals perform the best....

Finding dense locations in indoor tracking data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Tanvir; Pedersen, Torben Bach; Lu, Hua

2014-01-01

for semi-constrained indoor movement, and then uses this to map raw tracking records into mapping records representing object entry and exit times in particular locations. Then, an efficient indexing structure, the Dense Location Time Index (DLT-Index) is proposed for indexing the time intervals...... of the mapping table, along with associated construction, query processing, and pruning techniques. The DLT-Index supports very efficient aggregate point queries, interval queries, and dense location queries. A comprehensive experimental study with real data shows that the proposed techniques can efficiently......Finding the dense locations in large indoor spaces is very useful for getting overloaded locations, security, crowd management, indoor navigation, and guidance. Indoor tracking data can be very large and are not readily available for finding dense locations. This paper presents a graph-based model...

Indoor microclimate in a South African school: impact of indoor environmental factors

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Essah, EA

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Demand for good indoor air quality is increasing as people recorgnise the risks to their health and productivity from indoor pollutants. There is a tendency to reduce ventilation rates to ensure energy conservation in buildings; in this instance...

Diversity and taxonomy of Chaetomium and chaetomium-like fungi from indoor environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X.W. Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available During a study of indoor fungi, 145 isolates belonging to Chaetomiaceae were cultured from air, swab and dust samples from 19 countries. Based on the phylogenetic analyses of DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2, β-tubulin (tub2, ITS and 28S large subunit (LSU nrDNA sequences, together with morphological comparisons with related genera and species, 30 indoor taxa are recognised, of which 22 represent known species, seven are described as new, and one remains to be identified to species level. In our collection, 69 % of the indoor isolates with six species cluster with members of the Chaetomium globosum species complex, representing Chaetomium sensu stricto. The other indoor species fall into nine lineages that are separated from each other with several known chaetomiaceous genera occurring among them. No generic names are available for five of those lineages, and the following new genera are introduced here: Amesia with three indoor species, Arcopilus with one indoor species, Collariella with four indoor species, Dichotomopilus with seven indoor species and Ovatospora with two indoor species. The generic concept of Botryotrichum is expanded to include Emilmuelleria and the chaetomium-like species B. muromum (= Ch. murorum in which two indoor species are included. The generic concept of Subramaniula is expanded to include several chaetomium-like taxa as well as one indoor species. Humicola is recognised as a distinct genus including two indoor taxa. According to this study, Ch. globosum is the most abundant Chaetomiaceae indoor species (74/145, followed by Ch. cochliodes (17/145, Ch. elatum (6/145 and B. piluliferum (5/145. The morphological diversity of indoor Chaetomiaceae as well as the morphological characteristics of the new genera are described and illustrated. This taxonomic study redefines the generic concept of Chaetomium and provides new insight into the phylogenetic relationships among different genera within

Design issues in epidemiologic studies of indoor exposure to Rn and risk of lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lubin, J.H.; Samet, J.M.; Weinberg, C.

1990-01-01

Recent data on indoor air quality have indicated that Rn (222Rn) and its decay products are frequently present in domestic environments. Their presence in indoor air raises concerns about an increase in lung cancer risk for the general population. To directly evaluate lung cancer risk from domestic exposure to Rn and its decay products, as well as to evaluate risk assessments derived from studies of Rn-exposed underground miners, several epidemiologic studies of indoor Rn exposure have been initiated or are planned. This paper calculates sample sizes required for a hypothetical case-control study to address several important hypotheses and shows the impact of difficult problems associated with estimating a subject's Rn exposure. We consider the effects of subject mobility, choice of the exposure response trend which is used to characterize an alternative hypothesis, and errors in the estimation of exposure. Imprecise estimation of Rn exposure arises from errors in the measurement device, exposure to Rn decay products from sources outside the home, inability to measure exposures over time in current as well as previous residences, and the unknown relationship between measured concentration and lung dose of alpha energy from the decay of Rn and its progeny. These methodological problems can result in large discrepancies between computed and actual study power. Failure to anticipate these problems in the design of a study can result in inaccurate estimates of power. We conclude that case-control studies of indoor Rn and lung cancer may require substantial numbers of subjects in order to address the many questions of importance that burden current risk assessments with uncertainty. We suggest pooling data from studies with the largest numbers of cases and with the most precise estimates of Rn exposure as the best approach for meeting present research needs

Field study of the indoor environment in a Danish prison

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dogbeh, Audrey; Jomaas, Grunde; Bjarløv, Søren Peter

2015-01-01

The indoor environment in a Danish prison was evaluated based on measurements made during the summer season of temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide, as well as through carefully conducted surveys among the inmates. The temperatures in the cells were high and well beyond common levels...... a compromise must be found to ensure that the building can comply with minimum health and comfort standards. The findings of this study can be used as background for recommendations for renovation of prison buildings.......The indoor environment in a Danish prison was evaluated based on measurements made during the summer season of temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide, as well as through carefully conducted surveys among the inmates. The temperatures in the cells were high and well beyond common levels...... in Danish buildings. The mean CO2 concentrations were generally low, but reached high maximum levels up to 5000 ppm. Thirty-one inmates responded to the questionnaire. They spent on average 19 h in the cell per day (range 12–23 h). Sixty-nine percent of the inmates expressed dissatisfaction...

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet Soysal

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas and people in the cities have spending approximetely 90% of their time in the closed enviroments, health problems could increased due to indoor air pollution. Moreover, currently there is no specific regulation on this area. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2007; 6(3.000: 221-226

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet Soysal

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas and people in the cities have spending approximetely 90% of their time in the closed enviroments, health problems could increased due to indoor air pollution. Moreover, currently there is no specific regulation on this area. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2007; 6(3: 221-226

Indoor environment and pupils' health in primary schools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Dijken, F.; van Bronswijk, J.E.M.H.; Sundell, Jan

2006-01-01

the associations between indoor environmental quality in Dutch schools and pupils' health, also taking into account the children's home environment and personal factors. A cross-sectional study was performed in 11 classrooms in 11 different schools in the Netherlands. The study included exposure measurements......Dutch children are legally bound to spend 15% of their time in a school setting. The indoor environment in Dutch primary schools is known to be substandard. However, it is unclear to what extent the health of pupils is affected by the indoor school environment. The paper aims to assess......, building inspections, and a questionnaire survey on pupils' health and domestic exposure. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and non-parametric tests were performed to assess relationships. None of the schools complied with all indoor environmental quality standards. The importance of both the school...

Indoor radon concentration and outdoor/indoor pressure difference correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cechak, T.; Fronka, A.; Moucka, L.

2004-01-01

In the current approach to the radon issue, the radon risk for people living in a building is estimated based on the average indoor radon concentration. Short-term measurements as usually applied fail to reflect the wide range of radon variations arising from ventilation, radon supply and, in particular, human activities in the building. For this reason, efforts are made to find a new approach to the assessment of the quality of a building as a radon barrier, independent of the weather conditions and residential habits. A simple model of radon volume activity entering the building at a constant rate and simultaneously ventilated at a constant rate is applicable to this task. The rate of radon ingress can be regarded as a parameter making it possible to quantify the leakage of structures provided the barrier against the radon in a soil gas. The ventilation rate, on the other hand, characterizes the leakage of the whole building envelope at a given outdoor/indoor pressure difference. A unique measuring technique called the blower door exists whereby a defined pressure difference between the indoor and outdoor atmosphere can be established. Under such conditions both the ventilation rate and the rate of radon ingress can be measured and expressed as a function of the pressure difference. An analysis of the model of a room with a constant ventilation and constant radon supply is presented and the relationship between radon supply and ventilation rate can be assumed. Some experimental results show how the model can be utilized. The real indoor-outdoor air pressure differences, the indoor-soil air pressure differences, and some effects of different ventilation regimes are given. Other experiments, which have been done by using the blower door method, illustrate the possible effects and some restrictions for a routine application are discussed

Small particles containing phthalic esters in the indoor environment - a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, B.; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf; Cedhaim, L.

2002-01-01

Many chemicals in polymeric materials have low vapour pressure. Hypothetically such chemicals are emitted and may stay as particles or be adsorbed onto dust particles and become airborne. The aim of this pilot study has been to validate the methods for measuring phthalates on particles in indoor ...

Indoor thoron studies along the northeast coast of Andhra Pradesh, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinay Kumar Reddy, K.; Sudarshan, A.; Gopal Reddy, Ch.; Yadagiri Reddy, P.; Rama Reddy, K.

2013-01-01

The beach sands of the northeast coast of Andhra Pradesh are well known for heavy metal mineralization. The process of extraction of the metals can enhance the natural background radiation levels and hence it is essential to establish the radiological base-line data to take necessary remedial action to preserve and protect the coastal environment. The assessment of indoor radioactivity levels has been carried out by choosing 13 villages long the northeast coast of Andhra Pradesh covering around 150 km from Vishakapattanam to Kalingapattanam. The present paper discusses the indoor thoron levels in the areas along the northeast coast of Andhra Pradesh. The SSNTD based twin chamber dosimeters were employed for the assessment of the concentration of thoron and its progeny levels. The average indoor thoron concentrations in this area are found to be 44.1 ± 28.2 Bq.m -3 . The inhalation dose due to thoron has been evaluated using equilibrium factors and discussed in detail. (author)

Reconstruction of national distribution of indoor radon concentration in Russia using results of regional indoor radon measurement programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarmoshenko, I.; Malinovsky, G.; Vasilyev, A.; Zhukovsky, M.

2015-01-01

The aim of the paper is a reconstruction of the national distribution and estimation of the arithmetic average indoor radon concentration in Russia using the data of official annual 4-DOZ reports. Annual 4-DOZ reports summarize results of radiation measurements in 83 regions of Russian Federation. Information on more than 400 000 indoor radon measurements includes the average indoor radon isotopes equilibrium equivalent concentration (EEC) and number of measurements by regions and by three main types of houses: wooden, one-storey non-wooden, and multi-storey non-wooden houses. To reconstruct the national distribution, all-Russian model sample was generated by integration of sub-samples created using the results of each annual regional program of indoor radon measurements in each type of buildings. According to indoor radon concentration distribution reconstruction, all-Russian average indoor radon concentration is 48 Bq/m"3. Average indoor radon concentration by region ranges from 12 to 207 Bq/m"3. The 95-th percentile of the distribution is reached at indoor radon concentration 160 Bq/m"3. - Highlights: • Reconstruction of indoor radon concentration distribution in Russia was carried out. • Data of official annual 4-DOZ reports were used. • All-Russian average indoor radon concentration is 48 Bq/m"3. • The 95-th percentile is 160 Bq/m"3.

Slovak Republic, indoor measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vicanova, M.; Daniel, S.

2006-01-01

In this report the annual average effective doses from indoor radon exposure were calculated for each district of Slovakia. The population-weighted arithmetic mean of indoor radon concentration was calculated for every district considering different types of houses.

Indoor air quality – buildings design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juhásová Šenitková Ingrid

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Growing attention is being paid to indoor air quality as one of the main health and well-being factors. The indoor research is concerned mostly to indoor air chemicals within indoor engineering related to building design. The providing good indoor air quality can be achieved effectively by avoiding or reducing indoor air pollution sources and by selecting low-polluting building materials, both being low-cost and energyefficient solutions. On the base of the last large experimental monitoring results, it was possible to know the level of selected indoor chemicals occurrence, rank them as well as to predict the tendencies of occurrence and establish the priorities for the future. There has been very limited attention to rigorous analysis of buildings actual environmental impacts to date. Healthy/green/sustainable building practices are typically applied in unsystematic and inconsistent ways often without resolution of inherent conflicts between and among such practices. Designers, products manufacturers, constructors, and owners declare their buildings and the applied technologies to be beneficial to the environment without validating those claims.

Investigation of infiltration and indoor air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

A multitask study was performed in the State of New York to provide information for guiding home energy conservation programs while maintaining acceptable indoor air quality. During the study, the statistical distribution of radon concentrations inside 2,400 homes was determined. The relationships among radon levels, house characteristics, and sources were also investigated. The direct impact that two specific air infiltration reduction measures--caulking and weatherstripping of windows and doors, and installation of storm windows and storm doors--have on house air leakage was investigated in 60 homes. The effect of house age on the impact of weatherization was also evaluated. Indoor and outdoor measurements of NO 2 , CO, SO 2 , and respirable suspended particulates (RSP) were made for 400 homes to determine the effect of combustion sources on indoor air quality and to characterize the statistical distribution of the concentrations. Finally, the combustion source data were combined with the information on air infiltration reduction measures to estimate the potential impact of these measures on indoor air quality

State Indoor Tanning Laws and Prevalence of Indoor Tanning Among US High School Students, 2009-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Jin; Holman, Dawn M; Jones, Sherry Everett; Berkowitz, Zahava; Guy, Gery P

2018-07-01

To examine the association between state indoor tanning laws and indoor tanning behavior using nationally representative samples of US high school students younger than 18 years. We combined data from the 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (n = 41 313) to analyze the association between 2 types of state indoor tanning laws (age restriction and parental permission) and the prevalence of indoor tanning during the 12 months before the survey, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and survey year, and stratified by gender. Age restriction laws were associated with a 47% (P tanning prevalence among female high school students. Parental permission laws were not found to be associated with indoor tanning prevalence among either female or male high school students. Age restriction laws could contribute to less indoor tanning, particularly among female high school students. Such reductions may reduce the health and economic burden of skin cancer.

A study on the risk from indoor radon 220 and radon 222 exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rannou, A.

1986-12-01

The hazards from radon (radon 220 and 222) in dwelling atmospheres have been studied. In the first part devoted to the present state of the problem, an analysis is made of the formation mechanisms and the evolution of radon and its daughters indoors. The main physical and dosimetric quantities required for the risk evaluation are defined. The theoretical and experimental analysis of the methods of measurements of radon and its daughters used in the measurement campaign are considered in the second part. The progress and the result of the national survey are developed in the third part. The effects of several factors on indoor levels are discussed. The conclusions of a particular study in the Finistere ''department'' are presented. The data collected make it possible to assess the mean exposure of man to natural radiation [fr

Indoor ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ericson, S.O.; Lindvall, T.; Maansson, L-G.

1986-01-01

Radiation in indoor air is discussed in the perspective of the effective dose equivalents from other sources of radiation. Estimates of effective doses equivalents from indoor radon and its contribution to lung cancer incidence are reviewed. Swedish experiences with cost effective remedial actions are presented. The authors present optimal strategies for screening measurements and remedial actions in cost-benefit perspective. (author.)

The indoor air and children's health study: methods and incidence rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Marbury, M C; Maldonado, G; Waller, L

1996-03-01

The Indoor Air and Children's Health Study is a prospective cohort study of the relation between indoor air pollution and lower respiratory illness (LRI) during the first 2 years of life. Information on family and household characteristics was obtained from a health maintenance organization for 1,424 infants enrolled at birth. Data on LRI were abstracted from medical records. The incidence of all LRI was 48.4 per 100 child-years. Wheezing-associated respiratory illness (WARI)/asthma was the most common specific LRI, with an incidence of 11.5 per 100 child-years. Total LRI incidence was lowest during the first 6 months of life. Girls had lower incidence than boys [rate ratio (RR) = 0.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.7-0.8)]. With the exception of croup, all LRI were most common during February and March. These results are comparable with those of other prospective studies. Consistent with other studies, self-reported maternal smoking demonstrated an RR of 1.5 (95% CI = 1.2-1.8) for total LRI, but the association varied for specific LRIs from 2.3 (95% CI = 1.5-3.0) for WARI/asthma to 1.0 (95% CI = 0.7-1.6) for bronchitis.

Investigations on indoor radon in Austria, Part 1: Seasonality of indoor radon concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bossew, Peter; Lettner, Herbert

2007-01-01

In general, indoor radon concentration is subject to seasonal variability. The reasons are to be found (1) in meteorological influence on the transport properties of soil, e.g. through temperature, frozen soil layers and soil water saturation; and (2) in living habits, e.g. the tendency to open windows in summer and keep them closed in winter, which in general leads to higher accumulation of geogenic Rn in closed rooms in winter. If one wants to standardize indoor Rn measurements originally performed at different times of the year, e.g. in order to make them comparable, some correction transform as a function of measurement time which accounts for these effects must be estimated. In this paper, the seasonality of indoor Rn concentration measured in Austria is investigated as a function of other factors that influence indoor Rn. Indoor radon concentration is clearly shown to have seasonal variability, with higher Rn levels in winter. However, it is complicated to quantify the effect because, as a consequence of the history of an Rn survey, the measurement season maybe correlated to geological regions, which may introduce a bias in the estimate of the seasonality amplitude

Internet-Based Indoor Navigation Services

OpenAIRE

Zeinalipour-Yazti, Demetrios; Laoudias, Christos; Georgiou, Kyriakos

2017-01-01

Smartphone advances are leading to a class of Internet-based Indoor Navigation services. IIN services rely on geolocation databases that store indoor models, comprising floor maps and points of interest, along with wireless, light, and magnetic signals for localizing users. Developing IIN services creates new information management challenges - such as crowdsourcing indoor models, acquiring and fusing big data velocity signals, localization algorithms, and custodians' location privacy. Here, ...

Robustness study in SSNTD method validation: indoor radon quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dias, D.C.S.; Silva, N.C.; Bonifácio, R.L., E-mail: danilacdias@gmail.com [Comissao Nacional de Energia Nuclear (LAPOC/CNEN), Pocos de Caldas, MG (Brazil). Laboratorio de Pocos de Caldas

2017-07-01

Quality control practices are indispensable to organizations aiming to reach analytical excellence. Method validation is an essential component to quality systems in laboratories, serving as a powerful tool for standardization and reliability of outcomes. This paper presents a study of robustness conducted over a SSNTD technique validation process, with the goal of developing indoor radon measurements at the highest level of quality. This quality parameter indicates how well a technique is able to provide reliable results in face of unexpected variations along the measurement. In this robustness study, based on the Youden method, 7 analytical conditions pertaining to different phases of the SSNTD technique (with focus on detector etching) were selected. Based on the ideal values for each condition as reference, extreme levels regarded as high and low were prescribed to each condition. A partial factorial design of 8 unique etching procedures was defined, where each presented their own set of high and low condition values. The Youden test provided 8 indoor radon concentration results, which allowed percentage estimations that indicate the potential influence of each analytical condition on the SSNTD technique. As expected, detector etching factors such as etching solution concentration, temperature and immersion time were identified as the most critical parameters to the technique. Detector etching is a critical step in the SSNTD method – one that must be carefully designed during validation and meticulously controlled throughout the entire process. (author)

Robustness study in SSNTD method validation: indoor radon quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dias, D.C.S.; Silva, N.C.; Bonifácio, R.L.

2017-01-01

Quality control practices are indispensable to organizations aiming to reach analytical excellence. Method validation is an essential component to quality systems in laboratories, serving as a powerful tool for standardization and reliability of outcomes. This paper presents a study of robustness conducted over a SSNTD technique validation process, with the goal of developing indoor radon measurements at the highest level of quality. This quality parameter indicates how well a technique is able to provide reliable results in face of unexpected variations along the measurement. In this robustness study, based on the Youden method, 7 analytical conditions pertaining to different phases of the SSNTD technique (with focus on detector etching) were selected. Based on the ideal values for each condition as reference, extreme levels regarded as high and low were prescribed to each condition. A partial factorial design of 8 unique etching procedures was defined, where each presented their own set of high and low condition values. The Youden test provided 8 indoor radon concentration results, which allowed percentage estimations that indicate the potential influence of each analytical condition on the SSNTD technique. As expected, detector etching factors such as etching solution concentration, temperature and immersion time were identified as the most critical parameters to the technique. Detector etching is a critical step in the SSNTD method – one that must be carefully designed during validation and meticulously controlled throughout the entire process. (author)

Measurements of indoor radon concentration in Libyan cities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elarabiy, S. F.; Khalifa, M.; Misrati, N.; Chahboune, N.; Ahmed, M.

2012-12-01

Studies confirm that the risk of exposure to indor radon is attributable to lung cancer worldwide. The relationship between radon exposure and cancer is a linear one which necessitates for need for measurements of indoor radon concentration. This paper presents the results of measurements of indoor radon in several libya cities using CR-39 plastic. The results showed that the average radon concentration in the cities of Tripoli, Al-harcha and Alrajaban were 48.8 Bg/m 3 , 51.4 Bg/m 3 and 55.5 Bg/m 3 respectively. The average indoor radon concentration in Libya is low comparing with other studies. (Author)

Dynamic behavior of semivolatile organic compounds in indoor air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loy, Michael David Van [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1998-12-09

Exposures to a wide range of air pollutants are often dominated by those occurring in buildings because of three factors: 1) most people spend a large fraction of their time indoors, 2) many pollutants have strong indoor sources, and 3) the dilution volume in buildings is generally several orders of magnitude smaller than that of an urban airshed. Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCS) are emitted by numerous indoor sources, including tobacco combustion, cooking, carpets, paints, resins, and glues, so indoor gasphase concentrations of these compounds are likely to be elevated relative to ambient levels. The rates of uptake and release of reversibly sorbing SVOCS by indoor materials directly affect both peak concentrations and persistence of the pollutants indoors after source elimination. Thus, accurate predictions of SVOC dynamics in indoor air require an understanding of contaminant sorption on surface materials such as carpet and wallboard. The dynamic behaviors of gas-phase nicotine and phenanthrene were investigated in a 20 ms stainless steel chamber containing carpet and painted wallboard. Each compound was studied independently, first in the empty chamber, then with each sorbent individually, and finally with both sorbents in the chamber.

Health effects of indoor odorants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cone, J E; Shusterman, D

1991-11-01

People assess the quality of the air indoors primarily on the basis of its odors and on their perception of associated health risk. The major current contributors to indoor odorants are human occupant odors (body odor), environmental tobacco smoke, volatile building materials, bio-odorants (particularly mold and animal-derived materials), air fresheners, deodorants, and perfumes. These are most often present as complex mixtures, making measurement of the total odorant problem difficult. There is no current method of measuring human body odor, other than by human panel studies of expert judges of air quality. Human body odors have been quantitated in terms of the "olf" which is the amount of air pollution produced by the average person. Another quantitative unit of odorants is the "decipol," which is the perceived level of pollution produced by the average human ventilated by 10 L/sec of unpolluted air or its equivalent level of dissatisfaction from nonhuman air pollutants. The standard regulatory approach, focusing on individual constituents or chemicals, is not likely to be successful in adequately controlling odorants in indoor air. Besides the current approach of setting minimum ventilation standards to prevent health effects due to indoor air pollution, a standard based on the olf or decipol unit might be more efficacious as well as simpler to measure.

Estimation of the variations of ventilation rate and indoor radon concentration using the observed wind velocity and indoor-outdoor temperature difference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagano, Katsuhiro; Inose, Yuichi; Kojima, Hiroshi

2006-01-01

The indoor radon concentration in the building depends on the ventilation rate. Measurement results of indoor-outdoor pressure difference showed the ventilation rate correlated closely with the indoor-outdoor pressure difference. The observation results showed that one of factor of indoor-outdoor pressure difference was the wind velocity. When the wind velocity is small, the ventilation rate is affected by the indoor-outdoor temperature difference and the effect depends on the wind velocity. The temporal variation of indoor radon concentration was predicted by the time depending indoor radon balance model and the ventilation rate estimated from the wind velocity and the indoor-outdoor temperature difference. The temporal variations of predicted radon concentration gave good agreement with the experimental values. The measurement method, indoor radon concentration and ventilation rate, factors of temporal variation of ventilation rate, and prediction of indoor radon concentration are reported. (S.Y.)

The Isprs Benchmark on Indoor Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Khoshelham, K.; Díaz Vilariño, L.; Peter, M.; Kang, Z.; Acharya, D.

2017-09-01

Automated generation of 3D indoor models from point cloud data has been a topic of intensive research in recent years. While results on various datasets have been reported in literature, a comparison of the performance of different methods has not been possible due to the lack of benchmark datasets and a common evaluation framework. The ISPRS benchmark on indoor modelling aims to address this issue by providing a public benchmark dataset and an evaluation framework for performance comparison of indoor modelling methods. In this paper, we present the benchmark dataset comprising several point clouds of indoor environments captured by different sensors. We also discuss the evaluation and comparison of indoor modelling methods based on manually created reference models and appropriate quality evaluation criteria. The benchmark dataset is available for download at: html"target="_blank">http://www2.isprs.org/commissions/comm4/wg5/benchmark-on-indoor-modelling.html.

Immediate impact of smoke-free laws on indoor air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kiyoung; Hahn, Ellen J; Riker, Carol; Head, Sara; Seithers, Peggy

2007-09-01

Smoke-free laws significantly impact indoor air quality. However, the temporal effects of these laws on indoor air pollution have not been determined. This paper assesses the temporal impact of one smoke-free law on indoor air quality. This quasi-experimental study compared the indoor air quality of nine hospitality venues and one bingo hall in Georgetown, Kentucky, before and after implementation of a 100% smoke-free workplace law. We made real-time measurements of particulate matter with 2.5 microm aerodynamic diameter or smaller (PM2.5). Among the nine Georgetown hospitality venues, the average indoor PM2.5 concentration was 84 microg/m3 before the law took effect. The average indoor PM2.5 concentrations in nine compliant venues significantly decreased to 18 microg/m3 one week after the law took effect. Three venues having 82 microg/m3 before the law had significantly lower levels from the first day the law was implemented, and the low level was maintained. Compliance with the law is critical to achieving clean indoor air. Indoor air pollution in the bingo hall was not reduced until the establishment decided to comply with the law. The smoke-free law showed immediate impact on indoor air quality.

The ORNL Indoor Air Quality Study: Re-cap, Context, and Assessment on Radon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tonn, Bruce Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Rose, Erin M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ternes, Mark P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-10-01

As part of the retrospective evaluation of the U.S. Department of Energy s low-income Weatherization Assistance Program that was led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), an assessment of the impacts of weatherization on indoor air quality (IAQ) was conducted. This assessment included nearly 500 treatment and control homes across the country. Homes were monitored for carbon monoxide, radon, formaldehyde, temperature and humidity pre- and post-weatherization. This report focuses on the topic of radon and addresses issues not thoroughly discussed in the original IAQ report. The size, scope and rigor of the radon component of the IAQ study are compared to previous studies that assessed the impacts of weatherization on indoor radon levels. It is found that the ORNL study is by far the most extensive study conducted to date, though the ORNL results are consistent with the findings of the other studies. However, the study does have limitations related to its reliance on short-term measurements of radon and inability to attribute changes in radon levels in homes post-weatherization to specific weatherization measures individually or in combination.

Geologic controls on indoor radon in the Pacific Northwest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otton, J.K.; Duval, J.S.

1990-01-01

This paper reports on comparisons of average indoor radon levels, soil radium content (derived from aerial gamma-ray data), and soil characteristics for selected townships in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho which show that: soil radium content provides a first-order estimate of the relative amounts of indoor radon where soils are either of low to moderate intrinsic permeability or of permeability reduced by high moisture; in drier parts of the study area (east of the Cascade Mountains), unusually high average indoor radon levels are almost all characterized by soils that have high effective permeabilities (greater than 20 inches per hour), based on available country soil descriptions; and in the wetter parts of the study area (west of the Cascade Mountains), townships with unusually high indoor radon levels are characterized by steeply sloped soils

Multi-dimensional indoor location information model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xiong, Q.; Zhu, Q.; Zlatanova, S.; Huang, L.; Zhou, Y.; Du, Z.

2013-01-01

Aiming at the increasing requirements of seamless indoor and outdoor navigation and location service, a Chinese standard of Multidimensional Indoor Location Information Model is being developed, which defines ontology of indoor location. The model is complementary to 3D concepts like CityGML and

School Policies and Practices that Improve Indoor Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Sherry Everett; Smith, Alisa M.; Wheeler, Lani S.; McManus, Tim

2010-01-01

Background: To determine whether schools with a formal indoor air quality management program were more likely than schools without a formal program to have policies and practices that promote superior indoor air quality. Methods: This study analyzed school-level data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study, a national study of…

Natural indoor gamma background in Coonoor environment of South India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivakumar, R.; Selvasekarapandian, S.; Mugunthamanikand, N.; Raghunath, V.M.

2002-01-01

Indoor natural radiation dose existing in dwellings of Coonoor have been estimated using thermoluminescent dosimeters. TLDs are displayed in indoors and are replaced after three-month period. The seasonal averages of the dose rate and the annual effective dose equivalent are calculated from the measured results. Geographical and seasonal variations as well as the differences between indoor to outdoor dose rates have also been studied. Very good correlation exists between the indoor dose rates measured by LTD and environmental radiation dosimeter with correlation coefficient of 0.91. The annual effective dose equivalent to the Coonoor population due to indoor gamma radiation was estimated to be 970 μSv/y for the period of 1997-1998. (author)

Introduction to Indoor Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

... Offices Regional Offices Labs and Research Centers Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Contact Us Share Introduction to Indoor Air Quality Health Effects Primary Causes Identifying Problems Improving IAQ ...

Indoor air pollution and respiratory health in the elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentayeb, Malek; Simoni, Marzia; Norback, Dan; Baldacci, Sandra; Maio, Sara; Viegi, Giovanni; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

2013-01-01

Data on respiratory effects of indoor air pollution in elderly are scanty. The purpose of this review is to summarize current knowledge on adverse respiratory effects of indoor air pollution in individuals aged over 65 years, by presenting existing epidemiological evidence. Using MEDLINE database through PubMed, we identified relevant publications published between 1991 and 2011 in English on respiratory health effects of indoor air pollution in elderly (>65 years). A total of 61 studies were found and after application of the inclusion criteria: (i) epidemiologic studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 1991 and December 2011, (ii) study population with age over or equal 65 years, and (iii) outcome of respiratory symptoms and disease with the exclusion of lung cancer, 33 relevant publications were selected. Most of them showed significant relationships between exposure to major indoor air pollutants and various short-term and long-term respiratory health outcomes such as wheezing, breathlessness, cough, phlegm, asthma, COPD, lung cancer and more rarely lung function decline. The most consistent relationship is found between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Further studies in the elderly population are needed in order to define causal relationships between exposures to indoor air pollution and underlying mechanisms in this sub-population.

Health and economic benefits of building ventilation interventions for reducing indoor PM2.5 exposure from both indoor and outdoor origins in urban Beijing, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Ye; Luo, Zhiwen; Liu, Jing; Wang, Yaowu; Lin, Yaoyu

2018-06-01

China is confronted with serious PM 2.5 pollution, especially in the capital city of Beijing. Exposure to PM 2.5 could lead to various negative health impacts including premature mortality. As people spend most of their time indoors, the indoor exposure to PM 2.5 from both indoor and outdoor origins constitutes the majority of personal exposure to PM 2.5 pollution. Different building interventions have been introduced to mitigate indoor PM 2.5 exposure, but always at the cost of energy expenditure. In this study, the health and economic benefits of different ventilation intervention strategies for reducing indoor PM 2.5 exposure are modeled using a representative urban residence in Beijing, with consideration of different indoor PM 2.5 emission strengths and outdoor pollution. Our modeling results show that the increase of envelope air-tightness can achieve significant economic benefits when indoor PM 2.5 emissions are absent; however, if an indoor PM 2.5 source is present, the benefits only increase slightly in mechanically ventilated buildings, but may show negative benefit without mechanical ventilation. Installing mechanical ventilation in Beijing can achieve annual economic benefits ranging from 200yuan/capita to 800yuan/capita if indoor PM 2.5 sources exist. If there is no indoor emission, the annual benefits above 200yuan/capita can be achieved only when the PM 2.5 filtration efficiency is no urban Beijing will increase the indoor PM 2.5 exposure and result in excess costs to the residents. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indoor radon levels in coastal Karnataka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narayana, Y.; Radhakrishna, A.P.; Somashekarappa, H.M.; Karunakara, N.; Balakrishna, K.M.; Siddappa, K.

1995-01-01

Indoor radon levels have been measured in selected dwellings of coastal Karnataka using LR-115 type II peelable films and it is found to vary from 28.4 to 45.6 Bq m -3 with a geometric mean value of 35.7 Bq m -3 . The annual effective dose equivalent to the population of the region due to inhalation of radon was estimated from the measured data on radon level and is found to be in the range 1.9 - 3.1 mSv y -1 with a mean value 2.4 mSv y -1 . The correlation between indoor radon level and radium content in the underlying soil were studied. No definite correlation was observed to exist between indoor radon level and radium content in soil. (author). 24 refs., 2 tabs

A Realistic Human Exposure Assessment of Indoor Radon released from Groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Dong Han; Han, Moon Hee

2002-01-01

The work presents a realistic human exposure assessment of indoor radon released from groundwater in a house. At first, a two-compartment model is developed to describe the generation and transfer of radon in indoor air from groundwater. The model is used to estimate radon concentrations profile of indoor air in a house using by showering, washing clothes, and flushing toilets. Then, the study performs an uncertainty analysis of model input parameters to quantify the uncertainty in radon concentration profile. In order to estimate a daily internal dose of a specific tissue group in an adult through the inhalation of such indoor radon, a PBPK(Physiologically-Based Pharmaco-Kinetic) model is developed. Combining indoor radon profile and PBPK model is used to a realistic human assessment for such exposure. The results obtained from this study would be used to the evaluation of human risk by inhalation associated with the indoor radon released from groundwater

Manual on indoor air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, R.C.; Grimsrud, D.T.

1983-12-01

This reference manual was prepared to assist electric utilities in helping homeowners, builders, and new home buyers to understand a broad range of issues related to indoor air quality. The manual is directed to technically knowledgeable persons employed by utility companies - the customer service or marketing representative, applications engineer, or technician - who may not have specific expertise in indoor air quality issues. In addition to providing monitoring and control techniques, the manual summarizes the link between pollutant concentrations, air exchange, and energy conservation and describes the characteristics and health effects of selected pollutants. Where technical information is too lengthy or complex for inclusion in this volume, reference sources are given. Information for this manual was gathered from technical studies, manufacturers' information, and other materials from professional societies, institutes, and associations. The aim has been to provide objective technical and descriptive information that can be used by utility personnel to make informed decisions about indoor air quality issues

Manual on indoor air quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diamond, R.C.; Grimsrud, D.T.

1983-12-01

This reference manual was prepared to assist electric utilities in helping homeowners, builders, and new home buyers to understand a broad range of issues related to indoor air quality. The manual is directed to technically knowledgeable persons employed by utility companies - the customer service or marketing representative, applications engineer, or technician - who may not have specific expertise in indoor air quality issues. In addition to providing monitoring and control techniques, the manual summarizes the link between pollutant concentrations, air exchange, and energy conservation and describes the characteristics and health effects of selected pollutants. Where technical information is too lengthy or complex for inclusion in this volume, reference sources are given. Information for this manual was gathered from technical studies, manufacturers' information, and other materials from professional societies, institutes, and associations. The aim has been to provide objective technical and descriptive information that can be used by utility personnel to make informed decisions about indoor air quality issues.

Modeling and evaluation tools for the indoor climate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schijndel, van A.W.M.

2005-01-01

The appendix contains the paper presented at the 26TthAIVC Conference Brussels, 21-23 September 2005. The paper provides a study of the indoor climate of a monumental building with periodic high indoor moisture loads. Several scenarios of the past performance and new control classes are simulated

Indoor Air Quality in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

This web site will educate the public about indoor environmental issues specific to educational facilities and the importance of developing and sustaining comprehensive indoor air quality management programs.

Indoor Temperatures in Low Cost Housing in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Naicker, Nisha; Teare, June; Balakrishna, Yusentha; Wright, Caradee Yael; Mathee, Angela

2017-11-18

Ambient and indoor temperature affects thermal comfort and human health. In a changing climate with a predicted change in temperature extremes, understanding indoor temperatures, both hot and cold, of different housing types is important. This study aimed to assess the hourly, daily and monthly variation in indoor temperatures in different housing types, namely formal houses, informal houses, flats, government-built low-cost houses and old, apartheid era low-cost housing, in five impoverished urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the cross-sectional survey of the Health, Environment and Development study data loggers were installed in 100 homes (20 per suburb) from February to May 2014. Indoor temperature and relative humidity were recorded on an hourly basis. Ambient outdoor temperatures were obtained from the nearest weather station. Indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity levels were compared; and an inter-comparison between the different housing types were also made. Apparent temperature was calculated to assess indoor thermal comfort. Data from 59 retrieved loggers showed a significant difference in monthly mean indoor temperature between the five different housing types ( p informal settlement houses had the greatest variation in temperature and experienced temperatures between 4 and 5 °C warmer than outdoor temperatures. Housing types occupied by poor communities experienced indoor temperature fluctuations often greater than that observed for ambient temperatures. Families living in government-built low-cost and informally-constructed homes are the most at risk for indoor temperature extremes. These types of housing should be prioritised for interventions aimed at assisting families to cope with extreme temperatures, gaining optimal thermal comfort and preventing temperature-related health effects.

Indoor Temperatures in Low Cost Housing in Johannesburg, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nisha Naicker

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Ambient and indoor temperature affects thermal comfort and human health. In a changing climate with a predicted change in temperature extremes, understanding indoor temperatures, both hot and cold, of different housing types is important. This study aimed to assess the hourly, daily and monthly variation in indoor temperatures in different housing types, namely formal houses, informal houses, flats, government-built low-cost houses and old, apartheid era low-cost housing, in five impoverished urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the cross-sectional survey of the Health, Environment and Development study data loggers were installed in 100 homes (20 per suburb from February to May 2014. Indoor temperature and relative humidity were recorded on an hourly basis. Ambient outdoor temperatures were obtained from the nearest weather station. Indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity levels were compared; and an inter-comparison between the different housing types were also made. Apparent temperature was calculated to assess indoor thermal comfort. Data from 59 retrieved loggers showed a significant difference in monthly mean indoor temperature between the five different housing types (p < 0.0001. Low cost government-built houses and informal settlement houses had the greatest variation in temperature and experienced temperatures between 4 and 5 °C warmer than outdoor temperatures. Housing types occupied by poor communities experienced indoor temperature fluctuations often greater than that observed for ambient temperatures. Families living in government-built low-cost and informally-constructed homes are the most at risk for indoor temperature extremes. These types of housing should be prioritised for interventions aimed at assisting families to cope with extreme temperatures, gaining optimal thermal comfort and preventing temperature-related health effects.

9 CFR 3.102 - Facilities, indoor.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Facilities, indoor. 3.102 Section 3... Marine Mammals Facilities and Operating Standards § 3.102 Facilities, indoor. (a) Ambient temperature. The air and water temperatures in indoor facilities shall be sufficiently regulated by heating or...

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

OpenAIRE

Ahmet Soysal; Yucel Demiral

2007-01-01

The existance of hazardious materials including biological, chemical, and physical agents such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radon, volotile organic compounds, microorganisms in houses and the other non-industrilized buildings have been defined as “indoor air pollution”. Indoor air pollutants could possible arised from inside or outside environment and categorized into six subgroups. Almost 80% Turkish population have living in the urban areas...

Indoor Multi-Dimensional Location GML and Its Application for Ubiquitous Indoor Location Services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhu, Qing; Li, Yun; Xiong, Qing; Zlatanova, S.; Ding, Yulin; Zhang, Yeting; Zhou, Yan

2016-01-01

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Geography Markup Language (GML) standard provides basic types and a framework for defining geo-informational data models such as CityGML and IndoorGML, which provide standard information models for 3D city modelling and lightweight indoor network navigation.

Capturing Hotspots For Constrained Indoor Movement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Tanvir; Pedersen, Torben Bach; Lu, Hua

2013-01-01

Finding the hotspots in large indoor spaces is very important for getting overloaded locations, security, crowd management, indoor navigation and guidance. The tracking data coming from indoor tracking are huge in volume and not readily available for finding hotspots. This paper presents a graph......-based model for constrained indoor movement that can map the tracking records into mapping records which represent the entry and exit times of an object in a particular location. Then it discusses the hotspots extraction technique from the mapping records....

Indoor radon pollution: update. Bibliographic series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richard, S.A.

1988-12-01

This bibliography focuses on indoor radon pollution problems and is organized according to the following major topic areas: I-Overview (covering general areas such as law and policy, popular press, communication and education, indoor air and books); II-Health Effects (epidemiology, risk estimates, and dosimetry); III-Exposure (house construction, geology, source, physical properties, and radon in water); IV-Surveys (national and international case studies); V-Mitigation; and VI-Measurement Techniques. Section VIII-Appendix, lists State Contacts

Exposure to unusually high indoor radon levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasheed, F.N.

1993-01-01

Unusually high indoor radon concentrations were reported in a small village in western Tyrol, Austria. The authors have measured the seasonal course of indoor radon concentrations in 390 houses of this village. 71% of houses in winter and 33% in summer, showed radon values on the ground floor above the Austrian action level of 400 Bq/cm 3 . This proportion results in an unusually high indoor radon exposure of the population. The radon source was an 8,700-year-old rock slide of granite gneiss, the largest of the alpine crystalline rocks. It has a strong emanating power because its rocks are heavily fractured and show a slightly increased uranium content. Previous reports show increased lung cancer mortality, myeloid leukemia, kidney cancer, melanoma, and prostate cancer resulting from indoor radon exposure. However, many studies fail to provide accurate information on indoor radon concentrations, classifying them merely as low, intermediate, and high, or they record only minor increases in indoor radon concentrations. Mortality data for 1970-91 were used to calculate age and sex standardized mortality rates (SMR) for 51 sites of carcinoma. The total population of Tyrol were controls. A significantly higher risk was recorded for lung cancer. The high SMR for lung cancer in female subjects is especially striking. Because the numbers were low for the other cancer sites, these were combined in one group to calculate the SMR. No significant increase in SMR was found for this group

Monitoring Indoor Air Quality for Enhanced Occupational Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitarma, Rui; Marques, Gonçalo; Ferreira, Bárbara Roque

2017-02-01

Indoor environments are characterized by several pollutant sources. Because people spend more than 90% of their time in indoor environments, several studies have pointed out the impact of indoor air quality on the etiopathogenesis of a wide number of non-specific symptoms which characterizes the "Sick Building Syndrome", involving the skin, the upper and lower respiratory tract, the eyes and the nervous system, as well as many building related diseases. Thus, indoor air quality (IAQ) is recognized as an important factor to be controlled for the occupants' health and comfort. The majority of the monitoring systems presently available is very expensive and only allow to collect random samples. This work describes the system (iAQ), a low-cost indoor air quality monitoring wireless sensor network system, developed using Arduino, XBee modules and micro sensors, for storage and availability of monitoring data on a web portal in real time. Five micro sensors of environmental parameters (air temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and luminosity) were used. Other sensors can be added for monitoring specific pollutants. The results reveal that the system can provide an effective indoor air quality assessment to prevent exposure risk. In fact, the indoor air quality may be extremely different compared to what is expected for a quality living environment. Systems like this would have benefit as public health interventions to reduce the burden of symptoms and diseases related to "sick buildings".

Managing Indoor Air Quality in Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolums, Jennifer

This publication examines the causes and effects of poor indoor air quality and provides information for reducing exposure to indoor contaminants in schools. It discusses the various indoor pollutants found in schools, including dust, chemical agents, gases, and volatile organic compounds; where they are found in schools; and their health effects…

Indoor localization using magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Pathapati Subbu, Kalyan Sasidhar

Indoor localization consists of locating oneself inside new buildings. GPS does not work indoors due to multipath reflection and signal blockage. WiFi based systems assume ubiquitous availability and infrastructure based systems require expensive installations, hence making indoor localization an open problem. This dissertation consists of solving the problem of indoor localization by thoroughly exploiting the indoor ambient magnetic fields comprising mainly of disturbances termed as anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field caused by pillars, doors and elevators in hallways which are ferromagnetic in nature. By observing uniqueness in magnetic signatures collected from different campus buildings, the work presents the identification of landmarks and guideposts from these signatures and further develops magnetic maps of buildings - all of which can be used to locate and navigate people indoors. To understand the reason behind these anomalies, first a comparison between the measured and model generated Earth's magnetic field is made, verifying the presence of a constant field without any disturbances. Then by modeling the magnetic field behavior of different pillars such as steel reinforced concrete, solid steel, and other structures like doors and elevators, the interaction of the Earth's field with the ferromagnetic fields is described thereby explaining the causes of the uniqueness in the signatures that comprise these disturbances. Next, by employing the dynamic time warping algorithm to account for time differences in signatures obtained from users walking at different speeds, an indoor localization application capable of classifying locations using the magnetic signatures is developed solely on the smart phone. The application required users to walk short distances of 3-6 m anywhere in hallway to be located with accuracies of 80-99%. The classification framework was further validated with over 90% accuracies using model generated magnetic signatures representing

A Pilot Study to Understand the Variation in Indoor Air Quality in Different Economic Zones of Delhi University

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Abhinav; Ghosh, Chirashree

Today, one of the most grave environmental health problems being faced by the urban population is the poor air quality one breathes in. To testify the above statement, the recent survey report, World health statistics (WHO, 2012) reflects the fact that childhood mortality ratio from acute respiratory infection is one of the top leading causes of death in developing countries like India. Urban areas have a complex social stratification which ultimately results in forming different urban economic zones. This research attempts to understand the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by taking into consideration different lifestyle of occupants inhabiting these economic zones. The Study tries to evaluate the outdoor and indoor air quality by understanding the variation of selected pollutants (SPM, SOx, NOx) for the duration of four months - from October, 2012-January, 2013. For this, three economic zones (EZ) of Delhi University’s North Campus, were selected - Urban Slum (EZ I), Clerical (EZ II) and Faculty residence (EZ III). The statistical study indicates that Urban Slum (EZ I) was the most polluted site reporting maximum concentration of outdoor pollutants, whereas no significant difference in pollution load was observed in EZ II and EZ III. Further, the indoor air quality was evaluated by quantifying the indoor and outdoor pollution concentration ratios that shows EZ III have most inferior indoor air quality, followed by EZ I and EZ II. Moreover, it was also observed that ratio (phenomenon of infiltration) was dominant at the EZ II but was low for the EZ I and EZ III. With the evidence of high Indoor air pollution, the risk of pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections also increases, calling for an urgent requisite for making reforms to improve IAQ. Key words: Urban Area, Slum, IAQ, SOx, NOx, SPM

A comparative study on indoor air quality in a low cost and a green ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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A statistical correlation analysis of indoor concentration levels with outdoor concentrations was carried ... New studies around the world on the health effects of air pollution ... benefits at all levels from using green affordable housing practices ...

Reducing indoor residential exposures to outdoor pollutants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherman, Max H.; Matson, Nance E.

2003-07-01

The basic strategy for providing indoor air quality in residences is to dilute indoor sources with outdoor air. This strategy assumes that the outdoor air does not have pollutants at harmful levels or that the outdoor air is, at least, less polluted than the indoor air. When this is not the case, different strategies need to be employed to ensure adequate air quality in the indoor environment. These strategies include ventilation systems, filtration and other measures. These strategies can be used for several types of outdoor pollution, including smog, particulates and toxic air pollutants. This report reviews the impacts that typical outdoor air pollutants can have on the indoor environment and provides design and operational guidance for mitigating them. Poor quality air cannot be used for diluting indoor contaminants, but more generally it can become an indoor contaminant itself. This paper discusses strategies that use the building as protection against potentially hazardous outdoor pollutants, including widespread pollutants, accidental events, and potential attacks.

[Health evaluation of fine particulate matter in indoor air].

Science.gov (United States)

2008-11-01

When evaluating the health effects of indoor air fine particulate matter, the indoor dynamics as well as the physical, chemical and biological properties of fine particles have to be considered. The indoor air fraction PM2.5 largely stems from outdoor air. Accordingly, the German Working Group on Indoor Guideline Values of the Federal Environmental Agency and the States' Health Authorities also recommends WHO's (2006) 24-hour mean guideline value of 25 microg PM2,5 per cubic meter for indoor air evaluation. In contrast to PM2.5, coarse particles (PM10) in schools, kindergartens and dwellings show much higher indoor air concentrations. Additional sources indoors have to be assumed. Because of the different composition of indoor air compared to outdoor air and due to the lack of dose-response relationships of coarse particles in indoor air, the health effects of indoor air PM10 can not be evaluated yet. Sufficient and consistent ventilation is an indispensable basis to reduce PM concentrations in indoor spaces. Furthermore, known sources of PM indoors should be detected consequently and subsequently minimized.

Indoor Thermal Factors and Symptoms in Office Workers: Findings from the U.S. EPA BASE Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendell, Mark; Mirer, Anna

2008-06-01

Some prior research in office buildings has associated higher indoor temperatures even within the recommended thermal comfort range with increased worker symptoms. We reexamined this relationship in data from 95 office buildings in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) Study. We investigated relationships between building-related symptoms and thermal metrics constructed from real-time measurements. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95percent confidence intervals in adjusted logistic regression models with general estimating equations, overall and by season. Winter indoor temperatures spanned the recommended winter comfort range; summer temperatures were mostly colder than the recommended summer range. Increasing indoor temperatures, overall, were associated with increases in few symptoms. Higher winter indoor temperatures, however, were associated with increases in all symptoms analyzed. Higher summer temperatures, above 23oC, were associated with decreases in most symptoms. Humidity ratio, a metric of absolute humidity, showed few clear associations. Thus, increased symptoms with higher temperatures within the thermal comfort range were found only in winter. In summer, buildings were overcooled, and only the higher observed temperatures were within the comfort range; these were associated with decreased symptoms. Confirmation of these findings would suggest that thermal management guidelines consider health effects as well as comfort.

Evaluating Wi-Fi indoor positioning approaches in a real world environment

OpenAIRE

Hantoush, Raafat

2016-01-01

Global positioning system(GPS) does not provide generally a good positioning performance in an indoor location because of many reasons (Henniges, 2012). On the other hand, other alternatives such as the WI-FI technology has become recently in a popular use to provide indoor localization. And that is due to many reasons, such as the wide spread of WI-FI infrastructure in the indoor environments and the low cost of this technology. This study attempts to evaluate different WI-FI indoor position...

Semivolatile organic compounds in indoor environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weschler, Charles J.; Nazaroff, W.W.

2008-01-01

Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are ubiquitous in indoor environments, redistributing from their original sources to all indoor surfaces. Exposures resulting from their indoor presence contribute to detectable body burdens of diverse SVOCs, including pesticides, plasticizers, and flame ret...... remarkably well with levels measured in dermal hand wipes for SVOCs possessing a wide range of octanol-air partition coefficients....

Assessment of the impact of oxidation processes on indoor air pollution using the new time-resolved INCA-Indoor model

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, Maxence; Blond, Nadège; Blondeau, Patrice; Schoemaecker, Coralie; Hauglustaine, Didier A.

2015-12-01

INCA-Indoor, a new indoor air quality (IAQ) model, has been developed to simulate the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxidants considering indoor air specific processes such as: emission, ventilation, surface interactions (sorption, deposition, uptake). Based on the detailed version of SAPRC-07 chemical mechanism, INCA-Indoor is able to analyze the contribution of the production and loss pathways of key chemical species (VOCs, oxidants, radical species). The potential of this model has been tested through three complementary analyses: a comparison with the most detailed IAQ model found in the literature, focusing on oxidant species; realistic scenarios covering a large range of conditions, involving variable OH sources like HONO; and the investigation of alkenes ozonolysis under a large range of indoor conditions that can increase OH and HO2 concentrations. Simulations have been run changing nitrous acid (HONO) concentrations, NOx levels, photolysis rates and ventilation rates, showing that HONO can be the main source of indoor OH. Cleaning events using products containing D-limonene have been simulated at different periods of the day. These scenarios show that HOX concentrations can significantly increase in specific conditions. An assessment of the impact of indoor chemistry on the potential formation of secondary species such as formaldehyde (HCHO) and acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) has been carried out under various room configuration scenarios and a study of the HOx budget for different realistic scenarios has been performed. It has been shown that, under the simulation conditions, formaldehyde can be affected by oxidant concentrations via chemical production which can account for more than 10% of the total production, representing 6.5 ppb/h. On the other hand, acetaldehyde production is affected more by oxidation processes. When the photolysis rates are high, chemical processes are responsible for about 50% of the total production of

Indoor Tanning (For Teens)

Science.gov (United States)

... re treating more and more young patients for skin cancer. Indoor Tanning vs. Sunlight The sun's rays contain two types ... and put yourself at even greater risk for skin cancer. What Tanning Salons Don't Tell You Studies show that ...

Directional Hidden Markov Model for Indoor Tracking of Mobile Users and Realistic Case Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jimmy Jessen; Amiot, Nicolas; Madsen, Tatiana Kozlova

2013-01-01

Indoors, mobile users tend to exhibit some level of determinism in their movement patterns during a day, for example when arriving to their office, going for coffee, going for lunch break, picking up print outs, etc. In this work we exploit this determinism to improve the accuracy of indoor local...

A Semantic-Based Indexing for Indoor Moving Objects

OpenAIRE

Tingting Ben; Xiaolin Qin; Ning Wang

2014-01-01

The increasing availability of indoor positioning, driven by techniques like RFID, Bluetooth, and smart phones, enables a variety of indoor location-based services (LBSs). Efficient queries based on semantic-constraint in indoor spaces play an important role in supporting and boosting LBSs. However, the existing indoor index techniques cannot support these semantic constraints-based queries. To solve this problem, this paper addresses the challenge of indexing moving objects in indoor spaces,...

Indoor Air Pollution (Environmental Health Student Portal)

Science.gov (United States)

... Students to Environmental Health Information Menu Home Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor Air Pollution ... Pollution Indoor Air Pollution Print this Page Air Pollution Air Pollution Home Indoor Air Pollution Outdoor Air Pollution ...

Assessment of indoor air quality in office buildings across Europe - The OFFICAIR study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandin, Corinne; Trantallidi, Marilena; Cattaneo, Andrea; Canha, Nuno; Mihucz, Victor G; Szigeti, Tamás; Mabilia, Rosanna; Perreca, Erica; Spinazzè, Andrea; Fossati, Serena; De Kluizenaar, Yvonne; Cornelissen, Eric; Sakellaris, Ioannis; Saraga, Dikaia; Hänninen, Otto; De Oliveira Fernandes, Eduardo; Ventura, Gabriela; Wolkoff, Peder; Carrer, Paolo; Bartzis, John

2017-02-01

The European project OFFICAIR aimed to broaden the existing knowledge regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) in modern office buildings, i.e., recently built or refurbished buildings. Thirty-seven office buildings participated in the summer campaign (2012), and thirty-five participated in the winter campaign (2012-2013). Four rooms were investigated per building. The target pollutants were twelve volatile organic compounds, seven aldehydes, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde and ozone did not exceed their respective WHO air quality guidelines, and those of acrolein, α-pinene, and d-limonene were lower than their estimated thresholds for irritative and respiratory effects. PM 2.5 indoor concentrations were higher than the 24-h and annual WHO ambient air quality guidelines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radon and aldehyde concentrations in the indoor environment. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moschandreas, D.J.; Rector, H.E.

1981-04-01

Findings regarding indoor air contaminants in the energy-efficient residence (EER) in Mt. Airy, Maryland are reported. The objectives of the study were to collect and analyze relevant air quality samples (specifically radon and aldehydes), characterize the indoor air quality with respect to radon and aldehydes, and develop relationships between air infiltration rates and contaminant levels. One-fifth of the measured formaldehyde concentrations were in the range that may cause health concerns. Although indoor temperature and relative humidity affect indoor HCHO concentration, the elevated formaldehyde concentrations were measured under very low air infiltration rates. The data show that ventilation of the indoor air space is somewhat effective in reducing high HCHO concentrations. The operation of the heat exchanger led to an increase of the air infiltration rate which in turn resulted in substantial reduction of formaldehyde concentrations. A considerable number of the collected samples of indoor air displayed radon concentrations at levels higher than 1.0 to 4.0 nCim -3 (assuming an equilibrium factor of 0.5, these radon levels would correspond to working levels above the health guidelines suggested by the US EPA for homes in Florida built on land reclaimed from phosphate mining). As in the case of indoor formaldehyde concentrations, elevated indoor concentrations are substantially reduced when the infiltration rate is increased. The data base shows that the use of the air to air heat exchanger leads to reduction of indoor radon concentration by increasing the residential ventilation rate

Do indoor chemicals promote development of airway allergy?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, G D; Larsen, S T; Olsen, O

2007-01-01

in animal studies and allergy-promoting effects in humans. Quaternary ammonium compounds may possess adjuvant effects in animal studies and promoted sensitization in humans in occupational settings. The use of cleaning agents, anionic and non-ionic surfactants are not considered to possess an important...... products, the important question may be would it be profitable to look for lifestyle factors and non-chemical indoor exposures in order to abate airway allergy? PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Indoor chemicals (pollutants) have been accused to promote development of airway allergy by adjuvant effects......Allergic asthma has increased worldwide in the industrialized countries. This review evaluates whether the major groups of indoor chemical exposures possess allergy-promoting (adjuvant) effects; formaldehyde was excluded, because of the size of the literature. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs...

Indoor Air Quality Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin Union Free School District, NY.

This manual identifies ways to improve a school's indoor air quality (IAQ) and discusses practical actions that can be carried out by school staff in managing air quality. The manual includes discussions of the many sources contributing to school indoor air pollution and the preventive planning for each including renovation and repair work,…

Indoor Climate of Large Glazed Spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendriksen, Ole Juhl; Madsen, Christina E.; Heiselberg, Per

In recent years large glazed spaces has found increased use both in connection with renovation of buildings and as part of new buildings. One of the objectives is to add an architectural element, which combines indoor- and outdoor climate. In order to obtain a satisfying indoor climate it is crui...... it is cruicial at the design stage to be able to predict the performance regarding thermal comfort and energy consumption. This paper focus on the practical implementation of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the relation to other simulation tools regarding indoor climate.......In recent years large glazed spaces has found increased use both in connection with renovation of buildings and as part of new buildings. One of the objectives is to add an architectural element, which combines indoor- and outdoor climate. In order to obtain a satisfying indoor climate...

Experimental Study of Heat Dissipation in Indoor Sports Shoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dessing, O.; Jansen, A.J.; Leihitu, C.; Overhage, D.

2014-01-01

As indoor sports shoes are intensively used in a warm and sweaty environment for periods of up to three consecutive hours, the built-up heat inside is insufficiently released causing warm and perspiring feet. This results in an increased chance of blisters and skin irritations. Experimental research

Environmental and indoor study of Radon concentration in San Joaquin area, Queretaro, Mexico, first results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinojo Alonso, N.A.; Kotsarenko, A.; Yutsis, V.; Hernandez Silva, G.; Perego, P.; Fazio, M.; Grimalsky, V.; Koshevaya, S.; Foglia, F.; Cortes Silva, A.; García Martínez, R.; Martínez Reyes, J.; Norini, G.; Groppelli, G.

2013-01-01

A highly contaminated zone with a maximum over 57,000 Bq/m 3 was discovered in a populated community “Agua de Venados” during the 2009–2011 soil Radon survey in San Joaquin, Queretaro State, Mexico. The indoor Radon monitoring accomplished in 2 different époques in a nearby 4 dwellings has shown an increased Radon hazard in 1 of the 4 buildings (about 300 Bq/m 3 ) during a rainy season and highly elevated indoor Radon levels (over 400 Bq/m 3 ) already in 3 buildings during a dry season. The averaged diurnal indoor Radon variations are in a correlation with the atmospheric pressure and the air humidity and are independent on the air temperature. The maximum indoor Radon hazard for dwellings is estimated for the morning interval 5–10 a.m. - Highlights: ► Emanative zone of 57,000 Bq/m 3 was found in area “Agua de Venados”. ► Indoor Radon level in a nearby dwellings elevates during a dry season. ► Maximum risk for residents was estimated during the daily interval 5–10 a.m

Impact of indoor surface material on perceived air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Senitkova, I

2014-03-01

The material combination impact on perceived indoor air quality for various surface interior materials is presented in this paper. The chemical analysis and sensory assessments identifies health adverse of indoor air pollutants (TVOCs). In this study, emissions and odors from different common indoor surface materials were investigated in glass test chamber under standardized conditions. Chemical measurements (TVOC concentration) and sensory assessments (odor intensity, air acceptability) were done after building materials exposure to standardized conditions. The results of the chemical and sensory assessment of individual materials and their combinations are compared and discussed within the paper. The using possibility of individual material surface sorption ability was investigated. The knowledge of targeted sorption effects can be used in the interior design phase. The results demonstrate the various sorption abilities of various indoor materials as well as the various sorption abilities of the same indoor material in various combinations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indoor Air Quality Test House

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description:In order to enable studies of a range of indoor air quality and ventilation issues, EL maintains a highly instrumented three-bedroom test house. Previous...

Residential radon exposure, diet and lung cancer: a case-control study in a Mediterranean region.

Science.gov (United States)

Bochicchio, Francesco; Forastiere, Francesco; Farchi, Sara; Quarto, Maria; Axelson, Olav

2005-05-10

We performed a case-control study in Lazio, a region in central Italy characterized by high levels of indoor radon, Mediterranean climate and diet. Cases (384) and controls (404) aged 35-90 years were recruited in the hospital. Detailed information regarding smoking, diet and other risk factors were collected by direct interview. Residential history during the 30-year period ending 5 years before enrollment was ascertained. In each dwelling, radon detectors were placed in both the main bedroom and the living room for 2 consecutive 6-month periods. We computed odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for time-weighted radon concentrations using both categorical and continuous unconditional logistic regression analysis and adjusting for smoking, diet and other variables. Radon measurements were available from 89% and 91% of the time period for cases and controls, respectively. The adjusted ORs were 1.30 (1.03-1.64), 1.48 (1.08-2.02), 1.49 (0.82-2.71) and 2.89 (0.45-18.6) for 50-99, 100-199, 200-399 and 400+ Bq/m(3), respectively, compared with 0-49 Bq/m(3) (OR = 1; 0.56-1.79). The excess odds ratio (EOR) per 100 Bq/m(3) was 0.14 (-0.11, 0.46) for all subjects, 0.24 (-0.09, 0.70) for subjects with complete radon measurements and 0.30 (-0.08, 0.82) for subjects who had lived in 1 or 2 dwellings. There was a tendency of higher risk estimates among subjects with low-medium consumption of dietary antioxidants (EOR = 0.32; -0.19, 1.16) and for adenocarcinoma, small cell and epidermoid cancers. This study indicates an association, although generally not statistically significant, between residential radon and lung cancer with both categorical and continuous analyses. Subjects with presumably lower uncertainty in the exposure assessment showed a higher risk. Dietary antioxidants may act as an effect modifier.

A study of diurnal variations of radon and thoron concentrations in different indoor environmental conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, Preeti; Prasad, Mukesh; Ramola, R.C.

2015-01-01

The measurements for diurnal variations in radon ( 222 Rn) and thoron ( 220 Rn) concentrations were performed in the different indoor conditions of Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India by using AlphaGUARD, Portable Radon Monitor and RAD7. While selecting the dwellings, the ventilation conditions, building materials, life style of the inhabitants and their exposure time indoors were also considered. The behavior of indoor radon and thoron concentrations was observed for different type of dwellings with different environmental conditions. The measurement techniques, results obtained and comparison of the results are discussed in details. (author)

Towards support for collaborative navigation in complex indoor environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwer, A.; Nack, F.; Evers, V.

2011-01-01

In this paper we present first results of an observation study on indoor navigation behaviour of visitors at a large public fair. As an outcome we present a number of requirements for mobile indoor navigation systems that support collaborative destination and path finding tasks.

A research on indoor environments of an office building by occupants' subjective evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, S.W.; Kim, T.W.; Hong, W.H.

2008-01-01

Since modern workers spend more than 80 per cent of their time in indoor environments, it is important to make a comfortable indoor environment in order to maintain occupational health and to improve work efficiency and productivity. Not only are new offices bigger than ever before, the internal heat and air are controlled by a central air conditioning system, which do not allow occupant control. This study evaluated indoor environments of office buildings in an effort to understand how the indoor environment influences work efficiency. The study involved the use of a survey questionnaire to obtain occupants' subjective evaluation of indoor working environments of an office building in terms of thermal comfort, lighting, noise and air quality. The survey results indicated that the indoor environment interrupts the work of many workers. Neck, eye, skin and nasal symptoms were found to be the symptoms most related to the indoor environment, with temperature and humidity posing the greatest challenge. 9 refs., 9 tabs., 7 figs

Study of the atmospheric chemistry of radon progeny in laboratory and real indoor atmospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hopke, P.K.

1992-07-01

This report covers the second year of the 28 month grant current grant to Clarkson University to study the chemical and physical behavior of the polonium 218 atom immediately following its formation by the alpha decay of radon. Because small changes in size for activity result in large changes in the delivered dose per unit exposure, this behavior must be understood if the exposure to radon progeny and it dose to the cells in the respiratory tract are to be fully assessed. Two areas of radon progeny behavior are being pursued; laboratory studies under controlled conditions to better understand the fundamental physical and chemical process that affect the progeny's atmospheric behavior and studies in actual indoor environments to develop a better assessment of the exposure of the occupants of that space to the size and concentration of the indoor radioactive aerosol. This report describes the progress toward achieving these objectives.

Indoor exposures and recurrent wheezing in infants: a study in the BAMSE cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Emenius, G; Svartengren, M; Korsgaard, J; Nordvall, L; Pershagen, G; Wickman, M

2004-07-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between indoor exposures and the home environment, and the development of recurrent wheezing during infancy. A birth cohort, comprising 4089 children, was followed. Information on exposures was obtained shortly after birth, and episodes of wheezing were recorded when the infants were 1 and 2 y of age. In a nested case-control study, 181 infants were enrolled, who had three or more reported episodes of wheezing after 3 mo of age combined with either use of inhaled steroids or symptoms of bronchial hyper-reactivity, and 359 age-matched controls. Home inspections were performed during the winter following enrolment, and indoor conditions were measured. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The OR for recurrent infant wheezing associated with signs of dampness reported prospectively by parents was 1.4 (0.9-2.2), and the OR for observed signs of dampness at home inspections was 1.6 (1.0-2.5). A trend was found in the risk of recurrent wheezing in relation to the number of indicators of dampness: OR 1.3 (0.8-2.2) for one sign of dampness and OR 2.7 (1.3-5.4) for three or more signs of dampness. Newly painted surfaces in the child's bedroom was associated with an increased OR for recurrent wheezing: 1.7 (1.3-2.6). Indicators of dampness, as well as recently repainted interior surfaces, appear to be associated with recurrent infant wheezing, with a strengthened effect of combined indoor exposures.

Addiction to indoor tanning: relation to anxiety, depression, and substance use.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosher, Catherine E; Danoff-Burg, Sharon

2010-04-01

To assess the prevalence of addiction to indoor tanning among college students and its association with substance use and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Two written measures, the CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener) Questionnaire, used to screen for alcoholism, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition, Text Revision) (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for substance-related disorders, were modified to evaluate study participants for addiction to indoor tanning. Standardized self-report measures of anxiety, depression, and substance use also were administered. A large university (approximately 18 000 students) in the northeastern United States. A total of 421 college students were recruited from September through December 2006. Self-reported addiction to indoor tanning, substance use, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Among 229 study participants who had used indoor tanning facilities, 90 (39.3%) met DSM-IV-TR criteria and 70 (30.6%) met CAGE criteria for addiction to indoor tanning. Students who met DSM-IV-TR and CAGE criteria for addiction to indoor tanning reported greater symptoms of anxiety and greater use of alcohol, marijuana, and other substances than those who did not meet these criteria. Depressive symptoms did not significantly vary by indoor tanning addiction status. Findings suggest that interventions to reduce skin cancer risk should address the addictive qualities of indoor tanning for a minority of individuals and the relationship of this behavior to other addictions and affective disturbance.

Indoor Tanning Among High School Students in the United States, 2009 and 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Guy, Gery P.; Berkowitz, Zahava; Tai, Eric; Holman, Dawn M.; Jones, Sherry Everett; Richardson, Lisa C.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Indoor tanning is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, and is particularly dangerous for younger and more frequent indoor tanners. OBJECTIVE To examine the prevalence of indoor tanning and frequent indoor tanning (≥10 times during the 12 months before each survey) and their association with health-related behaviors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional study examined data from the 2009 and 2011 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, which used nationally representative samples of US high school students representing approximately 15.5 million students each survey year. The study included 25 861 students who answered the indoor tanning question. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The prevalence of indoor tanning and frequent indoor tanning were examined as well as their association with demographic characteristics and health-related behaviors using multivariable logistic regression modeling. RESULTS The prevalence of indoor tanning was greater among female, older, and non-Hispanic white students. Indoor tanning was highest among female students aged 18 years or older, with 31.5% engaging in indoor tanning in 2011, and among non-Hispanic white female students, with 29.3% engaging in indoor tanning in 2011. Among female students, the adjusted prevalence of indoor tanning decreased from 26.4% in 2009 to 20.7% in 2011. Among female and male students, indoor tanning was associated with other risk-taking behaviors, such as binge drinking (P < .001 and P = .006, respectively), unhealthy weight control practices (P < .001, for both), and having sexual intercourse (P < .001, for both). Additionally, indoor tanning among female students was associated with using illegal drugs (P < .001) and having sexual intercourse with 4 or more persons (P = .03); use among male students was associated with taking steroids without a physician’s prescription (P < .001), smoking cigarettes daily (P = .03), and attempting suicide (P = .006

Indoor Positioning Using GPS Revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Mikkel Baun; Blunck, Henrik; Godsk, Torben

2010-01-01

It has been considered a fact that GPS performs too poorly inside buildings to provide usable indoor positioning. We analyze results of a measurement campaign to improve on the understanding of indoor GPS reception characteristics. The results show that using state-of-the-art receivers GPS...... low signal-to-noise ratios, multipath phenomena or bad satellite constellation geometry. We have also measured the indoor performance of embedded GPS receivers in mobile phones which provided lower availability and accuracy than state-of-the-art ones. Finally, we consider how the GPS performance...

A Hybrid 3D Indoor Space Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Jamali

2016-10-01

Full Text Available GIS integrates spatial information and spatial analysis. An important example of such integration is for emergency response which requires route planning inside and outside of a building. Route planning requires detailed information related to indoor and outdoor environment. Indoor navigation network models including Geometric Network Model (GNM, Navigable Space Model, sub-division model and regular-grid model lack indoor data sources and abstraction methods. In this paper, a hybrid indoor space model is proposed. In the proposed method, 3D modeling of indoor navigation network is based on surveying control points and it is less dependent on the 3D geometrical building model. This research proposes a method of indoor space modeling for the buildings which do not have proper 2D/3D geometrical models or they lack semantic or topological information. The proposed hybrid model consists of topological, geometrical and semantical space.

A pilot study using scripted ventilation conditions to identify key factors affecting indoor pollutant concentration and air exchange rate in a residence.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Ted; Myers, Jeffrey; Kelly, Thomas; Wisbith, Anthony; Ollison, Will

2004-01-01

A pilot study was conducted using an occupied, single-family test house in Columbus, OH, to determine whether a script-based protocol could be used to obtain data useful in identifying the key factors affecting air-exchange rate (AER) and the relationship between indoor and outdoor concentrations of selected traffic-related air pollutants. The test script called for hourly changes to elements of the test house considered likely to influence air flow and AER, including the position (open or closed) of each window and door and the operation (on/off) of the furnace, air conditioner, and ceiling fans. The script was implemented over a 3-day period (January 30-February 1, 2002) during which technicians collected hourly-average data for AER, indoor, and outdoor air concentrations for six pollutants (benzene, formaldehyde (HCHO), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen oxides (NO(x))), and selected meteorological variables. Consistent with expectations, AER tended to increase with the number of open exterior windows and doors. The 39 AER values measured during the study when all exterior doors and windows were closed varied from 0.36 to 2.29 h(-1) with a geometric mean (GM) of 0.77 h(-1) and a geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 1.435. The 27 AER values measured when at least one exterior door or window was opened varied from 0.50 to 15.8 h(-1) with a GM of 1.98 h(-1) and a GSD of 1.902. AER was also affected by temperature and wind speed, most noticeably when exterior windows and doors were closed. Results of a series of stepwise linear regression analyses suggest that (1) outdoor pollutant concentration and (2) indoor pollutant concentration during the preceding hour were the "variables of choice" for predicting indoor pollutant concentration in the test house under the conditions of this study. Depending on the pollutant and ventilation conditions, one or more of the following variables produced a small, but

Spatial models for context-aware indoor navigation systems: A survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imad Afyouni

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper surveys indoor spatial models developed for research fields ranging from mobile robot mapping, to indoor location-based services (LBS, and most recently to context-aware navigation services applied to indoor environments. Over the past few years, several studies have evaluated the potential of spatial models for robot navigation and ubiquitous computing. In this paper we take a slightly different perspective, considering not only the underlying properties of those spatial models, but also to which degree the notion of context can be taken into account when delivering services in indoor environments. Some preliminary recommendations for the development of indoor spatial models are introduced from a context-aware perspective. A taxonomy of models is then presented and assessed with the aim of providing a flexible spatial data model for navigation purposes, and by taking into account the context dimensions.

Indoor air in school environment and the impact on children’s health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krajcova, D.; Vondrova, D.; Hirosova, K.; Sevcikova, L.

2014-01-01

More attention is paid to assessing the quality of not only outdoor but also indoor air. Since children spend large part of their time at schools, several studies are aimed at indoor air monitoring in schools. These studies confirmed association between poor quality of indoor environment and the incidence of asthma and other respiratory diseases of children. The most serious indoor air pollutants includes dust particles, inorganic and volatile organic compounds, components of tobacco smoke, mold and dust mites. Providing healthy school environment should be one of the basic methods to protect and support physical and mental health and development of children. (author)

Indoor Tanning Is Not Safe

Science.gov (United States)

... the sun is by using these tips for skin cancer prevention. Indoor tanning is not a safe way to get vitamin ... to previous findings on the association between indoor tanning and skin cancer. Only a small number of people reported ...

Indoor air quality at nine shopping malls in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, W M; Lee, S C; Chan, L Y

2001-06-12

Hong Kong is one of the most attractive shopping paradises in the world. Many local people and international tourists favor to spend their time in shopping malls in Hong Kong. Good indoor air quality is, therefore, very essential to shoppers. In order to characterize the indoor air quality in shopping malls, nine shopping malls in Hong Kong were selected for this study. The indoor air pollutants included carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), formaldehyde (HCHO), respirable particulate matter (PM10) and total bacteria count (TBC). More than 40% of the shopping malls had 1-h average CO2 levels above the 1000 ppm of the ASHRAE standard on both weekdays and weekends. Also, they had average weekday PM10 concentrations that exceeded the Hong Kong Indoor Air Quality Objective (HKIAQO). The highest indoor PM10 level at a mall was 380 microg/m3. Of the malls surveyed, 30% had indoor airborne bacteria levels above 1000 cfu/m3 set by the HKIAQO. The elevated indoor CO2 and bacteria levels could result from high occupancy combined with insufficient ventilation. The increased PM10 levels could be probably attributed to illegal smoking inside these establishments. In comparison, the shopping malls that contained internal public transport drop-off areas, where vehicles were parked with idling engines and had major entry doors close to heavy traffic roads had higher CO and PM10 indoor levels. In addition, the extensive use of cooking stoves without adequate ventilation inside food courts could increase indoor CO2, CO and PM10 levels.

Source specific risk assessment of indoor aerosol particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koivisto, A.J.

2013-05-15

In the urban environment, atmospheric aerosols consist mainly of pollutants from anthropogenic sources. The majority of these originate from traffic and other combustion processes. A fraction of these pollutants will penetrate indoors via ventilation. However, indoor air concentrations are usually predominated by indoor sources due to the small amount of dilution air. In modern societies, people spend most of their time indoors. Thus, their exposure is controlled mainly by indoor concentrations from indoor sources. During the last decades, engineering of nanosized structures has created a new field of material science. Some of these materials have been shown to be potentially toxic to human health. The greatest potential for exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) occurs in the workplace during production and handling of ENMs. In an exposure assessment, both gaseous and particulate matter pollutants need to be considered. The toxicities of the particles usually depend on the source and age. With time, particle morphology and composition changes due to their tendency to undergo coagulation, condensation and evaporation. The PM exposure risk is related to source specific emissions, and thus, in risk assessment one needs to define source specific exposures. This thesis describes methods for source specific risk assessment of airborne particulate matter. It consists of studies related to workers' ENM exposures during the synthesis of nanoparticles, packing of agglomerated TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, and handling of nanodiamonds. Background particles were distinguished from the ENM concentrations by using different measurement techniques and indoor aerosol modelings. Risk characterization was performed by using a source specific exposure and calculated dose levels in units of particle number and mass. The exposure risk was estimated by using non-health based occupational exposure limits for ENMs. For the nanosized TiO{sub 2}, the risk was also assessed from dose

Climate change consequences for the indoor environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ariës, M.B.C.; Bluyssen, P.M.

2009-01-01

Scientists warn us about climate change and its effects on the outdoor environment. These effects can have significant consequences for the indoor environment, also in the Netherlands. Climate changes will affect different aspects of the indoor environment as well as the stakeholders of that indoor

Measurements of MIMO Indoor Channels at 1800 MHz with Multiple Indoor and Outdoor Base Stations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaldén Niklas

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes several configurations for multiple base stations in indoor MIMO systems and compares their performance. The results are based on channel measurements realized with a MIMO testbed. The receiver was moved along several routes and floors on an office building. Both outdoor and indoor locations are considered for the transmitters or base stations, which allow the analysis of not only indoor but also outdoor-to-indoor environment. The use of 2 base stations with different system level combinations of the two is analyzed. We show that the configuration with base station selection provides almost as good performance as a full water-filling scheme when the 2 base stations are placed at different locations. Also the spatial correlation properties for the different configurations are analyzed and the importance of considering path loss when evaluating capacity is highlighted.

A sensitive method using SPME pre-concentration for the quantification of aromatic amines in indoor air.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucaire, Vincent; Schwartz, Jean-Jacques; Delhomme, Olivier; Ocampo-Torres, Ruben; Millet, Maurice

2018-03-01

Monitoring the levels of aliphatic and aromatic amines (AA) in indoor air is important to protect human health because of exposure to these compounds through diet and inhalation. A sampling and analytical method using XAD-2 cartridges and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry used for assessing 25 AA in different smoking and non-smoking indoor environment was developed. After sampling and delivering 1 m 3 of air (6-8 h sampling), an adsorbent was ultrasonically extracted with acetonitrile, concentrated to 1 mL and diluted in 25 mL of water (pH = 9; 5% NaCl), and then extracted for 40 min at 80 °C using a divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) fiber and injected in a GC/MS system. With this method, 22 of the 25 AA can be analyzed with detection limits up to five times lower than that of classic liquid injection. Benzylamine, 3-aminophenol, and 4-aminophenol were not detected with the solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) method. It can be assumed that aminophenols required a derivatization step for their analysis by GC as these molecules were not detected regardless of the injection mode used. Graphical abstract Analysis of aromatic amines in indoor air by SPME-GC/MS.

A Case Study of Indoor Garden-Based Learning with Hydroponics and Aquaponics: Evaluating Pro-Environmental Knowledge, Perception, and Behavior Change

Science.gov (United States)

Jon Schneller, Andrew; Schofield, Casey A.; Frank, Jenna; Hollister, Eliza; Mamuszka, Lauren

2015-01-01

This article reports on a mixed methods evaluation of an indoor garden-based learning curriculum for 5th and 6th graders which incorporated aquaponics and hydroponics technologies. This study provides a better understanding of the extent to which indoor gardening technologies can be used within the formal curriculum as an effective teaching tool.…

Indoor ran don concentration. Temperature and wind effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sesana, L.; Benigni, S.

2000-01-01

The present study analyses and discusses the behaviour of the indoor radon concentration in a research house. Hourly measurements were carried out in the basement of the house from November 1998 up to June 1999. In many sequences of days radon concentration in the room under analysis shows strong variation all day long with accumulation in the evening and overnight and decrease in the morning and in the afternoon. Measurements of wind velocity, indoor and outdoor temperatures and outdoor-indoor pressure difference were performed and their trend is compared with the observed radon concentration. The exhalation of radon from walls, floor and ceiling and the pressure difference driven exhalation from the soil are discussed, particularly the relation with the temperature differences. The air exchange rates between the house and the outdoor air are studied [it

Indoor combustion and asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Belanger, Kathleen; Triche, Elizabeth W

2008-08-01

Indoor combustion produces both gases (eg, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide) and particulate matter that may affect the development or exacerbation of asthma. Sources in the home include both heating devices (eg, fireplaces, woodstoves, kerosene heaters, flued [ie, vented] or nonflued gas heaters) and gas stoves for cooking. This article highlights the recent literature examining associations between exposure to indoor combustion and asthma development and severity. Since asthma is a chronic condition affecting both children and adults, both age groups are included in this article. Overall, there is some evidence of an association between exposure to indoor combustion and asthma, particularly asthma symptoms in children. Some sources of combustion such as coal stoves have been more consistently associated with these outcomes than other sources such as woodstoves.

Why is it so difficult to determine the yield of indoor cannabis plantations? A case study from the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhove, Wouter; Maalsté, Nicole; Van Damme, Patrick

2017-07-01

Together, the Netherlands and Belgium are the largest indoor cannabis producing countries in Europe. In both countries, legal prosecution procedure of convicted illicit cannabis growers usually includes recovery of the profits gained. However, it is not easy to make a reliable estimation of the latter profits, due to the wide range of factors that determine indoor cannabis yields and eventual selling prices. In the Netherlands, since 2005, a reference model is used that assumes a constant yield (g) per plant for a given indoor cannabis plant density. Later, in 2011, a new model was developed in Belgium for yield estimation of Belgian indoor cannabis plantations that assumes a constant yield per m 2 of growth surface, provided that a number of growth conditions are met. Indoor cannabis plantations in the Netherlands and Belgium share similar technical characteristics. As a result, for indoor cannabis plantations in both countries, both aforementioned yield estimation models should yield similar yield estimations. By means of a real-case study from the Netherlands, we show that the reliability of both models is hampered by a number of flaws and unmet preconditions. The Dutch model is based on a regression equation that makes use of ill-defined plant development stages, assumes a linear plant growth, does not discriminate between different plantation size categories and does not include other important yield determining factors (such as fertilization). The Belgian model addresses some of the latter shortcomings, but its applicability is constrained by a number of pre-conditions including plantation size between 50 and 1000 plants; cultivation in individual pots with peat soil; 600W (electrical power) assimilation lamps; constant temperature between 20°C and 30°C; adequate fertilizer application and plants unaffected by pests and diseases. Judiciary in both the Netherlands and Belgium require robust indoor cannabis yield models for adequate legal prosecution of

Occurrence, dynamics and reactions of organic pollutants in the indoor environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salthammer, Tunga [Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry, Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz Institut (WKI), Braunschweig (Germany); Bahadir, Muefit [Institut fuer Oekologische Chemie und Abfallanalytik, Technische Universitaet Braunschweig, Braunschweig (Germany)

2009-06-15

The indoor environment is a multidisciplinary scientific field involving chemistry, physics, biology, health sciences, architecture, building sciences and civil engineering. The need for reliable assessment of human exposure to indoor pollutants is attracting increasing attention. This, however, requires a detailed understanding of the relevant compounds, their sources, physical and chemical properties, dynamics, reactions, their distribution among the gas phase, airborne particles and settled dust as well as the availability of modern measurement techniques. Building products, furnishings and other indoor materials often emit volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. With respect to a healthy indoor environment, only low emitting products, which do not influence indoor air quality in a negative way, should be used in a building. Therefore, materials and products for indoor use need to be evaluated for their chemical emissions. This is routinely done in test chambers and cells. Many studies have shown that the types of sources in occupational and residential indoor environments, the spectrum of emitting compounds and the duration of emission cover a wide range. The demand for standardized test methods under laboratory conditions has resulted in several guidelines for determination of emission rates. Furthermore, it has now been recognized that both primary and secondary emissions may affect indoor air quality. The problem may become more dominant when components of different materials can react with each other or when catalytic materials are applied. Such products derived from indoor related reactions may have a negative impact on indoor air quality due to their low odor threshold, health related properties or the formation of ultrafine particles. Several factors can influence the emission characteristics and numerous investigations have shown that indoor chemistry is of particular importance for the indoor related characterization of building product emissions

Results of indoor radon measurements in the republic of macedonia: - a review -

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stojanovska, Zdenka; Boev, Blazho; Boev, Ivan

2017-01-01

Radon and its short lived decay products accumulated in indoor environment are the main source of public exposure to natural radiations. The health effects as well as a great number of natural and artificial factors affecting the radon accumulation in indoor environments are some of the motives for the scientific interest in radon issue. Following this global trend, many studies of indoor radon in the Balkan region, including the Republic of Macedonia have been conducted in the last decade. This paper is an overview of the published papers regarding indoor radon concentration measurements with nuclear track detectors in the Republic of Macedonia. It gives basic information about the spatial and temporal variability of indoor radon over the territory of the country, following by a description of the some factors which affect its variations. This review attempts: to organize available indoor radon results in order to show clear picture of the so far conducted surveys; to highlight the need for continuation of more extensive radon investigation in workplaces; to motivate the building professionals to create as much as possible mitigation methods for indoor radon reduction, to motivate the health professionals for epidemiological studies etc. (author)

Exposure to Air Ions in Indoor Environments: Experimental Study with Healthy Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Wallner

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Since the beginning of the 20th century there has been a scientific debate about the potential effects of air ions on biological tissues, wellbeing and health. Effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory system as well as on mental health have been described. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in this topic. In an experimental indoor setting we conducted a double-blind cross-over trial to determine if higher levels of air ions, generated by a special wall paint, affect cognitive performance, wellbeing, lung function, and cardiovascular function. Twenty healthy non-smoking volunteers (10 female, 10 male participated in the study. Levels of air ions, volatile organic compounds and indoor climate factors were determined by standardized measurement procedures. Air ions affected the autonomous nervous system (in terms of an increase of sympathetic activity accompanied by a small decrease of vagal efferent activity: In the test room with higher levels of air ions (2194/cm3 vs. 1038/cm3 a significantly higher low to high frequency ratio of the electrocardiography (ECG beat-to-beat interval spectrogram was found. Furthermore, six of nine subtests of a cognitive performance test were solved better, three of them statistically significant (verbal factor, reasoning, and perceptual speed, in the room with higher ion concentration. There was no influence of air ions on lung function and on wellbeing. Our results indicate slightly activating and cognitive performance enhancing effects of a short-term exposure to higher indoor air ion concentrations.

Plants for Sustainable Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Brilli, Federico; Fares, Silvano; Ghirardo, Andrea; de Visser, Pieter; Calatayud, Vicent; Muñoz, Amalia; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Sebastiani, Federico; Alivernini, Alessandro; Varriale, Vincenzo; Menghini, Flavio

2018-04-10

Indoor pollution poses a serious threat to human health. Plants represent a sustainable but underexploited solution to enhance indoor air quality. However, the current selection of plants suitable for indoors fails to consider the physiological processes and mechanisms involved in phytoremediation. Therefore, the capacity of plants to remove indoor air pollutants through stomatal uptake (absorption) and non-stomatal deposition (adsorption) remains largely unknown. Moreover, the effects of the indoor plant-associated microbiome still need to be fully analyzed. Here, we discuss how a combination of the enhanced phytoremediation capacity of plants together with cutting-edge air-cleaning and smart sensor technologies can improve indoor life while reducing energy consumption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indoor Location Technologies

CERN Document Server

Goswami, Subrata

2013-01-01

Focusing on the special challenges posed by accurately pinpointing a location indoors, this volume reflects the distance we have come in the handful of decades since the germination of GPS technology. Not only can we locate a signal to within a meter’s accuracy, but we now have this technology in the most basic mobile phone. Tracing recent practical developments in positioning technology and in the market it supplies, the author examines the contributions of the varied research—in silicon, signal and image processing, radio communications and software—to a fast-evolving field. The book looks forward to a time when, in addition to directing your road journey, positioning systems can peer indoors and guide you to an available photocopier in your office building. Featuring standalone chapters each dealing with a specific aspect of the subject, including treatments of systems such as Zebra, Awarepoint, Aeroscout, IEEE 802.11, etc. This study has all the detail needed to get up to speed on a key modern techn...

Effect of fresh air ventilation on indoor radon concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hao; Wu Jianhua; Fu Shi

2012-01-01

The radon concentration of laboratory for radon simulation (LRS) was measured by the RAD7 radon monitor, and the effect of the different fresh air ventilations on indoor radon concentration was studied and analyzed. The indoor radon concentration of LRS can be accumulated up to 2000 Bq/m 3 and the average radon exhalation rate of the LRS is 14.5 Bq · m -2 . h -1 . Furthermore, when the fresh air enters into the LRS continuously, the indoor radon concentration decreases exponentially with the increase of time. The equilibrium radon concentration and equilibrium time of LRS decrease exponentially with the increase of the rate of fresh air ventilation. In addition, the indoor radon concentration increases by accumulation with the decrease of the rate of fresh air ventilation. (authors)

Report. no. 20. Sensory evaluation of indoor air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berglund, Birgitta; Bluyssen, Philomena; Clausen, Geo

Human subjects are indispensable in the measurement of perceived indoor air quality. Chemical and physical methods of characterisation often are insensitive to odorous and sensory irritating air pollutants, or do not take account of combinations of singular pollutants in a biologically meaningful...... way. Therefore, sensory methods many times are the only or the preferred tool for evaluation of perceived indoor air quality. This report presents background to and advice on methodologies for sensory evaluation of perceived indoor air quality. It proposes methods which apply to source assessments...... as well as field investigations. The methods will assist in labelling of building materials, characterising air quality in indoor spaces, controlling ventilation performance, and measuring occupant responses in questionnaire field studies of the sick building syndrome. The proposed methods will enable...

Research review: Indoor air quality control techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisk, W.J.

1986-10-01

Techniques for controlling the concentration of radon, formaldehyde, and combustion products in the indoor air are reviewed. The most effective techniques, which are generally based on limiting or reducing indoor pollutant source strengths, can decrease indoor pollutant concentrations by a factor of 3 to 10. Unless the initial ventilation rate is unusually low, it is difficult to reduce indoor pollutant concentrations more than approximately 50% by increasing the ventilation rate of an entire building. However, the efficiency of indoor pollutant control by ventilation can be enhanced through the use of local exhaust ventilation near concentrated sources of pollutants, by minimizing short circuiting of air from supply to exhaust when pollutant sources are dispersed and, in some situations, by promoting a displacement flow of air and pollutants toward the exhaust. Active air cleaning is also examined briefly. Filtration and electrostatic air cleaning for removal of particles from the indoor air are the most practical and effective currently available techniques of air cleaning. 49 refs., 7 figs

Indoor air pollution: a public health perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spengler, J.D.; Sexton, K.

1983-01-01

Although official efforts to control air pollution have traditionally focused on outdoor air, it is now apparent that elevated contaminant concentrations are common inside some private and public buildings. Concerns about potential public health problems due to indoor air pollution are based on evidence that urban residents typically spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, concentrations of some contaminants are higher indoors than outdoors, and for some pollutants personal exposures are not characterized adequately by outdoor measurements. Among the more important indoor contaminants associated with health or irritation effects are passive tobacco smoke, radon decay products, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, asbestos fibers, microorganisms, and aeroallergens. Efforts to assess health risks associated with indoor air pollution are limited by insufficient information about the number of people exposed, the pattern and severity of exposures, and the health consequences of exposures. An overall strategy should be developed to investigate indoor exposures, health effects, control options, and public policy alternatives

Exposure to indoor tanning without burning and melanoma risk by sunburn history.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Ahmed, Rehana L; Nelson, Heather H; Berwick, Marianne; Weinstock, Martin A; Lazovich, DeAnn

2014-06-01

Indoor tanning is carcinogenic to humans. Individuals report that they tan indoors before planning to be in the sun to prevent sunburns, but whether skin cancer is subsequently reduced is unknown. Using a population-based case-control study, we calculated the association between melanoma and indoor tanning after excluding exposed participants reporting indoor tanning-related burns, stratified by their number of lifetime sunburns (0, 1-2, 3-5, >5). Confounding was addressed using propensity score analysis methods. All statistical tests were two-sided. We observed increased risk of melanoma across all sunburn categories for participants who had tanned indoors without burning compared with those who never tanned indoors, including those who reported zero lifetime sunburns (odds ratio = 3.87; 95% confidence interval = 1.68 to 8.91; P = .002). These data provide evidence that indoor tanning is a risk factor for melanoma even among persons who reported never experiencing burns from indoor tanning or outdoor sun exposure. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Parametric studies and evaluations of indoor thermal environment in wet season using a field survey and PMV-PPD method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Shengxian [College of Physics and Electric Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Li, Ming [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); Lin, Wenxian [Key Laboratory of Advanced Technique and Preparation for Renewable Energy Materials, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092 (China); School of Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 (Australia); Sun, Yanlin [College of Physics and Electric Engineering, Qujing Normal University, Qujing 655011 (China)

2010-06-15

Fanger's PMV-PPD is the most famous thermal sensation indices but it is too complex to be applied in practice. To obtain simple and applicable correlations, taking Qujing of Yunnan province, China, as example, a wet season (six-month) field measurement was conducted in a naturally ventilated residential room. Based on collected data, PMV indices were calculated by using Newton's iterative method. It is shown that the PMV values approximately vary from -1.0 to +1.0 and the indoor thermal environment is basically comfortable. Relationships of the parameters (indoor and outdoor air temperatures, mean radiant temperature, PMV and PPD) and indoor air temperature gradients (vertical and horizontal) were also studied by means of the linear regression and the quadratic polynomial fit techniques. Numerous correlations with high relativities have been developed. Moreover, the vertical and horizontal air temperature gradients range from 0.1 K/m to 0.85 K/m and from -0.208 K/m to 0.063 K/m in wet season. It is convenient to use these results to evaluate and assess the indoor thermal environment under similar climatic conditions. The results of this work enrich and develop the basic theory of the indoor thermal environment design and control. (author)

Study of epidemiological risk of lung cancer in Mexico due indoor radon exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Ángeles, A.; Espinosa, G.

2014-07-01

In this work the lifetime relative risks (LRR) of lung cancer due to exposure to indoor 222Rn on the Mexican population is calculated. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer (LC), because that, to calculate the number of cases of LC due to exposure to 222Rn is necessary considers the number of cases of LC for smoking cigarette. The lung cancer mortality rates published by the "Secretaría de Salud" (SSA), the mexican population data published by the "Consejo Nacional de Población" (CONAPO), smoking data in the mexican population, published by the "Comisión Nacional Contra las Adicciones" (CONADIC), the "Organización Panamericana de la Salud" (OPS) and indoor 222Rn concentrations in Mexico published in several recent studies are used. To calculate the lifetime relative risks (LRR) for different segments of the Mexican population, firstly the Excess Relative Risk (ERR) is calculated using the method developed by the BEIR VI committee and subsequently modified by the USEPA and published in the report "EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes". The excess relative risks were then used to calculate the corresponding lifetime relative risks, again using the method developed by the BEIR VI committee. The lifetime relative risks for Mexican male and female eversmokers and Mexican male and female never-smokers were calculated for radon concentrations spanning the range found in recent studies of indoor radon concentrations in Mexico. The lifetime relative risks of lung cancer induced by lifetime exposure to the mexican average indoor radon concentration were estimated to be 1.44 and 1.40 for never-smokers mexican females and males respectively, and 1.19 and 1.17 for ever-smokers Mexican females and males respectively. The Mexican population LRR values obtained in relation to the USA and Canada LRR published values in ever-smokers for both gender are similar with differences less than 4%, in case of never-smokers in relation with Canada

What is the cost of a healthy diet? Using diet data from the UK Women's Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Michelle A; Hulme, Claire; Clarke, Graham P; Edwards, Kimberley L; Cade, Janet E

2014-11-01

A healthy diet is important to promote health and well-being while preventing chronic disease. However, the monetary cost of consuming such a diet can be a perceived barrier. This study will investigate the cost of consuming a range of dietary patterns. A cross-sectional analysis, where cost of diet was assigned to dietary intakes recorded using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. A mean daily diet cost was calculated for seven data-driven dietary patterns. These dietary patterns were given a healthiness score according to how well they comply with the UK Department of Health's Eatwell Plate guidelines. This study involved ∼35 000 women recruited in the 1990s into the UK Women's Cohort Study. A significant positive association was observed between diet cost and healthiness of the diet (p for trend >0.001). The healthiest dietary pattern was double the price of the least healthy, £6.63/day and £3.29/day, respectively. Dietary diversity, described by the patterns, was also shown to be associated with increased cost. Those with higher education and a professional or managerial occupation were more likely to consume a healthier diet. A healthy diet is more expensive to the consumer than a less healthy one. In order to promote health through diet and reduce potential inequalities in health, it seems sensible that healthier food choices should be made more accessible to all. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Phytosterol-deficient and high-phytosterol diets developed for controlled feeding studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Racette, Susan B; Spearie, Catherine Anderson; Phillips, Katherine M; Lin, Xiaobo; Ma, Lina; Ostlund, Richard E

2009-12-01

Phytosterols reduce cholesterol absorption and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, but the quantity and physiological significance of phytosterols in common diets are generally unknown because nutrient databases do not contain comprehensive phytosterol data. The primary aim of this study was to design prototype phytosterol-deficient and high-phytosterol diets for use in controlled feeding studies of the influence of phytosterols on health. A second aim was to quantify the phytosterol content of these prototype diets and three other diets consumed in the United States. This study was conducted from June 2001 to September 2008 and involved designing, preparing, and then analyzing five different diets: an experimental phytosterol-deficient control diet, a relatively high-phytosterol diet based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, American Heart Association diet, Atkins lifetime maintenance plan, and a vegan diet. A single day of meals for each diet was homogenized and the resulting composites were analyzed for free, esterified, and glycosylated phytosterols by gas chromatography. Independent samples t tests were used to compare the diets' total phytosterol content. The total phytosterol content of the experimental phytosterol-deficient diet was 64 mg/2,000 kcal, with progressively larger quantities in Atkins, American Heart Association, vegan, and the high-phytosterol Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (163, 340, 445, and 500 mg/2,000 kcal, respectively). Glycosylated phytosterols, which are often excluded from phytosterol analyses, comprised 15.9%+/-5.9% of total phytosterols. In summary, phytosterol-deficient and high-phytosterol diets that conform to recommended macronutrient guidelines and are palatable can now be used in controlled feeding studies.

Indoor environment program. 1994 annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daisey, J.M.

1995-04-01

Buildings use approximately one-third of the energy consumed in the United States. The potential energy savings derived from reduced infiltration and ventilation in buildings are substantial, since energy use associated with conditioning and distributing ventilation air is about 5.5 EJ per year. However, since ventilation is the dominant mechanism for removing pollutants from indoor sources, reduction of ventilation can have adverse effects on indoor air quality, and on the health, comfort, and productivity of building occupants. The Indoor Environment Program in LBL`s Energy and Environment Division was established in 1977 to conduct integrated research on ventilation, indoor air quality, and energy use and efficiency in buildings for the purpose of reducing energy liabilities associated with airflows into, within, and out of buildings while maintaining or improving occupant health and comfort. The Program is part of LBL`s Center for Building Science. Research is conducted on building energy use and efficiency, ventilation and infiltration, and thermal distribution systems; on the nature, sources, transport, transformation, and deposition of indoor air pollutants; and on exposure and health risks associated with indoor air pollutants. Pollutants of particular interest include radon; volatile, semivolatile, and particulate organic compounds; and combustion emissions, including environmental tobacco smoke, CO, and NO{sub x}.

Indoor environment program - 1995 annual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Daisey, J.M.

1996-06-01

Buildings use approximately one-third of the energy consumed in the United States. The potential energy savings derived from reduced infiltration and ventilation in buildings are substantial, since energy use associated with conditioning and distributing ventilation air is about 5.5 EJ per year. However, since ventilation is the dominant mechanism for removing pollutants from indoor sources, reduction of ventilation can have adverse effects on indoor air quality, and on the health, comfort, and productivity of building occupants. The Indoor Environment Program in LBL`s Energy and Environment Division was established in 1977 to conduct integrated research on ventilation, indoor air quality, and energy use and efficiency in buildings for the purpose of reducing energy liabilities associated with airflows into, within, and out of buildings while maintaining or improving occupant health and comfort. The Program is part of LBL`s Center for Building Science. Research is conducted on building energy use and efficiency, ventilation and infiltration, and thermal distribution systems; on the nature, sources, transport, transformation, and deposition of indoor air pollutants; and on exposure and health risks associated with indoor air pollutants. Pollutants of particular interest include radon; volatile, semivolatile, and particulate organic compounds; and combustion emissions, including environmental tobacco smoke, CO, and NO{sub x}.

A system of UAV application in indoor environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khosiawan, Yohanes; Nielsen, Izabela Ewa

2016-01-01

In recent years, there has been an increased demand in the use of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in indoor environments such as material handling task in a manufacturing environment and plant/environment monitoring task in a greenhouse. However, there is a lack of work reported on this ......In recent years, there has been an increased demand in the use of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in indoor environments such as material handling task in a manufacturing environment and plant/environment monitoring task in a greenhouse. However, there is a lack of work reported...... on this topic. This paper presents a detailed study on several UAV systems and UAV scheduling systems. It is followed by a proposed system of UAV application in indoor environment, which comprises components of UAV system addressed in detail; focused on scheduler as the heart of operations. Consequently, system...... architecture of UAV scheduling system is presented and the framework of scheduler component is included. Scheduler component works in a phased manner to provide a systematic abstraction and achieve an efficient computation time. This study serves as a reference guide for UAV application in indoor environment....

Children's Health and Indoor Air Quality in Primary Schools and Homes in Portugal-Study Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Madureira, Joana; Paciência, Inês; Ramos, Elisabete; Barros, Henrique; Pereira, Cristiana; Teixeira, João Paulo; Fernandes, Eduardo de Oliveira

2015-01-01

The main aim of the research project "On the Contribution of Schools to Children's Overall Indoor Air Exposure" is to study associations between adverse health effects, namely, allergy, asthma, and respiratory symptoms, and indoor air pollutants to which children are exposed to in primary schools and homes. Specifically, this investigation reports on the design of the study and methods used for data collection within the research project and discusses factors that need to be considered when designing such a study. Further, preliminary findings concerning descriptors of selected characteristics in schools and homes, the study population, and clinical examination are presented. The research project was designed in two phases. In the first phase, 20 public primary schools were selected and a detailed inspection and indoor air quality (IAQ) measurements including volatile organic compounds (VOC), aldehydes, particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), bacteria, fungi, temperature, and relative humidity were conducted. A questionnaire survey of 1600 children of ages 8-9 years was undertaken and a lung function test, exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), and tear film stability testing were performed. The questionnaire focused on children's health and on the environment in their school and homes. One thousand and ninety-nine questionnaires were returned. In the second phase, a subsample of 68 children was enrolled for further studies, including a walk-through inspection and checklist and an extensive set of IAQ measurements in their homes. The acquired data are relevant to assess children's environmental exposures and health status.

Indoor tanning in businesses and homes and risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in two US case-control studies

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrucci, Leah M.; Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Cartmel, Brenda; Lazovich, DeAnn; Mayne, Susan T.

2014-01-01

Background Indoor tanning increases skin cancer risk. Beyond early research describing melanoma and sun lamps, few recent reports describe where individuals indoor tan and whether skin cancer risk varies by location (business, home-based). Objective Assess where individuals tanned indoors and skin cancer risk by tanning device location. Methods Multivariate logistic regression in two US case-control studies of melanoma (1,161 cases, 1,083 controls, ages 25–59) and early-onset basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (375 cases, 382 controls, under age 40) conducted between 2004 and 2010. Results Most indoor tanners (86.4–95.1%), especially younger individuals, tanned exclusively in businesses. Persons who used indoor tanning exclusively in businesses were at increased risk of melanoma (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.47–2.26) and BCC (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.15–2.48) compared to non-users. Melanoma risk was also increased in the small number who reported tanning indoors only at home relative to non-users (OR=4.14, 95% CI=1.75–9.78); 67.6% used sun lamps. Limitations Self-reported tanning, potential recall bias. Conclusion Business only tanning, despite claims of “safe" tanning, was positively associated with a significant risk of melanoma and BCC. Home tanning was uncommon and mostly from sun lamps which were rarely used by younger participants. Regardless of location, indoor tanning was associated with increased risk of skin cancer. PMID:25062934

Indoor Environment Program - 1996 Annual Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Indoor Environment Program

1996-11-01

The forty-five chemists, physicists, biologists, architects, engineers, staff, and students of the Indoor Environment Program are all working to solve the problems of indoor air quality, health, comfort, and energy use associated with the indoor environment. A common thread throughout this work is the importance of ventilation--both for its role in supporting human health and comfort as well as for its liability in requiring large amounts of energy to heat and cool it. The importance of understanding these interactions can be illustrated by two examples: the health and productivity of workers (Fisk and Rosenfeld, 1996) and the performance of sensitive equipment in clean room environments (Faulkner, et d., 1996). During the past year, we estimated the magnitudes of health and productivity gains that may be obtained by providing better indoor environments. The ratio of the potential financial benefits of improving indoor environments to the costs of the improvements ranges between 20 and 50. A second example is from our Clean Room Energy Efficiency Study: Clean rooms utilize large amounts of electricity to operate fans that recirculate air at very high flow rates through particle filters. Usually, the fans operate continuously at full speed, even when the clean room is unused. To reduce the energy use in a research clean room, the rate of air recirculation was controlled in response to real-time measurements of particle concentration. With this new control system, fan energy use decreased by 65% to 85% while maintaining particle concentrations below the allowable limits except during occasional one-minute periods. The estimated payback period for this technology is one to four years.

Office of radiation and indoor air: Program description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-06-01

The goal of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Radiation and Indoor Air is to protect the public and the environment from exposures to radiation and indoor air pollutants. The Office develops protection criteria, standards, and policies and works with other programs within EPA and other agencies to control radiation and indoor air pollution exposures; provides technical assistance to states through EPA's regional offices and other agencies having radiation and indoor air protection programs; directs an environmental radiation monitoring program; responds to radiological emergencies; and evaluates and assesses the overall risk and impact of radiation and indoor air pollution. The Office is EPA's lead office for intra- and interagency activities coordinated through the Committee for Indoor Air Quality. It coordinates with and assists the Office of Enforcement in enforcement activities where EPA has jurisdiction. The Office disseminates information and works with state and local governments, industry and professional groups, and citizens to promote actions to reduce exposures to harmful levels of radiation and indoor air pollutants

Perceptions of tanning risk among melanoma patients with a history of indoor tanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Nergard-Martin, Jennifer; Caldwell, Chauncey; Barr, Morgan; Dellavalle, Robert P; Solomon, James A

2018-01-01

A new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation classified tanning beds as class II, requiring indoor tanning facilities to inform users of the risk of skin cancer in efforts to reverse the growing trend in indoor tanning. However, little is known from the patient's perspective on whether knowledge of the risk of skin cancer development is a deterrent to indoor tanning. There also is conflicting literature regarding the relationship among frequency of indoor tanning, age at onset of melanoma diagnosis, and characteristics of diagnosis in melanoma patients with a history of indoor tanning. An international survey was conducted in patients 18 years and older who self-reported being diagnosed with melanoma after indoor tanning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the patients' perspective on indoor-tanning behaviors as associated with the severity of their melanomas and the time frame in which they were diagnosed as well as their perceived views on the safety of indoor tanning and the frequency in which they continue to tan indoors.

In-plane user positioning indoors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jovanovic, N.; Özçelebi, T.; Lukkien, J.J.; Skoric, B.; Ignatenko, T.

2014-01-01

Indoor positioning is a service required by many smart environment applications for various purposes, such as activity classification, indoor navigation and context awareness. In this paper, we present a novel approach to the user positioning problem based on in-plane detection enabled by a set of

A study of some factors which are related to indoor radon concentrations in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louizi, A.; Nikolopoulos, D.; Lobotesi, E.; Mavroudaki, E.; Koukouliou, V.K.; Chanioti, M.; Papadimitriou, D.; Yiakoumakis, M.; Proukakis, C.

1997-01-01

The Medical Physics Department of the University of Athens is conducting radon-222 measurements in Greek dwellings. It is well known that the concentration of radon gas indoors, are related to various factors. A study of these factors has started and first results are reported. (authors)

Quasi-Prospective Study of Breast Cancer and Diet

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hebert, James

2001-01-01

This study aims to refine estimates of the effect of diet on breast cancer. Besides diet we will measure adult weight history and physical activity in women undergoing a diagnostic work-up for breast cancer...

An investigation of factors influencing indoor radon concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majborn, B.; Soerensen, A.; Nielsen, S.P.; Boetter-Jensen, L.

1988-05-01

Variations in indoor radon concentrations and some influencing factors have been studied during a two-year period (1986-1987) in 16 almost identical single-family houses.The annual average radon concentration in the houses varied from about 50 to about 400 Bq/m 3 . Variations in soil characteristics and radon concentration in soil gas could not be directly related to the variations of the average indoor radon concentrations. Most of the houses showed a ''normal'' seasonal variation of the radon concentration with a maximum in the winter and minimum in the summer. A deviating seasonal variation was found in three of the houses. Hourly data obtained in one unoccupied house during a period of 2-1/2 months showed no or only weak correlations between the indoor radon concentration and meteorological factors. However, for most of the houses, the seasonal variation of the indoor radon concentration was well correlated with the average indoor-outdoor temperature difference on a 2-month basis. It was demonstrated that the radon concentration can be strongly reduced in the Risoe houses if a district-heating duct, which is connected to all the houses, is ventilated, so that a slightly lowered pressure is maintained in the duct. 5 taps., 24 ill. (author)

Microbial load in indoor sport environments: new quality issues by molecular biology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Romano Spica

2004-12-01

Full Text Available

The quality of hygiene found in sporting environments represents an emergent requirement in societies of industrialised countries.

Besides safety issues, the microbial load of indoor air, water and surfaces affects comfort and performance. Recent studies have identified fungi as the quantitatively most important component, of unhealthy indoor air.

Few studies have been carried out regarding indoor sport, recreational and rehabilitative facilities, such as swimming pools, saunas and spas. The aim of our study is to determine the extent of fungal and microbial contamination in indoor swimming pool environments, by means of both morphological and molecular typing of isolated species.

Establishment of appropriate standardised monitoring procedures prevents infections and improves quality.

Indoor Positioning System using Bluetooth

OpenAIRE

Sahil Puri

2015-01-01

This Paper on Bluetooth Indoor Positioning System is the intersection of Bluetooth Technology and Indoor Positioning Systems. Almost every smartphone today is Bluetooth enabled, making the use of the technology more flexible. We aim at using the RSSI value of Bluetooth signals to track the location of a device.

Seasonal variations of indoor radon concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majborn, B.

1990-01-01

Seasonal variations of indoor radon concentrations have been studied in a cluster of 10 single-family houses. Eight of the houses are of a similar construction with slab-on-grade foundations. The remaining two houses have different substructures, one of them having a crawl space, and the other having partly a basement and partly a crawl space. A 'normal' seasonal variation of the radon concentration with a maximum in winter and a minimum in summer was observed in most of the houses. In these houses the variation showed a strong correlation with the indoor-outdoor temperature difference on a 2-month basis. However, deviating seasonal variations were observed in some of the houses, notably in the two houses having different substructures. This paper reports that a re-examination of the data obtained in a previous study indicates that winter/summer ratios of indoor radon concentrations in Danish houses depend on the house substructure. The mean winter/summer ratios were about 2.1 for houses with slab-on-grade foundations, 1.5 for houses having a basement, and 1.0 for houses with a crawl space (geometric mean values). However, a study with more houses in each substructure category will be needed to show whether or not the indicated differences are generally valid for Danish houses

Comparative study of short- and long-term indoor radon measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Jarallah, M.I. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)], E-mail: mibrahim@kfupm.edu.sa; Fazal-ur-Rehman,; Abdalla, Khalid [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

2008-08-15

Short-term indoor radon measurements are used widely. Therefore, it is interesting to find out a correlation between these measurements and long-term measurements which reflect a better average radon concentration of individual measurement. To find the correlation between the two measurements of indoor radon concentrations at low radon levels, a study was carried out at 34 locations of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran, Saudi Arabia using active and passive methods. In the short-term active method, a radon gas analyzer (AlphaGUARD) was used for a duration of 24 h in each measurement. In the long-term passive method, CR-39 based radon dosimeters were utilized for a period of 6 months, from January 2006 to June 2006. The short-term active measurements showed that the average, minimum and maximum radon concentrations were 19, 8 and 58Bqm{sup -3}, respectively, with a standard deviation of 8.6Bqm{sup -3}. The long-term passive measurements showed that the average, minimum and maximum radon concentrations were 25, 10 and 67Bqm{sup -3}, respectively, with a standard deviation of 12Bqm{sup -3}. The two measurements showed a poor correlation (R{sup 2}=0.38). The long-term measurements showed on the average higher concentrations by a factor of 1.3.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SEASONAL SLEEP CHANGE AND INDOOR TANNING1,2

Science.gov (United States)

CULNAN, ELIZABETH; KLOSS, JACQUELINE D.; DARLOW, SUSAN; HECKMAN, CAROLYN J.

2015-01-01

Summary Identification of risk factors for indoor tanning may ultimately aid the development of better indoor tanning prevention strategies, which is pertinent given the association between indoor tanning and skin cancer. This study aimed to examine the relationship between seasonal sleep change and indoor tanning. Women tanners (N= 139) completed self-report measures including items relating to seasonal sleep changes, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), reasons for tanning, tanning during the winter months, and the Tanning Pathology Scale (TAPS), which measures problematic tanning motives and symptoms of tanning dependence. It was hypothesized that seasonal sleep change and SAD would be associated with greater indoor tanning during the winter, more tanning to improve mood and to relax, and higher scores on the TAPS. Findings indicated that more seasonal sleep change was associated with tanning to improve mood and higher scores on the TAPS. Similarly, the presence of SAD was related to tanning to improve mood, tanning to relax, and more problematic tanning. PMID:25730744

Relationships in indoor/outdoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roed, J.

1985-01-01

Beryllium-7 and sulphurhexaflourid has been used as tracers in measurements designed to enable an estimate of the ratio of the outdoor to indoor time-integrated concentration for aerosols and non-reactive gasses of outdoor origin with a special reference to the reduction in inhalation dose that can be achieved by staying indoors during a pollution episode, especially a reactor accident. The effect of operating a vacuum cleaner during the pollution episode and airing shortly after is also investigated. Earlier relevant literature is reviewed and shows goos agreement with the results in this study. Protection factor from 1-12 has been found. (author)

LADM and IndoorGML for Support of Indoor Space Identification

Science.gov (United States)

Zlatanova, S.; Van Oosterom, P. J. M.; Lee, J.; Li, K.-J.; Lemmen, C. H. J.

2016-10-01

Guidance and security in large public buildings such as airports, museums and shopping malls requires much more information that traditional 2D methods offer. Therefore 3D semantically-reach models have been actively investigated with the aim to gather knowledge about availability and accessibility of spaces. Spaces can be unavailable to specific users because of plenty of reasons: the 3D geometry of spaces (too low, too narrow), the properties of the objects to be guided to a specific part of the building (walking, driving, flying), the status of the indoor environment (e.g. crowded, limited light, under reconstruction), property regulations (private areas), security considerations and so on. However, such information is not explicitly avaible in the existing 3D semantically-reach models. IFC and CityGML are restricted to architectural building components and provide little to no means to describe such properties. IndoorGML has been designed to establish a generic approach for space identification allowing a space subdivision and automatic creation of a network for route computation. But currently it also represents only spaces as they are defined by the architectural layout of the building. The Land Administration Domain Model is currently the only available model to specify spaces on the basis of ownership and rights for use. In this paper we compare the principles of IndoorGML and LADM, investigate the approaches to define spaces and suggest options to the linking of the two types of spaces. We argue that LADM space subdivision on basis of properties and rights of use can be used to define to semantically and geometrically available and accessible spaces and therefore can enrich the IndoorGML concept.

Electronic cigarettes and indoor air quality: a review of studies using human volunteers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zainol Abidin, Najihah; Zainal Abidin, Emilia; Zulkifli, Aziemah; Karuppiah, Karmegam; Syed Ismail, Sharifah Norkhadijah; Amer Nordin, Amer Siddiq

2017-09-26

This paper is primarily aimed to review articles on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) focusing on indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment that were conducted using human volunteers under natural settings that mimic actual vaping scenarios. Such studies may give a better representation of the actual potential exposure towards e-cigarettes emissions in indoor settings. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed search engine database. Search terms such as "electronic cigarette", "e-cigarette", "electronic nicotine delivery system", and "indoor air quality" were used to identify the relevant articles to be included in this review. Articles that involved human volunteers who were asked to vape in natural settings or settings that mimic the actual vaping scenario were chosen to be reviewed. The search yielded a total of 15 published articles. Eleven articles were excluded due to 1) unavailability of its full-text (n=1), 2) did not involve human volunteers (n=5) and 3) did not involve an IAQ study (n=5). Four articles were critically reviewed in this paper. From the four selected articles, two of the papers focused on the determination of nicotine level released by e-cigarettes whereas the other two covered IAQ parameters namely; particulate matters (PM), propylene glycols, formaldehyde, metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Only two of the studies involved determination of biomarkers of exposure. The level of chemical contents released varied between studies. The differences in the brands of e-cigarette used, number of vapers recruited and the sensitivity of the methodologies employed in these studies may be the possible causes for such differences. However, studies using human volunteers conducted in a natural setting are more relevant to portray the actual exposure to vapors among e-cigarettes users and non-users compared to studies using a smoking machine/an exposure chamber. This is because such studies take into account the behavior of

Method for Improving Indoor Positioning Accuracy Using Extended Kalman Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seoung-Hyeon Lee

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Beacons using bluetooth low-energy (BLE technology have emerged as a new paradigm of indoor positioning service (IPS because of their advantages such as low power consumption, miniaturization, wide signal range, and low cost. However, the beacon performance is poor in terms of the indoor positioning accuracy because of noise, motion, and fading, all of which are characteristics of a bluetooth signal and depend on the installation location. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the accuracy of beacon-based indoor positioning technology by fusing it with existing indoor positioning technology, which uses Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and so forth. This study proposes a beacon-based indoor positioning method using an extended Kalman filter that recursively processes input data including noise. After defining the movement of a smartphone on a flat two-dimensional surface, it was assumed that the beacon signal is nonlinear. Then, the standard deviation and properties of the beacon signal were analyzed. According to the analysis results, an extended Kalman filter was designed and the accuracy of the smartphone’s indoor position was analyzed through simulations and tests. The proposed technique achieved good indoor positioning accuracy, with errors of 0.26 m and 0.28 m from the average x- and y-coordinates, respectively, based solely on the beacon signal.

Distribution of indoor radon levels in Mexico

CERN Document Server

Espinosa, G; Rickards, J; Gammage, R B

1999-01-01

Our laboratory has carried out a systematic monitoring and evaluation of indoor radon concentration levels in Mexico for ten years. The results of the distribution of indoor radon levels for practically the entire country are presented, together with information on geological characteristics, population density, socioeconomic levels of the population, and architectural styles of housing. The measurements of the radon levels were made using the passive method of nuclear tracks in solids with the end-cup system. CR-39 was used as the detector material in combination with a one-step chemical etching procedure and an automatic digital- image counting system. Wherever a high level was measured, a confirming measurement was made using a dynamic method. The results are important for future health studies, including the eventual establishment of patterns for indoor radon concentration, as it has been done in the USA and Europe.

Improving diet sustainability through evolution of food choices: review of epidemiological studies on the environmental impact of diets.

Science.gov (United States)

Perignon, Marlène; Vieux, Florent; Soler, Louis-Georges; Masset, Gabriel; Darmon, Nicole

2017-01-01

The Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainable diets as nutritionally adequate, safe, healthy, culturally acceptable, economically affordable diets that have little environmental impact. This review summarizes the studies assessing, at the individual level, both the environmental impact and the nutritional quality or healthiness of self-selected diets. Reductions in meat consumption and energy intake were identified as primary factors for reducing diet-related greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of foods to replace meat, however, was crucial, with some isocaloric substitutions possibly increasing total diet greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, nutritional adequacy was rarely or only partially assessed, thereby compromising the assessment of diet sustainability. Furthermore, high nutritional quality was not necessarily associated with affordability or lower environmental impact. Hence, when identifying sustainable diets, each dimension needs to be assessed by relevant indicators. Finally, some nonvegetarian self-selected diets consumed by a substantial fraction of the population showed good compatibility with the nutritional, environmental, affordability, and acceptability dimensions. Altogether, the reviewed studies revealed the scarcity of standardized nationally representative data for food prices and environmental indicators and suggest that diet sustainability might be increased without drastic dietary changes. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.

Indoor tanning in businesses and homes and risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer in 2 US case-control studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrucci, Leah M; Vogel, Rachel Isaksson; Cartmel, Brenda; Lazovich, DeAnn; Mayne, Susan T

2014-11-01

Indoor tanning increases skin cancer risk. Beyond early research describing melanoma and sun lamps, few recent reports describe where individuals indoor tan and whether skin cancer risk varies by location (business, home-based). We sought to assess where individuals tanned indoors and skin cancer risk by tanning device location. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted in 2 US case-control studies of melanoma (1161 cases, 1083 controls, ages 25-59 years) and early-onset basal cell carcinoma (375 cases, 382 controls, agetanned exclusively in businesses. Persons who used indoor tanning exclusively in businesses were at increased risk of melanoma (odds ratio 1.82, 95% confidence interval 1.47-2.26) and basal cell carcinoma (odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.15-2.48) compared with non-users. Melanoma risk was also increased in the small number who reported tanning indoors only at home relative to non-users (odds ratio 4.14, 95% confidence interval 1.75-9.78); 67.6% used sun lamps. Self-reported tanning and potential recall bias are limitations. Business-only tanning, despite claims of "safe" tanning, was positively associated with a significant risk of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Home tanning was uncommon and mostly from sun lamps, which were rarely used by younger participants. Regardless of location, indoor tanning was associated with increased risk of skin cancer. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integration of a photocatalytic multi-tube reactor for indoor air purification in HVAC systems: a feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

van Walsem, Jeroen; Roegiers, Jelle; Modde, Bart; Lenaerts, Silvia; Denys, Siegfried

2018-04-24

This work is focused on an in-depth experimental characterization of multi-tube reactors for indoor air purification integrated in ventilation systems. Glass tubes were selected as an excellent photocatalyst substrate to meet the challenging requirements of the operating conditions in a ventilation system in which high flow rates are typical. Glass tubes show a low-pressure drop which reduces the energy demand of the ventilator, and additionally, they provide a large exposed surface area to allow interaction between indoor air contaminants and the photocatalyst. Furthermore, the performance of a range of P25-loaded sol-gel coatings was investigated, based on their adhesion properties and photocatalytic activities. Moreover, the UV light transmission and photocatalytic reactor performance under various operating conditions were studied. These results provide vital insights for the further development and scaling up of multi-tube reactors in ventilation systems which can provide a better comfort, improved air quality in indoor environments, and reduced human exposure to harmful pollutants.

High indoor radon concentrations in some Swedish waterworks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aakerblom, G.; Hagberg, N.; Mjoenes, L.; Heiberg, A.

2002-01-01

High indoor radon concentrations in buildings used for water treatment are not uncommon. When raw water is processed in an open system radon escapes from the water to the indoor air of the premises. It is not unusual that the staff of the waterworks have their offices in the building where the water is processed. If large volumes of water are processed and the evaporated radon can reach the workplaces the indoor radon concentration can be very high even if the radon concentration of the raw water is moderate. Groundwaters from aquifers in bedrock and soil and surface water that has been infiltrated through deposits of sand or gravel have the potential to cause high indoor radon levels. In surface water emanating directly from a lake or a river the radon concentrations are normally too low to cause problems. Three waterworks in central Sweden have been studied, Ludvika, Fredriksberg and Kolbaeck. The radon concentrations in the raw water of these waterworks are from 85 Bq/l to 300 Bq/l. Average indoor radon concentrations exceeding 17,000 Bq/m 3 have been measured in Ludvika with peaks of almost 37,000 Bq/m 3 . In Kolbaeck radon concentrations up to 56,000 Bq/m 3 have been measured. It is quite possible that employees of waterworks can receive doses exceeding 20 mSv per year (calculated according to ICRP:s dose conversion convention). Measurements of radon and gamma radiation from the waterworks are reported and methods to lower the indoor radon concentrations are discussed. (author)

A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Reenen, CA

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This multiple case study was designed to investigate acoustics in multi-bed general wards in four urban South African hospitals. Evidence-based research shows that a quiet indoor environment has positive outcomes for hospital patients and staff...

Dietary adherence and acceptability of five different diets, including vegan and vegetarian diets, for weight loss: The New DIETs study.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Wendy J; McGrievy, Michael E; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M

2015-12-01

The goal of the present study was to examine dietary adherence and acceptability among participants from the New DIETs study who were randomized to one of four plant-based diets (vegan, vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian) or an omnivore diet. Primary outcomes at two- and six months included dietary adherence (24-hour dietary recalls), weight loss and changes in animal product intake (mg cholesterol) by adherence status, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), Power of Food Scale (PFS), dietary acceptability (Food Acceptability Questionnaire), and impact of diet preference on adherence. No differences were found in dietary adherence or changes in FAQ, TFEQ, or PFS among the groups. At six months, non-adherent vegan and vegetarian participants (n=16) had a significantly greater decrease in cholesterol intake (-190.2 ± 199.2 mg) than non-adherent pesco-vegetarian/semi-vegetarian (n=15, -2.3 ± 200.3 mg, P=0.02) or omnivore participants (n=7, 17.0 ± 36.0, P=0.04). Non-adherent vegan/vegetarian participants lost significantly more weight at six months (-6.0 ± 6.7%) than non-adherent omnivore participants (-0.4 ± 0.6%, P=0.04). Dietary preference had no impact on adherence at six months. Due to equal rates of adherence and acceptability among the diet groups, instructing participants to follow vegan or vegetarian diets may have a greater impact on weight loss and animal product intake than providing instruction in more moderate approaches even among non-adherent participants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design of indoor furniture with acoustic insulation and noise reduction function

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ziqiang; Lyu, Jianhua; Chen, Ming

2018-05-01

In this article, the current status of noise pollution research is analyzed and indoor noise pollution hazard on human body is discussed taking noise pollution as entry point to better understand people's needs in this concern, and it comes to the conclusion that indoor furniture with noise insulation function is required; In addition, the design status and necessity of indoor furniture with noise insulation function are expounded and the material property, structure design essentials and form design are analyzed according to sound transmission principles. In the end, design case study is presented to provide an effective way for design of indoor furniture with acoustic insulation function that meets people's needs.

Recognition, evaluation, and control of indoor air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chastain, B.

1993-01-01

Indoor air pollution is typically associated with terms sick building syndrome, tight building syndrome, building related illness, and problem building. Indoor air pollution is a relatively new public health concern (approximately 15 years old) although this issue is an age-old problem dating back to prehistoric times when humans came to live indoors. This presentation summarizes indoor air quality issues in order to provide you with usable information concerning the recognition and evaluation of indoor air quality (IAQ) problems and the subsequent control measures which can be used for maintaining or improving the indoor air environment for better occupant health and comfort control. Why has the subject become so vocalized in the last fifteen years? Why the sudden interest and awareness concerning indoor air quality issues? During the last half of the 1970's and all of the 1980's, buildings were built or remodeled to minimize air handling, heating, and cooling costs, often limiting the amount of outside air brought into the buildings to near minimums. Paralleling these developments, complaints related to modern buildings increased. The new terms tight building syndrome, sick building syndrome, and indoor air quality became widely used by health and safety professionals and subsequently by newspaper columnist and the general public

Providing better indoor environmental quality brings economicbenefits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisk, William; Seppanen, Olli

2007-06-01

This paper summarizes the current scientific evidence that improved indoor environmental quality can improve work performance and health. The review indicates that work and school work performance is affected by indoor temperature and ventilation rate. Pollutant source removal can sometimes improve work performance. Based on formal statistical analyses of existing research results, quantitative relationships are provided for the linkages of work performance with indoor temperature and outdoor air ventilation rate. The review also indicates that improved health and related financial savings are obtainable from reduced indoor tobacco smoking, prevention and remediation of building dampness, and increased ventilation. Example cost-benefit analyses indicate that many measures to improve indoor temperature control and increase ventilation rates will be highly cost effective, with benefit-cost ratios as high as 80 and annual economic benefits as high as $700 per person.

A Foundation for Efficient Indoor Distance-Aware Query Processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Hua; Cao, Xin; Jensen, Christian Søndergaard

2012-01-01

model that integrates indoor distance seamlessly. To enable the use of the model as a foundation for query processing, we develop accompanying, efficient algorithms that compute indoor distances for different indoor entities like doors as well as locations. We also propose an indexing framework......Indoor spaces accommodate large numbers of spatial objects, e.g., points of interest (POIs), and moving populations. A variety of services, e.g., location-based services and security control, are relevant to indoor spaces. Such services can be improved substantially if they are capable of utilizing...... that accommodates indoor distances that are pre-computed using the proposed algorithms. On top of this foundation, we develop efficient algorithms for typical indoor, distance-aware queries. The results of an extensive experimental evaluation demonstrate the efficacy of the proposals....

[Real-time measurement of indoor particulate matter originating from environmental tobacco smoke: a pilot study].

Science.gov (United States)

Invernizzi, Giovanni; Ruprecht, Ario; Mazza, Roberto; Majno, Edoardo; Rossetti, Edoardo; Paredi, Paolo; Boffi, Roberto

2002-01-01

Short-term measurement of suspended particulate matter has been recently made possible since the release of laser-operating portable instruments. Data of a pilot study of field evaluation of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) with a portable instrument are reported. We analysed the concentrations of total suspended particle (TSP) and of the fine particles PM10, PM7, PM2.5 and PM1 released indoor from a single cigarette, and their levels inside smoking- and non-smoking-areas of a restaurant. The results indicate that ETS creates high level indoor particulate pollution, with concentrations of PM10 exceeding air quality standards. This kind of field evaluation could allow a more careful assessing of short-term exposure to ETS and its relevance to public health.

Fungal pollution of indoor environments and its management.

Science.gov (United States)

Haleem Khan, A A; Mohan Karuppayil, S

2012-10-01

Indoor environments play important roles in human health. The health hazards posed by polluted indoor environments include allergy, infections and toxicity. Life style changes have resulted in a shift from open air environments to air tight, energy efficient, environments, in which people spend a substantial portion of their time. Most indoor air pollution comes from the hazardous non biological agents and biological agents. Fungi are ubiquitous in distribution and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. In this communication, we have reviewed the current status on biotic indoor air pollution, role of fungi as biological contaminants and their impact on human health.

Development of a field measurement methodology for studying the thermal indoor environment in hybrid GEOTABS buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Khovalyg, Dolaana; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2018-01-01

buildings. The three demonstration buildings were an office building in Luxembourg, an elderly care home in Belgium, and an elementary school in Czech Republic. All of these buildings are equipped with hybrid GEOTABS systems; however, they vary in size and function, which requires a unique measurement...... methodology for studying them. These buildings already have advanced Building Management Systems (BMS); however, a more detailed measurement plan was needed for the purposes of the project to document the current performance of these systems regarding thermal indoor environment and energy performance......, and to be able to document the improvements after the implementation of the MPC. This study provides the details of the developed field measurement methodology for each of these buildings to study the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in details. The developed measurement methodology can be applied to other...

Air Quality and Indoor Environmental Exposures: Clinical ...

Science.gov (United States)

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and homes as it relates to the health and comfort of the occupants. Many ambient (outdoor) air pollutants readily permeate indoor spaces. Because indoor air can be considerably more polluted than ambient air, the USEPA lists poor IAQ as a major environmental concern. In the sections that follow, health effects associated with commonly encountered ambient air pollutants and indoor contaminants will be broken down by agent class. In some cases, exposure may be acute, with one or more pets (and owners) experiencing signs within a relatively short period. However, most exposures are episodic or chronic, making it difficult to definitively link poor IAQ to respiratory or other adverse health outcomes. Age or underlying immunologic, cardiac, or respiratory disease may further complicate the clinical picture, as those patients may be more sensitive to (and affected by) lower concentrations than prove problematic for healthy housemates. Because pets, like their owners, spend most of their lives indoors, we will discuss how certain home conditions can worsen indoor air quality and will briefly discuss measures to improve IAQ for owners and their pets. In this overview presentation, health effects associated with commonly encountered ambient air pollutants and indoor contaminants will be broken down by agent class. Because pets, like their owners, spend most of their lives indoo

Rethinking Indoor Localization Solutions Towards the Future of Mobile Location-Based Services

Science.gov (United States)

Guney, C.

2017-11-01

Satellite navigation systems with GNSS-enabled devices, such as smartphones, car navigation systems, have changed the way users travel in outdoor environment. GNSS is generally not well suited for indoor location and navigation because of two reasons: First, GNSS does not provide a high level of accuracy although indoor applications need higher accuracies. Secondly, poor coverage of satellite signals for indoor environments decreases its accuracy. So rather than using GNSS satellites within closed environments, existing indoor navigation solutions rely heavily on installed sensor networks. There is a high demand for accurate positioning in wireless networks in GNSS-denied environments. However, current wireless indoor positioning systems cannot satisfy the challenging needs of indoor location-aware applications. Nevertheless, access to a user's location indoors is increasingly important in the development of context-aware applications that increases business efficiency. In this study, how can the current wireless location sensing systems be tailored and integrated for specific applications, like smart cities/grids/buildings/cars and IoT applications, in GNSS-deprived areas.

RETHINKING INDOOR LOCALIZATION SOLUTIONS TOWARDS THE FUTURE OF MOBILE LOCATION-BASED SERVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Guney

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Satellite navigation systems with GNSS-enabled devices, such as smartphones, car navigation systems, have changed the way users travel in outdoor environment. GNSS is generally not well suited for indoor location and navigation because of two reasons: First, GNSS does not provide a high level of accuracy although indoor applications need higher accuracies. Secondly, poor coverage of satellite signals for indoor environments decreases its accuracy. So rather than using GNSS satellites within closed environments, existing indoor navigation solutions rely heavily on installed sensor networks. There is a high demand for accurate positioning in wireless networks in GNSS-denied environments. However, current wireless indoor positioning systems cannot satisfy the challenging needs of indoor location-aware applications. Nevertheless, access to a user’s location indoors is increasingly important in the development of context-aware applications that increases business efficiency. In this study, how can the current wireless location sensing systems be tailored and integrated for specific applications, like smart cities/grids/buildings/cars and IoT applications, in GNSS-deprived areas.

Plants for Sustainable Improvement of Indoor Air Quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brilli, Federico; Fares, Silvano; Ghirardo, Andrea; Visser, de Pieter; Calatayud, Vicent; Muñoz, Amalia; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Sebastiani, Federico; Alivernini, Alessandro; Varriale, Vincenzo; Menghini, Flavio

2018-01-01

Indoor pollution poses a serious threat to human health. Plants represent a sustainable but underexploited solution to enhance indoor air quality. However, the current selection of plants suitable for indoors fails to consider the physiological processes and mechanisms involved in phytoremediation.

Behavioural change, indoor air pollution and child respiratory health in developing countries: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Brendon R

2014-04-25

Indoor air pollution caused by the indoor burning of solid biomass fuels has been associated with Acute Respiratory Infections such as pneumonia amongst children of less than five years of age. Behavioural change interventions have been identified as a potential strategy to reduce child indoor air pollution exposure, yet very little is known about the impact of behavioural change interventions to reduce indoor air pollution. Even less is known about how behaviour change theory has been incorporated into indoor air pollution behaviour change interventions. A review of published studies spanning 1983-2013 suggests that behavioural change strategies have the potential to reduce indoor air pollution exposure by 20%-98% in laboratory settings and 31%-94% in field settings. However, the evidence is: (1) based on studies that are methodologically weak; and (2) have little or no underlying theory. The paper concludes with a call for more rigorous studies to evaluate the role of behavioural change strategies (with or without improved technologies) to reduce indoor air pollution exposure in developing countries as well as interventions that draw more strongly on existing behavioural change theory and practice.

Supporting Indoor Navigation Using Access Rights to Spaces Based on Combined Use of IndoorGML and LADM Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Alattas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to investigate the combined use of IndoorGML and the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM to define the accessibility of the indoor spaces based on the ownership and/or the functional right for use. The users of the indoor spaces create a relationship with the space depending on the type of the building and the function of the spaces. The indoor spaces of each building have different usage functions and associated users. By defining the user types of the indoor spaces, LADM makes it possible to establish a relationship between the indoor spaces and the users. LADM assigns rights, restrictions, and responsibilities to each indoor space, which indicates the accessible spaces for each type of user. The three-dimensional (3D geometry of the building will be impacted by assigning such functional rights, and will provide additional knowledge to path computation for an individual or a group of users. As a result, the navigation process will be more appropriate and simpler because the navigation path will avoid all of the non-accessible spaces based on the rights of the party. The combined use of IndoorGML and LADM covers a broad range of information classes: (indoor 3D cell spaces, connectivity, spatial units/boundaries, (access/use rights and restrictions, parties/persons/actors, and groups of them. The new specialized classes for individual students, individual staff members, groups of students, groups of staff members are able to represent cohorts of education programmes and the organizational structure (organogram: faculty, department, group. The model is capable to represent the access times to lecture rooms (based on education/teaching schedules, use rights of meeting rooms, opening hours of offices, etc. The two original standard models remain independent in our approach, we do not propose yet another model, but applications can fully benefit of the potential of the combined use, which is an important contribution

Ultra Wideband Indoor Positioning Technologies: Analysis and Recent Advances.

Science.gov (United States)

Alarifi, Abdulrahman; Al-Salman, AbdulMalik; Alsaleh, Mansour; Alnafessah, Ahmad; Al-Hadhrami, Suheer; Al-Ammar, Mai A; Al-Khalifa, Hend S

2016-05-16

In recent years, indoor positioning has emerged as a critical function in many end-user applications; including military, civilian, disaster relief and peacekeeping missions. In comparison with outdoor environments, sensing location information in indoor environments requires a higher precision and is a more challenging task in part because various objects reflect and disperse signals. Ultra WideBand (UWB) is an emerging technology in the field of indoor positioning that has shown better performance compared to others. In order to set the stage for this work, we provide a survey of the state-of-the-art technologies in indoor positioning, followed by a detailed comparative analysis of UWB positioning technologies. We also provide an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to analyze the present state of UWB positioning technologies. While SWOT is not a quantitative approach, it helps in assessing the real status and in revealing the potential of UWB positioning to effectively address the indoor positioning problem. Unlike previous studies, this paper presents new taxonomies, reviews some major recent advances, and argues for further exploration by the research community of this challenging problem space.

Ultra Wideband Indoor Positioning Technologies: Analysis and Recent Advances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulrahman Alarifi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In recent years, indoor positioning has emerged as a critical function in many end-user applications; including military, civilian, disaster relief and peacekeeping missions. In comparison with outdoor environments, sensing location information in indoor environments requires a higher precision and is a more challenging task in part because various objects reflect and disperse signals. Ultra WideBand (UWB is an emerging technology in the field of indoor positioning that has shown better performance compared to others. In order to set the stage for this work, we provide a survey of the state-of-the-art technologies in indoor positioning, followed by a detailed comparative analysis of UWB positioning technologies. We also provide an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT to analyze the present state of UWB positioning technologies. While SWOT is not a quantitative approach, it helps in assessing the real status and in revealing the potential of UWB positioning to effectively address the indoor positioning problem. Unlike previous studies, this paper presents new taxonomies, reviews some major recent advances, and argues for further exploration by the research community of this challenging problem space.

Evaluation of Indoor Radio Deployment Options in High-Rise Building

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Huan Cong; Wigard, Jeroen; Kovacs, Istvan

2017-01-01

to the increase of inter-cell interference (ICI). Increasing transmit power brings largest gain when the density of indoor cell is low, and the noise and/or outdoor interference is the dominant source of performance degradation. When analyzing performance gain of an ideal receiver-side Interference Cancellation......In this paper we set out to analyze the indoor capacity under a realistic high-rise building scenario. The study takes into consideration the number of indoor cells deployed per floor, different inter-site distances (ISDs), transmit power settings and outdoor macro interference levels. The outcome...

Indoor Photography

OpenAIRE

Sagers, Stephen; Patterson, Ron

2011-01-01

Photography is the science of recording light in an artistic way to create a pleasing image. Indoor photography requires a photographer to become familiar with some of the built in functions of a camera.

Multigeneration feeding studies with an irradiated whole diet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravindakshan, M.; Chaubey, R.C.; Chauhan, P.S.; Sundaram, K.

1978-01-01

Multigeneration feeding studies have been carried out to investigate the effects of long-term feeding of an irradiated whole diet in Wistar rats. The parent and the four successive generations were fed on a nutritionally adequate test diet exposed to either 0.2 or 2.5Mrad gamma radiation and the effects, if any, on various parameters of animal health were assessed. In addition to an unirradiated test control, a historical control group fed on stock laboratory rations was also employed for comparison. The test diet consisted of various components including some of the basic ingredients of human diet in India. Exposure of the test diet to 0.2 or 2.5Mrad did not affect the food efficiency ratio and there were no significant differences in the growth rates of animals fed on unirradiated or irradiated diets. Reproductive performance of the rats fed on irradiated or unirradiated diets belonging to the parent, first, second or third generations were also comparable. Mortality rates and reproductive function in relation to age were also not altered due to feeding of irradiated whole diets. The haematological profile and the serum enzymes of the animals of all the generations fed irradiated diets were within normal limits. Though some differences were observed in the relative weights of some organs, these effects were limited to a particular generation, did not show any definite pattern and could not be related to the ingestion of irradiated diets. First-generation rats examined at 100-104 weeks for gross pathological manifestations including tumour incidence also did not indicate any significant differences among groups. (author)

Indoor Environmental Quality in Mechanically Ventilated, Energy-Efficient Buildings vs. Conventional Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallner, Peter; Munoz, Ute; Tappler, Peter; Wanka, Anna; Kundi, Michael; Shelton, Janie F; Hutter, Hans-Peter

2015-11-06

Energy-efficient buildings need mechanical ventilation. However, there are concerns that inadequate mechanical ventilation may lead to impaired indoor air quality. Using a semi-experimental field study, we investigated if exposure of occupants of two types of buildings (mechanical vs. natural ventilation) differs with regard to indoor air pollutants and climate factors. We investigated living and bedrooms in 123 buildings (62 highly energy-efficient and 61 conventional buildings) built in the years 2010 to 2012 in Austria (mainly Vienna and Lower Austria). Measurements of indoor parameters (climate, chemical pollutants and biological contaminants) were conducted twice. In total, more than 3000 measurements were performed. Almost all indoor air quality and room climate parameters showed significantly better results in mechanically ventilated homes compared to those relying on ventilation from open windows and/or doors. This study does not support the hypothesis that occupants in mechanically ventilated low energy houses are exposed to lower indoor air quality.

Evolution of Indoor Positioning Technologies: A Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramon F. Brena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Indoor positioning systems (IPS use sensors and communication technologies to locate objects in indoor environments. IPS are attracting scientific and enterprise interest because there is a big market opportunity for applying these technologies. There are many previous surveys on indoor positioning systems; however, most of them lack a solid classification scheme that would structurally map a wide field such as IPS, or omit several key technologies or have a limited perspective; finally, surveys rapidly become obsolete in an area as dynamic as IPS. The goal of this paper is to provide a technological perspective of indoor positioning systems, comprising a wide range of technologies and approaches. Further, we classify the existing approaches in a structure in order to guide the review and discussion of the different approaches. Finally, we present a comparison of indoor positioning approaches and present the evolution and trends that we foresee.

Interior shadings for office indoor visual comfort in humid climate region

Science.gov (United States)

Dinapradipta, Asri; Sudarma, Erwin; Defiana, Ima; Erwindi, Collinthia

2018-03-01

As part of the fenestration system, the interior shadings have also a role to control the indoor environment to maintain indoor visual comfort. As the occupants have personal access to control these, their control behavior then, might enhance or even worsen indoor comfort performance. The controlling behavior might not only influence indoor comfort performance but can also indicate the success or failure of interior shading as a control device element. This paper is intended to report control behavior patterns, as represented by the variety of the slats’ openings of two types of interior shading i.e. Venetian and Vertical blinds and to analyze these on the concurrent impacts to indoor office building’s indoor illuminance and luminance distribution. The purpose of this research is to figure out the shading control patterns as well as to examine the effectiveness of these two types of interior shadings to control indoor visual environment. This study is a quantitative research using experimentation on the slats’ opening of two types of shadings at two identical office rooms. The research results suggested that both types of blinds seem unsuitable for gaining proper illumination values at work planes in humid tropics area. However, these shadings demonstrate good performance for luminance distribution except for that of the closed Venetian blinds.

A comparative study of indoor radon levels and inhalation dose in some areas of Punjab and Haryana, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajwa, B.S.; Singh, Harmanjit; Singh, Joga; Singh, Surinder

2009-01-01

Indoor radon concentrations have been measured for two consecutive half-year periods in a wide range of dwellings of some regions of Punjab and Haryana states. The objective was to find correlation between the variations of indoor radon levels with the sub-soil, local geology, type of building materials, etc. of the two regions. So keeping this in view the indoor radon measurements have been carried out in the dwellings of different villages around the Tusham ring complex, Bhiwani District, Haryana, known to be composed of acidic volcanics and the associated granites along with some villages of Amritsar District, Punjab. The indoor radon concentration in the dwellings around Tusham (Haryana) have been found to be varying from 120.5±95 to 915.2±233 Bq m -3 , whereas it ranges from 60.0±37 to 235.6±96 Bq m -3 for the dwellings of Punjab. The 222 Rn concentration observed at most of locations particularly around Tusham ring complex region is higher than that of all the villages studied in Punjab region. Local geology including embedded granitic rocks, sub-soil, etc. as well as building materials having higher radioactive content are the major contributors for the higher indoor radon levels observed in the dwelling around Tusham, where few dwellings have higher radon concentrations than the ICRP, 1993 recommendations. The annual effective dose equivalent has also been estimated for each location of the both regions, which has been found to be varying from 1.0 to 17.2 mSv/y. (author)

Indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure monitoring of particulate air pollution: the Baltimore elderly epidemiology-exposure pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Ron; Creason, John; Zweidinger, Roy; Watts, Randall; Sheldon, Linda; Shy, Carl

A 17-day pilot study investigating potential PM exposures of an elderly population was conducted near Baltimore, Maryland. Collection of residential indoor, residential outdoor, and ambient monitoring data associated with the subjects living at a common retirement facility was integrated with results from a paired epidemiological pilot study. This integration was used to investigate the potential pathophysiological health effects resulting from daily changes in estimated PM exposures with results reported elsewhere. Objectives of the exposure study were to determine the feasibility of performing PM exposure assessment upon an elderly population and establishing relationships between the various exposure measures including personal monitoring. PM 2.5 was determined to be the dominant outdoor size fraction (0.83 PM 2.5/PM 10 mass ratio by dichot monitoring). Individual 24-h PM 1.5 personal exposures ranged from 12 to 58 μg m -3. Comparison of data from matched sampling dates resulted in mean daily PM 1.5 personal, PM 2.5 outdoor, and PM 1.5 indoor concentrations of 34, 17, and 17 μg m -3, respectively. Activity patterns of the study population indicated a generally sedentary population spending a mean of 96% of each day indoors. Future studies would benefit from the use of a consistent sampling methodology across a larger number of PM measurement sites relevant to the elderly subjects, as well as a larger personal PM exposure study population to more successfully collect data needed in matched epidemiological-exposure studies.

Association between Four-Level Categorisation of Indoor Exposure and Perceived Indoor Air Quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katja Tähtinen

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop and test a tool for assessing urgency of indoor air quality (IAQ measures. The condition of the 27 buildings were investigated and results were categorized. Statistical test studied the differences between the categories and the employees’ complaints about their work environment. To study the employees’ experiences of the work premises, a validated indoor air (IA questionnaire was used. This study reveals a multifaceted problem: many factors affecting IAQ may also affect perceived IAQ, making it difficult to separate the impurity sources and ventilation system deficiencies affecting to employee experiences. An examination of the relationship between the categories and perceived IAQ revealed an association between the mould odour perceived by employees and mould detected by the researcher. A weak link was also found between the assessed categories and environmental complaints. However, we cannot make far-reaching conclusions regarding the assessed probability of abnormal IA exposure in the building on the basis of employee experiences. According to the results, categorising tool can partly support the assessment of the urgency for repairs when several factors that affect IAQ are taken into account.

Association between Four-Level Categorisation of Indoor Exposure and Perceived Indoor Air Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Tähtinen, Katja; Lappalainen, Sanna; Karvala, Kirsi; Remes, Jouko; Salonen, Heidi

2018-04-04

The aim of this study was to develop and test a tool for assessing urgency of indoor air quality (IAQ) measures. The condition of the 27 buildings were investigated and results were categorized. Statistical test studied the differences between the categories and the employees’ complaints about their work environment. To study the employees’ experiences of the work premises, a validated indoor air (IA) questionnaire was used. This study reveals a multifaceted problem: many factors affecting IAQ may also affect perceived IAQ, making it difficult to separate the impurity sources and ventilation system deficiencies affecting to employee experiences. An examination of the relationship between the categories and perceived IAQ revealed an association between the mould odour perceived by employees and mould detected by the researcher. A weak link was also found between the assessed categories and environmental complaints. However, we cannot make far-reaching conclusions regarding the assessed probability of abnormal IA exposure in the building on the basis of employee experiences. According to the results, categorising tool can partly support the assessment of the urgency for repairs when several factors that affect IAQ are taken into account.

Preventing Skin Cancer Through Reduction of Indoor Tanning

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Meg; Holman, Dawn M.; Fox, Kathleen A.; Guy, Gery P.; Seidenberg, Andrew B.; Sampson, Blake P.; Sinclair, Craig; Lazovich, DeAnn

2015-01-01

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from indoor tanning devices (tanning beds, booths, and sun lamps) or from the sun contributes to the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, which is the type of skin cancer responsible for most deaths. Indoor tanning is common among certain groups, especially among older adolescents and young adults, adolescent girls and young women, and non-Hispanic whites. Increased understanding of the health risks associated with indoor tanning has led to many efforts to reduce use. Most environmental and systems efforts in the U.S. (e.g., age limits or requiring parental consent/accompaniment) have occurred at the state level. At the national level, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission regulate indoor tanning devices and advertising, respectively. The current paper provides a brief review of (1) the evidence on indoor tanning as a risk factor for skin cancer; (2) factors that may influence use of indoor tanning devices at the population level; and (3) various environmental and systems options available for consideration when developing strategies to reduce indoor tanning. This information provides the context and background for the companion paper in this issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which summarizes highlights from an informal expert meeting convened by the CDC in August 2012 to identify opportunities to prevent skin cancer by reducing use of indoor tanning devices. PMID:23683987

Design an Indoor Air Quality Controller Based on LPC2478

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Shuheng

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Indoor air quality is very important to our lives, because we spend most of our time indoor. In order to improve the air quality of indoor, this paper designs an indoor environment quality monitoring and controlling system based on ARM microcontroller LPC2478. It will do a real-time monitoring work for detecting the indoor environmental factors and comprehensively evaluate its air quality level. While the indoor air quality status is "poor", this intelligent system will automatically start the heat exchange ventilator for indoor environmental quality improvement. The results compared to traditional natural ventilation method show the better performance of proposed system.

Indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehner, Mackenzie R; Shive, Melissa L; Chren, Mary-Margaret; Han, Jiali; Qureshi, Abrar A; Linos, Eleni

2012-10-02

To synthesise the literature on indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer. Systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed (1966 to present), Embase (1974 to present), and Web of Science (1898 to present). All articles that reported an original effect statistic for indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Articles that presented no data, such as review articles and editorials, were excluded, as were articles in languages other than English. Two investigators independently extracted data. Random effects meta-analysis was used to summarise the relative risk of ever use versus never use of indoor tanning. Dose-response effects and exposure to indoor tanning during early life were also examined. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States population was calculated. 12 studies with 9328 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Among people who reported ever using indoor tanning compared with those who never used indoor tanning, the summary relative risk for squamous cell carcinoma was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.29 to 2.17) and that for basal cell carcinoma was 1.29 (1.08 to 1.53). No significant heterogeneity existed between studies. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States was estimated to be 8.2% for squamous cell carcinoma and 3.7% for basal cell carcinoma. This corresponds to more than 170 000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year attributable to indoor tanning. On the basis of data from three studies, use of indoor tanning before age 25 was more strongly associated with both squamous cell carcinoma (relative risk 2.02, 0.70 to 5.86) and basal cell carcinoma (1.40, 1.29 to 1.52). Indoor tanning is associated with a significantly increased risk of both basal and squamous cell skin cancer. The risk is higher with use in early life (skin cancer each year in the United States alone and many more worldwide. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence on the harms of indoor

The effects of an energy efficiency retrofit on indoor air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, S E; Destaillats, H; Cohn, S; Ahrentzen, S; Fraser, M P

2015-04-01

To investigate the impacts of an energy efficiency retrofit, indoor air quality and resident health were evaluated at a low-income senior housing apartment complex in Phoenix, Arizona, before and after a green energy building renovation. Indoor and outdoor air quality sampling was carried out simultaneously with a questionnaire to characterize personal habits and general health of residents. Measured indoor formaldehyde levels before the building retrofit routinely exceeded reference exposure limits, but in the long-term follow-up sampling, indoor formaldehyde decreased for the entire study population by a statistically significant margin. Indoor PM levels were dominated by fine particles and showed a statistically significant decrease in the long-term follow-up sampling within certain resident subpopulations (i.e. residents who report smoking and residents who had lived longer at the apartment complex). © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Designing Indoor Climate. A Thesis on the Integration of Indoor Climate Analysis in Architectural Design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Den Hartog, J.P.

2003-12-01

In contemporary architecture education, indoor climate and building installations suffer from a lack of popularity. Students of architecture, filled with great expectations and awe for the famous designers of the 20th century, find inspiration in examples such as Le Corbusier's Villa Savoy, Lloyd Wright's falling water or the Rietveld's Schroder house. Recognizable as this may be, great aesthetics constitute only a small part of creating architecture. The process of designing and constructing buildings comprises the involvement of a multitude of skills such as creating clear functional layouts, designing solid structures and taking care of healthy indoor climates. Most textbooks and magazines contemporary architecture do not cover the less attractive aspects of the indoor climate such as heating, ventilation and cooling unless these services form an important part of the buildings aesthetic identity. Recent examples regarding the integration of second skin facades and natural ventilation in indoor climate, sometimes fail to convince as a result of the lack of thorough evaluations and detailed information.

Assessment of the biomass related indoor air pollution in Kwale ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Indoor air pollution remains an important health problem in some countries. Although research data on this issue is available, routine monitoring in affected areas is limited. The aims of this study were to quantify exposure to biomass- related indoor air pollution; assess the respiratory health of subjects; and ...

Influence of indoor formaldehyde pollution on respiratory system ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background The decoration of interior spaces can lead to dangerous levels of indoor formaldehyde pollution. Exposure to indoor air pollution may be responsible for nearly 2 million deaths per year in developing countries. Objectives To assess the prevalence of indoor formaldehyde pollution caused by decoration and ...

Air Quality and Indoor Environmental Exposures: Clinical Impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term which refers to the air quality within and around buildings and homes as it relates to the health and comfort of the occupants. Many ambient (outdoor) air pollutants readily permeate indoor spaces. Because indoor air can be considerably more pol...

Passive Methods as a Solution for Improving Indoor Environments

CERN Document Server

Orosa, José A

2012-01-01

There are many aspects to consider when evaluating or improving an indoor environment; thermal comfort, energy saving, preservation of materials, hygiene and health are all key aspects which can be improved by passive methods of environmental control. Passive Methods as a Solution for Improving Indoor Environments endeavours to fill the lack of analysis in this area by using over ten years of research to illustrate the effects of methods such as thermal inertia and permeable coverings; for example, the use of permeable coverings is a well known passive method, but its effects and ways to improve indoor environments have been rarely analyzed.   Passive Methods as a Solution for Improving Indoor Environments  includes both software simulations and laboratory and field studies. Through these, the main parameters that characterize the behavior of internal coverings are defined. Furthermore, a new procedure is explained in depth which can be used to identify the real expected effects of permeable coverings such ...

Improved spring model-based collaborative indoor visible light positioning

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zhijie; Zhang, WeiNan; Zhou, GuoFu

2016-06-01

Gaining accuracy with indoor positioning of individuals is important as many location-based services rely on the user's current position to provide them with useful services. Many researchers have studied indoor positioning techniques based on WiFi and Bluetooth. However, they have disadvantages such as low accuracy or high cost. In this paper, we propose an indoor positioning system in which visible light radiated from light-emitting diodes is used to locate the position of receivers. Compared with existing methods using light-emitting diode light, we present a high-precision and simple implementation collaborative indoor visible light positioning system based on an improved spring model. We first estimate coordinate position information using the visible light positioning system, and then use the spring model to correct positioning errors. The system can be employed easily because it does not require additional sensors and the occlusion problem of visible light would be alleviated. We also describe simulation experiments, which confirm the feasibility of our proposed method.

The Health Risks of Belgian Illicit Indoor Cannabis Plantations.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhove, Wouter; Cuypers, Eva; Bonneure, Arne-Jan; Gotink, Joachim; Stassen, Mirna; Tytgat, Jan; Van Damme, Patrick

2018-04-10

We assessed the prevalence of potential health hazards to intervention staff and cannabis growers in Belgian indoor cannabis plantations. Surface mold swab samples were taken at 16 Belgian indoor plantations contained mostly Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. However, their precise health impact on intervention staff and illicit growers is unclear as no molds spore concentrations were measured. Atmospheric gas monitoring in the studied cannabis plantations did not reveal dangerous toxic substances. Health symptoms were reported by 60% of 221 surveyed police, but could not be linked to specific plantation characteristics. We conclude that Belgian indoor cannabis plantations pose a potential health threat to growers and intervention staff. AS there are currently no clear safety guidelines for seizure and dismantling of Belgian indoor cannabis plantations, we recommend first responders to follow strict safety rules when entering the growth rooms, which include wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Prediction of Human Performance Using Electroencephalography under Different Indoor Room Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tinghe; Mao, Zijing; Xu, Xiaojing; Zhang, Lin; Pack, Daniel J.; Dong, Bing; Huang, Yufei

2018-01-01

Varying indoor environmental conditions is known to affect office worker’s performance; wherein past research studies have reported the effects of unfavorable indoor temperature and air quality causing sick building syndrome (SBS) among office workers. Thus, investigating factors that can predict performance in changing indoor environments have become a highly important research topic bearing significant impact in our society. While past research studies have attempted to determine predictors for performance, they do not provide satisfactory prediction ability. Therefore, in this preliminary study, we attempt to predict performance during office-work tasks triggered by different indoor room temperatures (22.2 °C and 30 °C) from human brain signals recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Seven participants were recruited, from whom EEG, skin temperature, heart rate and thermal survey questionnaires were collected. Regression analyses were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of using EEG power spectral densities (PSD) as predictors of performance. Our results indicate EEG PSDs as predictors provide the highest R2 (> 0.70), that is 17 times higher than using other physiological signals as predictors and is more robust. Finally, the paper provides insight on the selected predictors based on brain activity patterns for low- and high-performance levels under different indoor-temperatures. PMID:29690601

Lifetime history of indoor tanning in young people: a retrospective assessment of initiation, persistence, and correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lostritto Karen

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite educational and public health campaigns to convey the risks of indoor tanning, many individuals around the world continue to engage in this behavior. Few descriptive studies of indoor tanning have collected information pertaining to the lifetime history of indoor tanning, thereby limiting our ability to understand indoor tanning patterns and potentially target interventions for individuals who not only initiate, but continue to persistently engage in indoor tanning. Methods In-person interviews elicited detailed retrospective information on lifetime history of indoor tanning among white individuals (n = 401 under age 40 seen by a dermatologist for a minor benign skin condition. These individuals were controls in a case-control study of early-onset basal cell carcinoma. Outcomes of interest included ever indoor tanning in both males and females, as well as persistent indoor tanning in females - defined as females over age 31 who tanned indoors at least once in the last three or all four of four specified age periods (ages 11-15, 16-20, 21-30 and 31 or older. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of ever and persistent indoor tanning in females. Results Approximately three-quarters (73.3% of females and 38.3% of males ever tanned indoors, with a median age of initiation of 17.0 and 21.5, respectively. Among indoor tanners, 39.3% of females and 21.7% of males reported being burned while indoor tanning. Female ever indoor tanners were younger, had darker color eyes, and sunbathed more frequently than females who never tanned indoors. Using unique lifetime exposure data, 24.7% of female indoor tanners 31 and older persistently tanned indoors starting as teenagers. Female persistent indoor tanners drank significantly more alcohol, were less educated, had skin that tanned with prolonged sun exposure, and sunbathed outdoors more frequently than non-persistent tanners

A hierarchical inferential method for indoor scene classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Jingzhe

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Indoor scene classification forms a basis for scene interaction for service robots. The task is challenging because the layout and decoration of a scene vary considerably. Previous studies on knowledge-based methods commonly ignore the importance of visual attributes when constructing the knowledge base. These shortcomings restrict the performance of classification. The structure of a semantic hierarchy was proposed to describe similarities of different parts of scenes in a fine-grained way. Besides the commonly used semantic features, visual attributes were also introduced to construct the knowledge base. Inspired by the processes of human cognition and the characteristics of indoor scenes, we proposed an inferential framework based on the Markov logic network. The framework is evaluated on a popular indoor scene dataset, and the experimental results demonstrate its effectiveness.

An architectural framework for 5G indoor communications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chandra, Kishor; Prasad, R. Venkatesha; Niemegeers, Ignas

2015-01-01

In this paper, we emphasize on indoor networks in 5G era. We explore the possible technologies and architectural solutions for 5G indoor communications. Owing to the fact that requirements for indoor and outdoor communications will be quite different in the next generation networks, we try to define

Development of a model for radon concentration in indoor air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jelle, Bjørn Petter

2012-01-01

A model is developed for calculation of the radon concentration in indoor air. The model takes into account various important parameters, e.g. radon concentration in ground, radon diffusion resistance of radon barrier, air permeance of ground, air pressure difference between outdoor ground and indoor at ground level, ventilation of the building ground and number of air changes per hour due to ventilation. Characteristic case studies are depicted in selected 2D and 3D graphical plots for easy visualization and interpretation. The radon transport into buildings might be dominated by diffusion, pressure driven flow or a mixture of both depending on the actual values of the various parameters. The results of our work indicate that with realistic or typical values of the parameters, most of the transport of radon from the building ground to the indoor air is due to air leakage driven by pressure differences through the construction. By incorporation of various and realistic values in the radon model, valuable information about the miscellaneous parameters influencing the indoor radon level is gained. Hence, the presented radon model may be utilized as a simple yet versatile and powerful tool for examining which preventive or remedial measures should be carried out to achieve an indoor radon level below the reference level as set by the authorities. - Highlights: ► Model development for calculation of radon concentration in indoor air. ► Radon model accounting for various important parameters. ► Characteristic case studies depicted in 2D and 3D graphical plots. ► May be utilized for examining radon preventive measures.

Defining indoor heat thresholds for health in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Mindy; Carmichael, Catriona; Murray, Virginia; Dengel, Andy; Swainson, Michael

2013-05-01

It has been recognised that as outdoor ambient temperatures increase past a particular threshold, so do mortality/morbidity rates. However, similar thresholds for indoor temperatures have not yet been identified. Due to a warming climate, the non-sustainability of air conditioning as a solution, and the desire for more energy-efficient airtight homes, thresholds for indoor temperature should be defined as a public health issue. The aim of this paper is to outline the need for indoor heat thresholds and to establish if they can be identified. Our objectives include: describing how indoor temperature is measured; highlighting threshold measurements and indices; describing adaptation to heat; summary of the risk of susceptible groups to heat; reviewing the current evidence on the link between sleep, heat and health; exploring current heat and health warning systems and thresholds; exploring the built environment and the risk of overheating; and identifying the gaps in current knowledge and research. A global literature search of key databases was conducted using a pre-defined set of keywords to retrieve peer-reviewed and grey literature. The paper will apply the findings to the context of the UK. A summary of 96 articles, reports, government documents and textbooks were analysed and a gap analysis was conducted. Evidence on the effects of indoor heat on health implies that buildings are modifiers of the effect of climate on health outcomes. Personal exposure and place-based heat studies showed the most significant correlations between indoor heat and health outcomes. However, the data are sparse and inconclusive in terms of identifying evidence-based definitions for thresholds. Further research needs to be conducted in order to provide an evidence base for threshold determination. Indoor and outdoor heat are related but are different in terms of language and measurement. Future collaboration between the health and building sectors is needed to develop a common

Indoor air quality in the Karns research houses: baseline measurements and impact of indoor environmental parameters on formaldehyde concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, T.G.; Fung, K.W.; Tromberg, B.J.; Hawthorne, A.R.

1985-12-01

Baseline indoor air quality measurements, a nine-month radon study, and an environmental parameters study examining the impact of indoor temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) levels on formaldehyde (CH 2 O) concentrations have been performed in three unoccupied research homes located in Karns, Tennessee. Inter-house comparison measurements of (1) CH 2 O concentration, (2) CH 2 O emission rates from primary CH 2 O emission sources, (3) radon and radon daughter concentrations, and (4) air exchange rates indicate that the three homes are similar. The results of the nine-month radon study indicate indoor concentrations consistently below the EPA recommended level of 4 pCi/L. Evidence was found that crawl-space concentrations may be reduced using heat pump systems whose outdoor units circulate fresh air through the crawl-space. The modeled results of the environmental parameters study indicate approximate fourfold increases in CH 2 O concentrations from 0.07 to 0.27 ppM for seasonal T and RH conditions of 20 0 C, 30% RH and 29 0 C, 80% RH, respectively. Evaluation of these environmental parameters study data with steady-state CH 2 O concentration models developed from laboratory studies of the environmental dependence of CH 2 O emissions from particleboard underlayment indicate good correlations between the laboratory and field studies

Study of the atmospheric chemistry of radon progeny in laboratory and real indoor atmospheres. Progress report, May 1, 1993--January 31, 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hopke, P.K.

1993-01-01

Progress is reported on the chemical and physical behavior of the {sup 218}Po atom immediately following its formation by the alpha decay of radon. Two areas of radon progeny behavior are being pursued; laboratory studies under controlled conditions to better understand the fundamental physical and chemical processes that affect the progeny`s atmospheric behavior and studies in actual indoor environments to develop a better assessment of the exposure of the occupants of that space to the size and concentration of the indoor radioactive aerosol. The specific tasks addressed were to determine the formation rates of {center_dot}OH radicals formed by the radiolysis of air following radon decay, to examine the formation of particles by the radiolytic oxidation of substances like SO{sub 2}, ethylene, and H{sub 2}S to lower vapor pressure compounds and determine the role of gas phase additives such as H{sub 2}O and NH{sub 3} in determining the particle size, to measure the rate of ion-induced nucleation using a thermal diffusion cloud chamber, and to measure the neutralization rate of {sup 218}PoO{sub x}{sup +} in O{sub 2} at low radon concentrations. Initial measurements were conducted of the activity size distributions in actual homes with occupants present so that the variability of the indoor activity size distributions can be assessed with respect to indoor aerosol sources and general lifestyle variations of the occupants. A prospective study of the utility of measurement of deposited {sup 210}Pb embedded in glass surfaces as a measure of the long-term, integrated exposure of the population to radon are described. Methodology was developed to determine the hygroscopicity of the indoor aerosol so that the changes in deposition efficiency of the radioactive indoor aerosol with hygroscopic growth in the respiratory tract can be assessed.

Indoor air quality of houses located in the urban environment of Agra, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Taneja, Ajay; Saini, Renuka; Masih, Amit

2008-10-01

Increased concern over the adverse health effects of air pollution has highlighted the need for air-pollution measurements, especially in urban areas, where many sources of air pollutants are normally monitored outdoors as part of obligations under the National Air Quality Strategies. Very little is known about air pollution indoors. In fact, the largest exposure to health-damaging indoor pollution probably occurs in the developing world, not in households, schools, and offices of developed countries where most research and control efforts have been focused to date. As a result much of the health impacts from air pollution worldwide seem to occur among the poorest and most vulnerable populations. The authors in their earlier studies have confirmed the importance of ambient air in determining the quality of air indoors. In this study an observation of air quality indoors and outdoors of domestic homes located in an urban environment from October 2004 to December 2005 in Agra, north central India, is performed. The purpose of this study was to characterize the indoor/outdoor (I/O) relationship of airborne pollutants and recognize their probable source in all three seasons, that is, winter, summer, and rainy season. Concentrations of SO(2), NO(2), CO(2), Cl(2), H(2)S, NH(3), RSPM, and PAH were monitored simultaneously and I/O ratios were calculated. In order to investigate the effect of seasonality on indoor and ambient air quality, winter to summer and winter to monsoon average ratios were calculated. It is apparent that there is a general pattern of increasing levels from monsoon to summer to winter, and similarly from outdoor to indoor air. Regressions analysis had been done to further investigate the influence of outdoor air-pollutant concentrations on indoor concentrations. The most probable categories of sources for these pollutants have been identified by using principal-component analysis. Indoor air pollution is a complex function of energy housing and

Parent's Guide to School Indoor Air Quality. Revised

Science.gov (United States)

Healthy Schools Network, Inc., 2012

2012-01-01

Air pollution is air pollution, indoors or out. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) contributes to a favorable learning environment for students, protects health, and supports the productivity of school personnel. In schools in poor repair, leaky roofs and crumbling walls have caused additional indoor air quality problems, including contamination with…

Indoor radon and childhood leukaemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raaschou-Nielsen, O.

2008-01-01

This paper summarises the epidemiological literature on domestic exposure to radon and risk for childhood leukaemia. The results of 12 ecological studies show a consistent pattern of higher incidence and mortality rates for childhood leukaemia in areas with higher average indoor radon concentrations. Although the results of such studies are useful to generate hypotheses, they must be interpreted with caution, as the data were aggregated and analysed for geographical areas and not for individuals. The seven available case - control studies of childhood leukaemia with measurement of radon concentrations in the residences of cases and controls gave mixed results, however, with some indication of a weak (relative risk < 2) association with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The epidemiological evidence to date suggests that an association between indoor exposure to radon and childhood leukaemia might exist, but is weak. More case - control studies are needed, with sufficient statistical power to detect weak associations and based on designs and methods that minimise misclassification of exposure and provide a high participation rate and low potential selection bias. (authors)

Very volatile organic compounds: an understudied class of indoor air pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Salthammer, T

2016-02-01

Very volatile organic compounds (VVOCs), as categorized by the WHO, are an important subgroup of indoor pollutants and cover a wide spectrum of chemical substances. Some VVOCs are components of products commonly used indoors, some result from chemical reactions and some are reactive precursors of secondary products. Nevertheless, there is still no clear and internationally accepted definition of VVOCs. Current approaches are based on the boiling point, and the saturation vapor pressure or refer to analytical procedures. A significant problem is that many airborne VVOCs cannot be routinely analyzed by the usually applied technique of sampling on Tenax TA® followed by thermal desorption GC/MS or by DNPH-sampling/HPLC/UV. Some VVOCs are therefore often neglected in indoor-related studies. However, VVOCs are of high significance for indoor air quality assessment and there is need for their broader consideration in measurement campaigns and material emission testing. © 2014 The Authors. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Methodology developed to make the Quebec indoor radon potential map

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drolet, Jean-Philippe; Martel, Richard; Poulin, Patrick; Dessau, Jean-Claude

2014-01-01

This paper presents a relevant approach to predict the indoor radon potential based on the combination of the radiogeochemical data and the indoor radon measurements in the Quebec province territory (Canada). The Quebec ministry of health asked for such a map to identify the radon-prone areas to manage the risk for the population related to indoor radon exposure. Three radiogeochemical criteria including (1) equivalent uranium (eU) concentration from airborne surface gamma-ray surveys, (2) uranium concentration measurements in sediments, (3) bedrock and surficial geology were combined with 3082 basement radon concentration measurements to identify the radon-prone areas. It was shown that it is possible to determine thresholds for the three criteria that implied statistically significant different levels of radon potential using Kruskal–Wallis one way analyses of variance by ranks. The three discretized radiogeochemical datasets were combined into a total predicted radon potential that sampled 98% of the studied area. The combination process was also based on Kruskal–Wallis one way ANOVA. Four statistically significant different predicted radon potential levels were created: low, medium, high and very high. Respectively 10 and 13% of the dwellings exceed the Canadian radon guideline of 200 Bq/m 3 in low and medium predicted radon potentials. These proportions rise up to 22 and 45% respectively for high and very high predicted radon potentials. This predictive map of indoor radon potential based on the radiogeochemical data was validated using a map of confirmed radon exposure in homes based on the basement radon measurements. It was shown that the map of predicted radon potential based on the radiogeochemical data was reliable to identify radon-prone areas even in zones where no indoor radon measurement exists. - Highlights: • 5 radiogeochemical datasets were used to map the geogenic indoor radon potential. • An indoor radon potential was determined for each

Influence of indoor air conditions on radon concentration in a detached house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akbari, Keramatollah; Mahmoudi, Jafar; Ghanbari, Mahdi

2013-01-01

Radon is released from soil and building materials and can accumulate in residential buildings. Breathing radon and radon progeny for extended periods hazardous to health and can lead to lung cancer. Indoor air conditions and ventilation systems strongly influence indoor radon concentrations. This paper focuses on effects of air change rate, indoor temperature and relative humidity on indoor radon concentrations in a one family detached house in Stockholm, Sweden. In this study a heat recovery ventilation system unit was used to control the ventilation rate and a continuous radon monitor (CRM) was used to measure radon levels. FLUENT, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package was used to simulate radon entry into the building and air change rate, indoor temperature and relative humidity effects using a numerical approach. The results from analytical solution, measurements and numerical simulations showed that air change rate, indoor temperature and moisture had significant effects on indoor radon concentration. Increasing air change rate reduces radon level and for a specific air change rate (in this work Ach = 0.5) there was a range of temperature and relative humidity that minimized radon levels. In this case study minimum radon levels were obtained at temperatures between 20 and 22 °C and a relative humidity of 50–60%. - Highlights: ► We use CFD to simulate indoor radon concentration and distribution. ► The effects of ventilation rate, temperature and moisture are investigated. ► Model validation is performed through analytical solution and measurement results. ► Results show that ventilation rate is inversely proportional to radon level. ► There is a range of temperature and relative humidity that minimize radon level.

Indoor aerosol modeling for assessment of exposure and respiratory tract deposited dose

Science.gov (United States)

Hussein, Tareq; Wierzbicka, Aneta; Löndahl, Jakob; Lazaridis, Mihalis; Hänninen, Otto

2015-04-01

Air pollution is one of the major environmental problems that influence people's health. Exposure to harmful particulate matter (PM) occurs both outdoors and indoors, but while people spend most of their time indoors, the indoor exposures tend to dominate. Moreover, higher PM concentrations due to indoor sources and tightness of indoor environments may substantially add to the outdoor originating exposures. Empirical and real-time assessment of human exposure is often impossible; therefore, indoor aerosol modeling (IAM) can be used as a superior method in exposure and health effects studies. This paper presents a simple approach in combining available aerosol-based modeling techniques to evaluate the real-time exposure and respiratory tract deposited dose based on particle size. Our simple approach consists of outdoor aerosol data base, IAM simulations, time-activity pattern data-base, physical-chemical properties of inhaled aerosols, and semi-empirical deposition fraction of aerosols in the respiratory tract. These modeling techniques allow the characterization of regional deposited dose in any metric: particle mass, particle number, and surface area. The first part of this presentation reviews recent advances in simple mass-balance based modeling methods that are needed in analyzing the health relevance of indoor exposures. The second part illustrates the use of IAM in the calculations of exposure and deposited dose. Contrary to previous methods, the approach presented is a real-time approach and it goes beyond the exposure assessment to provide the required information for the health risk assessment, which is the respiratory tract deposited dose. This simplified approach is foreseen to support epidemiological studies focusing on exposures originating from both indoor and outdoor sources.

Identifying Typical Movements Among Indoor Objects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radaelli, Laura; Sabonis, Dovydas; Lu, Hua

2013-01-01

With the proliferation of mobile computing, positioning systems are becoming available that enable indoor location-based services. As a result, indoor tracking data is also becoming available. This paper puts focus on one use of such data, namely the identification of typical movement patterns...

Review of the health risks associated with nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide in indoor air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brauer, M.; Henderson, S.; Kirkham, T.; Lee, K.S.; Rich, R.; Teschke, K.

2002-01-01

The scientific literature on the health effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) were reviewed with particular focus on the chemical and physical properties of the 2 gases and the toxicological characteristics identified in animal studies at exposure concentrations near the rate of ambient human exposures. The study also examined the expected levels of non-industrial indoor exposure of Canadians compared to other regions with similar climates. The sources of indoor pollution were also reviewed, along with the contribution of outdoor pollution to indoor levels. Results from epidemiological studies of indoor exposures in homes, offices and schools were also presented. For each pollutant, the study identified anthropogenic sources, indoor sources, toxicological characteristics, biochemistry, pulmonary effects, immune response, and other effects. Indoor sources of NO 2 include gas-fired appliances, pilot lights, hot water heaters, kerosene heaters, and tobacco smoke. The impact of ventilation on both NO 2 and SO 2 levels was also examined. Outdoor sources such as traffic can also contribute to indoor levels, particularly in urban areas. In the case of SO 2 , coal heating and cooling appear to be associated in increased indoor levels. The epidemiological studies that were reviewed failed in general to indicate an association between NO 2 exposure and a wide range of health impacts. The studies, however, indicate that asthmatics are more susceptible to the effects of NO 2 exposure. In the case of SO 2 , evidence suggests that it has a chronic effect on lung function and respiratory symptoms and disease. 243 refs., 13 tabs

Assessment of indoor environment of buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Y.; Kovanen, K. [VTT Building Technology, Espoo (Finland). Indoor Environment and Systems

1995-12-31

The synthetical assessment of indoor environment has become world-wide topic in recent years. Many research evidences have shown that the quality of indoor air is a multi-factor influenced issue. Building Research Establishment (BRE) in United Kingdom has worked out a series of assessing methods for different kinds of buildings. Whereas, in Finland, National Building Code of Finland has been used for many years. The comparison between the two approaches in assessing indoor air quality will be addressed in this presentation. Each issue considered in the above two approaches is discussed by referring the recent research highlights. (author)

Assessment of indoor environment of buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Y; Kovanen, K [VTT Building Technology, Espoo (Finland). Indoor Environment and Systems

1996-12-31

The synthetical assessment of indoor environment has become world-wide topic in recent years. Many research evidences have shown that the quality of indoor air is a multi-factor influenced issue. Building Research Establishment (BRE) in United Kingdom has worked out a series of assessing methods for different kinds of buildings. Whereas, in Finland, National Building Code of Finland has been used for many years. The comparison between the two approaches in assessing indoor air quality will be addressed in this presentation. Each issue considered in the above two approaches is discussed by referring the recent research highlights. (author)

Good practices in managing work-related indoor air problems: a psychosocial perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Vähämäki, Kari; Kähkönen, Erkki; Mussalo-Rauhamaa, Helena; Reijula, Kari

2004-07-01

Indoor air problems at workplaces are often exceedingly complex. Technical questions are interrelated with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the problem solving process are also put to the test. The objective of our study was to analyze the process of managing and solving indoor air problems from a psychosocial perspective. This collective case study was based on data from questionnaires, interviews and various documentary materials. Technical inspections of the buildings and indoor air measurements were also carried out. The following four factors best differentiated successful cases from impeded cases: extensive multiprofessional collaboration and participative action, systematic action and perseverance, investment in information and communication, and process thinking and learning. The study also proposed a theoretical model for the role of the psychosocial work environment in indoor air problems. The expertise related to social and human aspects of problem solving plays a significant role in solving indoor air problems. Failures to properly handle these aspects may lead to resources being wasted and result in a problematic situation becoming stagnant or worse. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Risky business: Behaviors associated with indoor tanning in US high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Stephanie; Ashack, Kurt; Bell, Eric; Sendelweck, Myra Ann; Dellavalle, Robert

2017-09-15

Understanding of associations between indoor tanning and risky health related behaviors such as sexual activity and substance abuse among high school students across the United States is incomplete. To identify risky health related behaviors among high school students utilizing indoor tanning and analyze differences between state specific data. Results from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2013 in 14 different states were analyzed. Participants were 90,414 high school students. Responses to questions assessing indoor tanning habits, sexual activity, and use of substances were analyzed. Sexual activity was associated with indoor tanning in 10 of 14 states, with Nebraska having the strongest association (adjusted odds ratio, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.4-6.2; p<0.001). Indoor tanning was also associated with use of alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, prescription medications, and cigarettes. Only 15 states asked students about their personal history of indoor tanning use, and Minnesota was excluded from our analysis as they administered a non-YRBS questionnaire. Additionally, our study only analyzed results from the 2013 YRBS. Lastly, our data was analyzed in 14 individual data sets, giving a high likelihood of Type 1 error. High school students utilizing indoor tanning are more likely to engage in sexual activity and substance abuse as compared to students who do not utilize indoor tanning.

A comparative study on indoor air quality in a low cost and a green ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A study on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is important because people spend most of their time inside houses. IAQ was monitored in two different types of rural houses namely a low cost house and a “green” house built with pyramidal shape of roof in the rural area. Carbon monoxide (CO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentrations ...

Development of an indoor air quality checklist for risk assessment of indoor air pollutants by semiquantitative score in nonindustrial workplaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syazwan AI

2012-04-01

Full Text Available AI Syazwan1, B Mohd Rafee1, Juahir Hafizan2, AZF Azman1, AM Nizar3, Z Izwyn4, AA Muhaimin5, MA Syafiq Yunos6, AR Anita1, J Muhamad Hanafiah1, MS Shaharuddin1, A Mohd Ibthisham7, Mohd Hasmadi Ismail8, MN Mohamad Azhar1, HS Azizan1, I Zulfadhli9, J Othman101Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 3Pharmacology Unit, Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 4Department of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science and Biomedical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia; 5Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 6Plant Assessment Technology (PAT, Industrial Technology Division (BTI, Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuklear Malaysia, Bangi, Kajang, Malaysia; 7Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia; 8Department of Forest Production, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; 9Faculty of Built Environment and Architect, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia; 10Department of Counsellor Education and Counselling Psychology (DCECP, Faculty of Educational Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, MalaysiaBackground: To meet the current diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in nonindustrial workplaces in developing countries, an indoor air quality (IAQ component of a participatory occupational safety and health survey should be included.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and suggest a multidisciplinary, integrated IAQ checklist for evaluating the health risk of building occupants. This IAQ checklist proposed to support

Indoor wayfinding and navigation

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

Due to the widespread use of navigation systems for wayfinding and navigation in the outdoors, researchers have devoted their efforts in recent years to designing navigation systems that can be used indoors. This book is a comprehensive guide to designing and building indoor wayfinding and navigation systems. It covers all types of feasible sensors (for example, Wi-Fi, A-GPS), discussing the level of accuracy, the types of map data needed, the data sources, and the techniques for providing routes and directions within structures.

Sociocultural experiences, body image, and indoor tanning among young adult women.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Jerod L; Manne, Sharon L; Greene, Kathryn; Darabos, Katie; Carpenter, Amanda; Hudson, Shawna V; Coups, Elliot J

2017-10-01

The purpose of this survey study was to evaluate a model of body image influences on indoor tanning behavior. Participants were 823 young adult women recruited from a probability-based web panel in the United States. Consistent with our hypothesized model, tanning-related sociocultural experiences were indirectly associated with lifetime indoor tanning use and intentions to tan as mediated through tan surveillance and tan dissatisfaction. Findings suggest the need for targeting body image constructs as mechanisms of behavior change in indoor tanning behavioral interventions.

Indoor aerosols

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morawska, L.; Afshari, Alireza; N. Bae, G.

2013-01-01

Motivated by growing considerations of the scale, severity, and risks associated with human exposure to indoor particulate matter, this work reviewed existing literature to: (i) identify state-of-the-art experimental techniques used for personal exposure assessment; (ii) compare exposure levels...

Effect of ventilation rate on concentrations of indoor radon and its progenies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chunhong; Liu Yanyang; Liu Fudong; Liu Senlin; Chen Ling

2012-01-01

To study concentrations of indoor radon and its progenies, ventilation rates and their corresponding concentrations of indoor radon and its progenies were measured using tracer-gas dilution method. Results show that both ventilation rates and concentrations of indoor radon varied insignificantly and radon concentration were higher than the outdoor environment while doors and windows were all closed with air-conditioner on and off respectively; the concentrations declined and close to the outdoor level when doors and windows were all open with ventilators in operation. Accordingly, in modern life, especially in summer, people's preference for air-conditioners but natural ventilation would result in an increase of indoor radon concentration. (authors)

Indoor climate and air quality . Review of current and future topics in the field of ISB study group 10

Science.gov (United States)

Höppe, P.; Martinac, Ivo

In industrialized countries about 90% of the time is spent indoors. The ambient parameters affecting indoor thermal comfort are air temperature and humidity, air velocity, and radiant heat exchange within an enclosure. In assessing the thermal environment, one needs to consider all ambient parameters, the insulating properties of the occupants' clothing, and the activity level of the occupants by means of heat balance models of the human body. Apart from thermal parameters, air quality (measured and perceived) is also of importance for well-being and health in indoor environments. Pollutant levels are influenced by both outdoor concentrations and by indoor emissions. Indoor levels can thus be lower (e.g. in the case of ozone and SO2) or higher (e.g. for CO2 and formaldehyde) than outdoor levels. Emissions from cooking play an important role, especially in developing countries. The humidity of the ambient air has a wide range of effects on the energy and water balance of the body as well as on elasticity, air quality perception, build-up of electrostatic charge and the formation or mould. However, its effect on the indoor climate is often overestimated. While air-handling systems are commonly used for achieving comfortable indoor climates, their use has also been linked to a variety of problems, some of which have received attention within the context of ''sick building syndrome''.

Indoor fuel exposure and the lung in both developing and developed countries: An update

OpenAIRE

Sood, Akshay

2012-01-01

Almost 3 billion people worldwide burn solid fuels indoors. These fuels include biomass and coal. Although indoor solid fuel smoke is likely a greater problem in developing countries, wood burning populations in developed countries may also be at risk from these exposures. Despite the large population at risk worldwide, the effect of exposure to indoor solid fuel smoke has not been adequately studied. Indoor air pollution from solid fuel use is strongly associated with COPD (both emphysema an...

New indoor environment chambers and field experiment offices for research on human comfort, health and productivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toftum, Jørn; Langkilde, Gunnar; Fanger, Povl Ole

2004-01-01

The article describes three new indoor environment chambers, a new laboratory for the study of air movement in spaces and five offices for controlled environment exposures of human subjects in field experiments at the International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of...... of Denmark. Together with three older chambers, the Centre now has at its disposal 12 spaces for studying indoor environments and their impact on human comfort, health and productivity.......The article describes three new indoor environment chambers, a new laboratory for the study of air movement in spaces and five offices for controlled environment exposures of human subjects in field experiments at the International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University...

Fatigability in basic indoor mobility in nonagenarians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mänty, Minna Regina; Ekmann, Anette; Thinggaard, Mikael

2012-01-01

To evaluate the prevalence and associated health factors of indoor mobility-related fatigability in nonagenarians.......To evaluate the prevalence and associated health factors of indoor mobility-related fatigability in nonagenarians....

Lead and cadmium in indoor air and the urban environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komarnicki, Guenter J.K.

2005-01-01

The present study was conducted to find potential terrestrial biomonitors for heavy metals in indoor air in an urban environment. TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 were collected in three retirement facilities in the urban area of Vienna. In addition, particulate matter and soil, vegetation, and isopods (Porcellio scaber L.) were collected in the adjacent garden areas. Aerosols were sampled with a low-volume air sampler. The sampled materials were wet ashed and total lead and cadmium contents were determined. Water-soluble heavy metal concentrations were measured in aqueous extracts from air exposed filters, soil, and vegetation. Lead and cadmium were analyzed by graphite furnace AAS. Lead contents in the vegetation were inferred from water-soluble lead in soils. Lead in isopods generally reflected the contents in vegetation. Cadmium in plants probably derived from soil solutions as well as from atmospheric input. Isopods reflected the total cadmium contents in soils. Particulate matter was dominated by PM 2.5 , both with respect to mass concentrations and to heavy metal contents. The indoor aerosol was found to be influenced by human activity, indoor sources, and outdoor particles. Relationships between indoor airborne heavy metals and the contents in vegetation (lead and cadmium: positive) and isopods (lead: negative) were identified to have the potential for biomonitoring indoor air quality. - Urban vegetation and isopods are potential indicators for indoor aerial heavy metals

Indoor Air Quality Science and Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Understand indoor air in homes, schools, and offices. Most of us spend much of our time indoors. The air that we breathe in our homes, in schools, and in offices can put us at risk for health problems. Some pollutants can be chemicals, gases, and living or

[Indoor volatile organic compounds: concentrations, sources, variation factors].

Science.gov (United States)

Palot, A; Charpin-Kadouch, C; Ercoli, J; Charpin, D

2008-06-01

Volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.) are part of urban air pollution and are also generated indoors from cleaning and maintenance products. VOC measurements are, on average, 10 times higher within homes than outside. Results of the national survey led by the Observatoire National de la Qualité de l'Air Intérieur demonstrated that up to 25% of French homes have very high or high concentrations of VOC. Indoor levels depend mainly on indoor sources. Aldehydes are included in many everyday life products. VOC originate from various household decorating and cleaning products. Some products are less detrimental to the environment and health and have special labelling. Indoor VOC levels also depend on the rate of air exchange and on household characteristics such as indoor temperature and humidity, age of the building, presence of smokers, and communication with a garage. The public may participate in maintaining good indoor air quality and the authorities should also improve regulations. VOC are part of everyday air pollution. Their sources and concentrations should be better monitored.

Enhancing indoor air quality -The air filter advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayan, Vannan Kandi; Paramesh, Haralappa; Salvi, Sundeep Santosh; Dalal, Alpa Anil Kumar

2015-01-01

Air pollution has become the world's single biggest environmental health risk, linked to around 7 million deaths in 2012 according to a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report. The new data further reveals a stronger link between, indoor and outdoor air pollution exposure and cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes and ischemic heart disease, as well as between air pollution and cancer. The role of air pollution in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, is well known. While both indoor and outdoor pollution affect health, recent statistics on the impact of household indoor pollutants (HAP) is alarming. The WHO factsheet on HAP and health states that 3.8 million premature deaths annually - including stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are attributed to exposure to household air pollution. Use of air cleaners and filters are one of the suggested strategies to improve indoor air quality. This review discusses the impact of air pollutants with special focus on indoor air pollutants and the benefits of air filters in improving indoor air quality.

Indoor radon measurements in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Espinosa, G. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 20364, 01000 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)], E-mail: espinosa@fisica.unam.mx; Golzarri, J.I. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Apartado Postal 20364, 01000 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Bogard, J. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6480 (United States); Gaso, I. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Apartado Postal 18-1027, 11801 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Ponciano, G. [Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Mena, M.; Segovia, N. [Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

2008-08-15

Mexico City is one of the most populated cities in the world with almost 22 million inhabitants, located at an altitude of 2200 m. The old city was founded on an ancient lake and the zone is known by its high seismicity; indoor radon determination is an important public health issue. In this paper the data of indoor radon levels in Mexico City, measured independently by two research groups, both using Nuclear Track Detector systems but different methodologies, are correlated. The measurements were done during similar exposure periods of time, at family houses from the political administrative regions of the city. The results indicate a correlation coefficient between the two sets of data of R=0.886. Most of the differences between the two sets of data are inherent to houses having extreme (very high or very low indoor radon) included in the statistics of each group. The total average indoor radon found in Mexico City considering the two methods was 87Bqm{sup -3}.

Influence of environmental factors on indoor radon concentration levels in the basement and ground floor of a building – A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Dong; Liao, Maili; Kearfott, Kimberlee J.

2015-01-01

A series of experiments was conducted to measure indoor radon concentrations variations and observe any correlations with indoor and outdoor atmospheric parameters for over a period of one year. Indoor environmental parameters and radon concentrations were measured on an hourly basis in a two-story building both in a laboratory on the well-ventilated ground floor and in the basement below it which had negligible ventilation. The monthly average indoor radon concentration value of 29 ± 21 Bq m"−"3 in the laboratory was below the ICRP recommended limit of 200–300 Bq m"−"3. The monthly normalization factor for that location ranged from 0.5 to 2.0, while the seasonal normalization factor ranged from 0.78 to 2.0. In the unventilated basement, however, the average monthly indoor radon concentration was 1083 ± 6 Bq m"−"3 with little seasonal variation. The basement is only used for storage and thus the elevated radon concentration does not pose a serious health risk. The results indicated that indoor radon levels are higher in the autumn–winter season than in the spring–summer season. Analysis further showed that indoor radon concentrations negatively correlated with indoor humidity (correlation coefficient R = −0.14, p < 0.01), outdoor temperature (correlation coefficient R = −0.3, p < 0.01), outdoor dew point temperature (correlation coefficient R = −0.17, p < 0.01) and outdoor wind speeds (correlation coefficient R = −0.25, p < 0.05). Radon concentrations correlated positively with outdoor barometric pressure (correlation coefficient R = 0.35, p < 0.01), indoor–outdoor temperature difference (correlation coefficient R = 0.32, p < 0.05) and indoor–outdoor barometric pressure difference (correlation coefficient R = 0.67, p < 0.01). Indoor temperature, indoor barometric pressure and outdoor wind direction showed no clear correlations with indoor radon concentration. - Highlights: • Environmental variables and

Winter-to-winter variations in indoor radon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mose, D.G.; Mushrush, G.W.; Kline, S.W.

1989-01-01

Indoor radon concentrations in northern Virginia and central Maryland show a strong dependence on weather. Winter tends to be associated with higher than average indoor radon, and summer with lower than average. However, compared to the winter of 1986-1987, the winter of 1987-1988 was warmer and drier. Consequently, winter-to-winter indoor radon decreased by about 25%. This winter-to-winter decrease is unexpectedly large, and simulates winter-to-summer variations that have been reported

Cooperative Agreement Funding for Indoor Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

The Indoor Environments Division has created partnership with public and private sector entities to help encourage the public to take action to minimize their risk and mitigate indoor air quality problems.

The Los Angeles TEAM Study: personal exposures, indoor-outdoor air concentrations, and breath concentrations of 25 volatile organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, L; Nelson, W; Ziegenfus, R; Pellizzari, E; Michael, L; Whitmore, R; Zelon, H; Hartwell, T; Perritt, R; Westerdahl, D

1991-04-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board studied the exposures of 51 residents of Los Angeles, California, to 25 volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in air and drinking water in 1987. A major goal of the study was to measure personal, indoor, and outdoor air concentrations, and breath concentrations of VOCs in persons living in households that had previously been measured in 1984. Other goals were to confirm the marked day-night and seasonal differences observed in 1984; to determine room-to-room variability within homes; to determine source emission rates by measuring air exchange rates in each home; and to extend the coverage of chemicals by employing additional sampling and analysis methods. A total of 51 homes were visited in February of 1987, and 43 of these were revisited in July of 1987. The results confirmed previous TEAM Study findings of higher personal and indoor air concentrations than outdoor concentrations of all prevalent chemicals (except carbon tetrachloride); higher personal, indoor, and outdoor air concentrations in winter than in summer; and (in winter only) higher outdoor concentrations at night than in the daytime. New findings included the following: (1) room-to-room variability of 12-hour average concentrations was very small, indicating that a single monitor may be adequate for estimating indoor concentrations over this time span; (2) "whole-house" source emission rates were relatively constant during both seasons, with higher rates for odorous chemicals such as p-dichlorobenzene and limonene (often used in room air fresheners) than for other classes of chemicals; (3) breath concentrations measured during morning and evening were similar for most participants, suggesting the suitability of breath measurements for estimating exposure in the home; (4) limited data obtained on two additional chemicals-toluene and methylene chloride-indicated that both were prevalent at fairly high concentrations and that

Indoor radon II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1987-01-01

Because of the growing interest in and public concern about indoor radon, APCA, in April 1987, sponsored the Second International Specialty Conference on Indoor Radon. This book is the proceedings of this conference and includes discussions on: A current assessment of the nature of the problem; Issues related to health effects and risk assessment; The development of public and private sector initiatives; Research into methods of control and prevention; International perspectives; and Measurement methods and programs. The material is intended for the technically oriented and for those responsible for developing programs and initiatives to address this important public health issue. Contributors include federal, state, and provincial program officials and members of the academic and private sectors

Distribution of indoor radon concentrations and uranium-bearing rocks in Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudak, P.F.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare regional patterns of indoor radon concentration with uranium-bearing rock zones and county populations in Texas. Zones yielding radon concentrations that are relatively high for Texas include shale and sandstone in northwest Texas; red beds in north-central Texas; felsic volcanic rocks in west Texas; and sandstone, limestone, and igneous rocks in central Texas. Located in northwest Tecas, only five of the 202 counties evaluated have mean indoor radon concentrations above 4.0 pCi l -1 . Two of those counties have populations above the state median of 20115. The highest county mean concentration is 8.8 pCi l -1 . Results of the study suggest that (1) regional geology influences indoor radon concentrations in Texas, (2) statewide, the radon concentrations are relatively low, (3) highly populated counties do not coincide with regions of high indoor radon concentration, and (4) regions that may warrant further monitoring include northwest Texas and, to a lesser degree, west and central Texas. (orig.)

Photocatalytic surface reactions on indoor wall paint.

Science.gov (United States)

Salthammer, T; Fuhrmann, F

2007-09-15

The reduction of indoor air pollutants by air cleaning systems has received considerable interest, and a number of techniques are now available. So far, the method of photocatalysis was mainly applied by use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in flow reactors under UV light of high intensity. Nowadays, indoor wall paints are equipped with modified TiO2 to work as a catalyst under indoor daylight or artificial light. In chamber experiments carried out under indoor related conditions itwas shown thatthe method works for nitrogen dioxide with air exchange and for formaldehyde without air exchange at high concentrations. In further experiments with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a small effect was found for terpenoids with high kOH rate constants. For other VOCs and carbon monoxide there was no degradation at all or the surface acted as a reversible sink. Secondary emissions from the reaction of paint constituents were observed on exposure to light. From the results it is concluded that recipes of photocatalytic wall paints need to be optimized for better efficiency under indoor conditions.

Reevaluation of time spent indoors used for exposure dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, Katsumi; Fujimoto, Kenzo

2016-01-01

A time spent indoors of sixteen hours per day (indoor occupancy factor: 0.67) has been used to assess the radiation dose of residents who spend daily life in the area contaminated due to the nuclear accident in Japan. However, much longer time is considered to be spent indoors for recent modern life. United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has been used an indoor occupancy factor of 0.8 since 1977 and a few reports suggested much higher indoor occupancy factors. Therefore it is important to reevaluate the indoor occupancy factor using current available survey data in Japan, such as 'NHK 2010 National Time Use Survey' and 'Survey on Time Use and Leisure Activities' of Statistics Bureau with certain assumption of time spent indoors in each daily activity. The total time spent indoors in a day is calculated to be 20.2 hours and its indoor occupancy factor is 0.84. Much lower indoor occupancy factors were derived from the survey data by Statistics Bureau for 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years old groups and farmers who spend most of their time outdoors although present estimated indoor occupancy factor of 0.84 is still lower than those found in some of the relevant reports. A rounded indoor occupancy factor of 0.80 might be the appropriate conservative reference value to be used for the dose estimation of people who live in radioactively contaminated areas and for other relevant purposes of exposure assessment, taken into consideration the present results and values reported in United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and UNSCEAR. (author)

[Global air monitoring study: a multi-country comparison of levels of indoor air pollution in different workplaces results from Tunisia].

Science.gov (United States)

Higbee, Cheryl; Travers, Mark; Hyland, Andrew; Cummings, K Michael; Dresler, Carolyn

2007-09-01

In 1986, a report of the U.S. Surgeon General concluded that second hand smoke is a cause of disease in healthy non smokers. Subsequent many nations including Tunisia implement smoke-free worksite regulations. The aim of our study is to test air quality in indoor ambient air venues in Tunisia. A TSI SidePak AM510 Personal Aerosol Monitor was used to sample, record the levels of respirable suspended particles (RSP) in the air and to assess the real-time concentration of particles less than 2.5 microm in micrograms per cubic meter, or PM2.5. Thirty three venues were sampled in Tunis. The venues were selected to get a broad range of size, location and type of venue. Venues included restaurants and cafés, bars, bus stations, hospitals, offices, and universities. The mean level of indoor air pollution was 296 microg/m3 ranged from 11 microg/m3 to 1,499 microg/m3. The level of indoor air pollution was 85% lower in venues that were smoke-free compared to venues where smoking was observed (ppollution were found in hospitals, offices and universities (52 microg/m3) and the highest level was found in a bar (1,499 micro/m3). Hospitality venues allowing indoor air smoking in Tunisia are significantly more polluted than both indoor smoke-free sites and outdoor air in Tunisia. This study demonstrates that workers and patrons are exposed to harmful levels of a known carcinogen and toxin. Policies that prohibit smoking in public worksites dramatically reduce second hand smoke exposure and improve worker and patron health.

Ozone and limonene in indoor air: a source of submicron particle exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Wainman, T; Zhang, J; Weschler, C J; Lioy, P J

2000-12-01

Little information currently exists regarding the occurrence of secondary organic aerosol formation in indoor air. Smog chamber studies have demonstrated that high aerosol yields result from the reaction of ozone with terpenes, both of which commonly occur in indoor air. However, smog chambers are typically static systems, whereas indoor environments are dynamic. We conducted a series of experiments to investigate the potential for secondary aerosol in indoor air as a result of the reaction of ozone with d-limonene, a compound commonly used in air fresheners. A dynamic chamber design was used in which a smaller chamber was nested inside a larger one, with air exchange occurring between the two. The inner chamber was used to represent a model indoor environment and was operated at an air exchange rate below 1 exchange/hr, while the outer chamber was operated at a high air exchange rate of approximately 45 exchanges/hr. Limonene was introduced into the inner chamber either by the evaporation of reagent-grade d-limonene or by inserting a lemon-scented, solid air freshener. A series of ozone injections were made into the inner chamber during the course of each experiment, and an optical particle counter was used to measure the particle concentration. Measurable particle formation and growth occurred almost exclusively in the 0.1-0.2 microm and 0.2-0.3 microm size fractions in all of the experiments. Particle formation in the 0.1-0.2 microm size range occurred as soon as ozone was introduced, but the formation of particles in the 0.2-0.3 microm size range did not occur until at least the second ozone injection occurred. The results of this study show a clear potential for significant particle concentrations to be produced in indoor environments as a result of secondary particle formation via the ozone-limonene reaction. Because people spend the majority of their time indoors, secondary particles formed in indoor environments may make a significant contribution to

Contribution from indoor sources to particle number and mass concentrations in residential houses

Science.gov (United States)

He, Congrong; Morawska, Lidia; Hitchins, Jane; Gilbert, Dale

As part of a large study investigating indoor air in residential houses in Brisbane, Australia, the purpose of this work was to quantify emission characteristics of indoor particle sources in 15 houses. Submicrometer particle number and approximation of PM 2.5 concentrations were measured simultaneously for more than 48 h in the kitchen of all the houses by using a condensation particle counter (CPC) and a photometer (DustTrak), respectively. In addition, characterizations of particles resulting from cooking conducted in an identical way in all the houses were measured by using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), an aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) and a DustTrak. All the events of elevated particle concentrations were linked to indoor activities using house occupants diary entries, and catalogued into 21 different types of indoor activities. This enabled quantification of the effect of indoor sources on indoor particle concentrations as well as quantification of emission rates from the sources. For example, the study found that frying, grilling, stove use, toasting, cooking pizza, cooking, candle vaporizing eucalyptus oil and fan heater use, could elevate the indoor submicrometer particle number concentration levels by more than five times, while PM 2.5 concentrations could be up to 3, 30 and 90 times higher than the background levels during smoking, frying and grilling, respectively.

Indoor Localisation Based on GSM Signals: Multistorey Building Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafał Górak

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Among the accurate indoor localisation systems that are using WiFi, Bluetooth, or infrared technologies, the ones that are based on the GSM rely on a stable external infrastructure that can be used even in an emergency. This paper presents an accurate GSM indoor localisation system that achieves a median error of 4.39 metres in horizontal coordinates and up to 64 percent accuracy in floor prediction (for 84 percent of cases the floor prediction is mistaken by not more than a single floor. The test and reference measurements were made inside a six-floor academic building, with an irregular shape, whose dimensions are around 50 metres by 70 metres. The localisation algorithm uses GSM signal readings from the 7 strongest cells available in the GSM standard (or fewer, if fewer than 7 are available. We estimate the location by a three-step method. Firstly, we propose a point localisation solution (i.e., localisation based on only one measurement. Then, by applying the central tendency filters and the Multilayer Perceptron, we build a localisation system that uses a sequence of estimations of current and past locations. We also discuss major accuracy factors such as the number of observed signals or the types of spaces in the building.

Ultra Wideband Indoor Positioning Technologies: Analysis and Recent Advances †

Science.gov (United States)

Alarifi, Abdulrahman; Al-Salman, AbdulMalik; Alsaleh, Mansour; Alnafessah, Ahmad; Al-Hadhrami, Suheer; Al-Ammar, Mai A.; Al-Khalifa, Hend S.

2016-01-01

In recent years, indoor positioning has emerged as a critical function in many end-user applications; including military, civilian, disaster relief and peacekeeping missions. In comparison with outdoor environments, sensing location information in indoor environments requires a higher precision and is a more challenging task in part because various objects reflect and disperse signals. Ultra WideBand (UWB) is an emerging technology in the field of indoor positioning that has shown better performance compared to others. In order to set the stage for this work, we provide a survey of the state-of-the-art technologies in indoor positioning, followed by a detailed comparative analysis of UWB positioning technologies. We also provide an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to analyze the present state of UWB positioning technologies. While SWOT is not a quantitative approach, it helps in assessing the real status and in revealing the potential of UWB positioning to effectively address the indoor positioning problem. Unlike previous studies, this paper presents new taxonomies, reviews some major recent advances, and argues for further exploration by the research community of this challenging problem space. PMID:27196906

Control of radon and its progeny concentration in indoor atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramachandran, T.V.; Subbaramu, M.C.

1986-01-01

Exposure to radon daughter concentration in indoor atmosphere can result in a significant risk to the general public. There are two generally used methods for the control of radon and progeny concentration in the indoor atmosphere, namely restriction of radon entry and reduction of indoor radon and its progeny concentration by ventilation or by air cleaning. Predominant radon entry process in most of the dwellings appears to be by pressure driven flow of soil gas through cracks or other openings in the basement slab or subfloors. Sealing these openings or ventilation of the subslab or subfloor space are the methods for reducing the radon entry rates. Indoor radon concentration can also be reduced by increasing the ventilation and by using charcoal filters for the removal of radon gas in indoor air by absorption. Concentration of radon progeny, which are responsible for most of the health risks associatd with radon exposure can also be controlled by the use of electrostatic or mechanical filters. This study describes briefly the above control strategies used for reducing the inhalation doses to persons in dwellings. (author). 9 refs., 2 tables

iParking: An Intelligent Indoor Location-Based Smartphone Parking Service

OpenAIRE

Liu, Jingbin; Chen, Ruizhi; Chen, Yuwei; Pei, Ling; Chen, Liang

2012-01-01

Indoor positioning technologies have been widely studied with a number of solutions being proposed, yet substantial applications and services are still fairly primitive. Taking advantage of the emerging concept of the connected car, the popularity of smartphones and mobile Internet, and precise indoor locations, this study presents the development of a novel intelligent parking service called iParking. With the iParking service, multiple parties such as users, parking facilities and service p...

Design Criteria for Achieving Acceptable Indoor Radon Concentration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Torben Valdbjørn

2016-01-01

Design criteria for achieving an acceptable indoor radon concentration are presented in this paper. The paper suggests three design criteria. These criteria have to be considered at the early stage of the building design phase to meet the latest recommendations from the World Health Organization...... in most countries. The three design criteria are; first, establishing a radon barrier facing the ground; second, lowering the air pressure in the lower zone of the slab on ground facing downwards; third, diluting the indoor air with outdoor air. The first two criteria can prevent radon from infiltrating...... from the ground, and the third criteria can dilute the indoor air. By combining these three criteria, the indoor radon concentration can be lowered achieving an acceptable level. In addition, a cheap and reliable method for measuring the radon concentration in the indoor air is described. The provision...

Long-term exposure to indoor air pollution and wheezing symptoms in infants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raaschou-Nielsen, O.; Hermansen, M.N.; Loland, L.

2010-01-01

Long-term exposure to air pollution is suspected to cause recurrent wheeze in infants. The few previous studies have had ambiguous results. The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of measured long-term exposure to indoor air pollution on wheezing symptoms in infants. We monitored......-point 'any symptom-day' (yes/no) and by standard linear regression with the end-point 'number of symptom-days'. The results showed no systematic association between risk for wheezing symptoms and the levels of these air pollutants with various indoor and outdoor sources. In conclusion, we found no evidence...... of an association between long-term exposure to indoor air pollution and wheezing symptoms in infants, suggesting that indoor air pollution is not causally related to the underlying disease. Practical Implications Nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde and fine particles were measured in the air in infants' bedrooms...

Indoor and Outdoor Surface-Growing Fungi Contamination at Higher Institutional Buildings in a Malaysian University

Science.gov (United States)

Er, C. M.; Sunar, N. M.; Leman, A. M.; Khalid, A.; Ali, R.; Zaidi, E.; Azhar, A. T. S.

2018-04-01

Surface-growing indoor and outdoor fungi were assessed using swabbing method to investigate the indoor contamination. The painted wall surface samples were collected from two institutional buildings (B1 and B2) of a university in southern Peninsular Malaysia; indoors and outdoors. The mould concentrations varied widely between indoor and outdoor surface samples of both buildings. The total indoor surface-growing mould concentration (8776.49 CFU/cm2) is significantly higher (pair quality parameters (relative humidity, temperature and air velocity) were also measured indoors and outdoors during the study and violation of the guideline provided by ICOP-IAQ 2010 were proven in indoor environment in both buildings. The results of this assessment showed that the indoor environments of both institutional buildings were contaminated by the surface-growing mould. It also suggested the faulty designs and/or usages of building material in these institutional buildings contributed toward the contamination. An innovative solution is needed to correct the problems.

Home interventions are effective at decreasing indoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulin, L M; Diette, G B; Scott, M; McCormack, M C; Matsui, E C; Curtin-Brosnan, J; Williams, D L; Kidd-Taylor, A; Shea, M; Breysse, P N; Hansel, N N

2014-08-01

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), a by-product of combustion produced by indoor gas appliances such as cooking stoves, is associated with respiratory symptoms in those with obstructive airways disease. We conducted a three-armed randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of interventions aimed at reducing indoor NO2 concentrations in homes with unvented gas stoves: (i) replacement of existing gas stove with electric stove; (ii) installation of ventilation hood over existing gas stove; and (iii) placement of air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and carbon filters. Home inspection and NO2 monitoring were conducted at 1 week pre-intervention and at 1 week and 3 months post-intervention. Stove replacement resulted in a 51% and 42% decrease in median NO2 concentration at 3 months of follow-up in the kitchen and bedroom, respectively (P = 0.01, P = 0.01); air purifier placement resulted in an immediate decrease in median NO2 concentration in the kitchen (27%, P kitchen (20%, P = 0.05). NO2 concentrations in the kitchen and bedroom did not significantly change following ventilation hood installation. Replacing unvented gas stoves with electric stoves or placement of air purifiers with HEPA and carbon filters can decrease indoor NO2 concentrations in urban homes. Several combustion sources unique to the residential indoor environment, including gas stoves, produce nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and higher NO2 concentrations, are associated with worse respiratory morbidity in people with obstructive lung disease. A handful of studies have modified the indoor environment by replacing unvented gas heaters; this study, to our knowledge, is the first randomized study to target unvented gas stoves. The results of this study show that simple home interventions, including replacement of an unvented gas stove with an electric stove or placement of HEPA air purifiers with carbon filters, can significantly decrease indoor NO2 concentrations. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A

A sensitivity study of parameters in the Nazaroff-Cass IAQ model with respect to indoor concentrations of O3, NO, NO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drakou, G.; Zerefos, C.; Ziomas, I.

2000-01-01

The indoor O 3 , NO, NO 2 concentrations and their corresponding indoor/outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios are predicted in this paper for some representative buildings, using the Nazaroff-Cass indoor air quality models. This paper presents and systemises the relationship between indoor and air pollution concentrations and the buildings' design, use and operation. The building parameters which are determined to be main factors affecting the air pollutant concentrations are: the physical dimensions of the building and the materials of construction, the buildings' air exchange rate with outdoors and the indoor air pollutant sources. Changes of ultraviolet photon fluxes, of temperatures and of relative humidity indoors, have little effect on indoor O 3 , NO and NO 2 concentrations, for air exchange rates above 0.5 ach. Special attention must be given when a building has a very low air exchange rate, under which conditions the effect of a small change in any of the factors determining the indoor air quality of the building will be much more noticeable than in a building with high air exchange rate. (Author)

Publications and Resources About Indoor airPLUS

Science.gov (United States)

Presented are useful materials to help you build homes that meet Indoor airPLUS specifications and to promote Indoor airPLUS qualified homes. These materials are FREE of charge and are available in PDF.

Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

The Federal Interagency Committee on Indoor Air Quality (CIAQ), which meets three times a year, was established by Congress to coordinate the activities of the Federal Government on issues relating to Indoor Air Quality.

Improved perceived indoor environment in renovated and energy-retrofitted social housing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Henrik Nellemose

2017-01-01

, noise from outside and too little daylight. The evaluation shows that it is possible to achieve a win-win situation, with both energy savings and improved perceived indoor environment. The evaluation also reveals that careful attention is needed to avoid introducing annoying noise from new technical......The purpose of the present study was, among other things, to evaluate how tenants perceived the indoor environment in renovated and energy-retrofitted social housing erected in the 1960s. Tenants answered a questionnaire to quantify problems and satisfaction with the indoor environment before...... and after the renovation work. A majority of tenants perceived the indoor environment improved for all parameters: temperature, draught, air quality, noise and daylight, after the renovation work. In particular, the tenants experienced fewer problems with too low temperature and draught during the winter...

Medical diagnostics for indoor mold exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurraß, Julia; Heinzow, Birger; Aurbach, Ute; Bergmann, Karl-Christian; Bufe, Albrecht; Buzina, Walter; Cornely, Oliver A; Engelhart, Steffen; Fischer, Guido; Gabrio, Thomas; Heinz, Werner; Herr, Caroline E W; Kleine-Tebbe, Jörg; Klimek, Ludger; Köberle, Martin; Lichtnecker, Herbert; Lob-Corzilius, Thomas; Merget, Rolf; Mülleneisen, Norbert; Nowak, Dennis; Rabe, Uta; Raulf, Monika; Seidl, Hans Peter; Steiß, Jens-Oliver; Szewszyk, Regine; Thomas, Peter; Valtanen, Kerttu; Wiesmüller, Gerhard A

2017-04-01

In April 2016, the German Society of Hygiene, Environmental Medicine and Preventative Medicine (Gesellschaft für Hygiene, Umweltmedizin und Präventivmedizin (GHUP)) together with other scientific medical societies, German and Austrian medical societies, physician unions and experts has provided an AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies) guideline 'Medical diagnostics for indoor mold exposure'. This guideline shall help physicians to advise and treat patients exposed indoors to mold. Indoor mold growth is a potential health risk, even without a quantitative and/or causal association between the occurrence of individual mold species and health effects. Apart from the allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and the mycoses caused by mold, there is only sufficient evidence for the following associations between moisture/mold damages and different health effects: Allergic respiratory diseases, asthma (manifestation, progression, exacerbation), allergic rhinitis, exogenous allergic alveolitis and respiratory tract infections/bronchitis. In comparison to other environmental allergens, the sensitizing potential of molds is estimated to be low. Recent studies show a prevalence of sensitization of 3-10% in the total population of Europe. The evidence for associations to mucous membrane irritation and atopic eczema (manifestation, progression, exacerbation) is classified as limited or suspected. Inadequate or insufficient evidence for an association is given for COPD, acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage in children, rheumatism/arthritis, sarcoidosis, and cancer. The risk of infections from indoor molds is low for healthy individuals. Only molds that are capable to form toxins can cause intoxications. The environmental and growth conditions and especially the substrate determine whether toxin formation occurs, but indoor air concentrations are always very low. In the case of indoor moisture/mold damages, everyone can be affected by odor effects and

Indoor radon monitoring in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India, for health hazard assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, G.; Kumar, A.; Walia, V.; Kumar, M.; Tuccu, M.A.; Prasher, S.

2016-01-01

In the present study, indoor radon equilibrium equivalent concentration monitoring was carried out using Solid-State Nuclear Track Detectors in some residential areas of the Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The average value of the indoor radon equilibrium equivalent concentration in the study area was found to be 94 Bq m -3 , with an annual effective dose of 1.61 mSv. The average value of the indoor radon equilibrium equivalent concentration in the studied areas was found to be higher than the world average indoor radon value of 40 Bq m -3 but lower than the value of the action level 300 Bq m -3 , except for two locations. (authors)

Relationships between socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and indoor air quality in French dwellings.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Terry; Dassonville, Claire; Derbez, Mickael; Ramalho, Olivier; Kirchner, Severine; Crump, Derrick; Mandin, Corinne

2015-07-01

To date, few studies have analyzed the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and indoor air quality (IAQ). The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between socioeconomic and other factors and indoor air pollutant levels in French homes. The indoor air concentrations of thirty chemical, biological and physical parameters were measured over one week in a sample of 567 dwellings representative of the French housing stock between September 2003 and December 2005. Information on SES (household structure, educational attainment, income, and occupation), building characteristics, and occupants' habits and activities (smoking, cooking, cleaning, etc.) were collected through administered questionnaires. Separate stepwise linear regression models were fitted to log-transformed concentrations on SES and other factors. Logistic regression was performed on fungal contamination data. Households with lower income were more likely to have higher indoor concentrations of formaldehyde, but lower perchloroethylene indoor concentrations. Formaldehyde indoor concentrations were also associated with newly built buildings. Smoking was associated with increasing acetaldehyde and PM2.5 levels and the risk of a positive fungal contamination index. BTEX levels were also associated with occupant density and having an attached garage. The major predictors for fungal contamination were dampness and absolute humidity. These results, obtained from a large sample of dwellings, show for the first time in France the relationships between SES factors and indoor air pollutants, and believe they should be considered alongside occupant activities and building characteristics when study IAQ in homes. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Indoor air pollution and cognitive function among older Mexican adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Saenz, Joseph L; Wong, Rebeca; Ailshire, Jennifer A

2018-01-01

A growing body of research suggests exposure to high levels of outdoor air pollution may negatively affect cognitive functioning in older adults, but less is known about the link between indoor sources of air pollution and cognitive functioning. We examine the association between exposure to indoor air pollution and cognitive function among older adults in Mexico, a developing country where combustion of biomass for domestic energy remains common. Data come from the 2012 Wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. The analytic sample consists of 13 023 Mexican adults over age 50. Indoor air pollution is assessed by the reported use of wood or coal as the household's primary cooking fuel. Cognitive function is measured with assessments of verbal learning, verbal recall, attention, orientation and verbal fluency. Ordinary least squares regression is used to examine cross-sectional differences in cognitive function according to indoor air pollution exposure while accounting for demographic, household, health and economic characteristics. Approximately 16% of the sample reported using wood or coal as their primary cooking fuel, but this was far more common among those residing in the most rural areas (53%). Exposure to indoor air pollution was associated with poorer cognitive performance across all assessments, with the exception of verbal recall, even in fully adjusted models. Indoor air pollution may be an important factor for the cognitive health of older Mexican adults. Public health efforts should continue to develop interventions to reduce exposure to indoor air pollution in rural Mexico. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A prospective study of diet quality and mental health in adolescents.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felice N Jacka

Full Text Available A number of cross-sectional and prospective studies have now been published demonstrating inverse relationships between diet quality and the common mental disorders in adults. However, there are no existing prospective studies of this association in adolescents, the onset period of most disorders, limiting inferences regarding possible causal relationships.In this study, 3040 Australian adolescents, aged 11-18 years at baseline, were measured in 2005-6 and 2007-8. Information on diet and mental health was collected by self-report and anthropometric data by trained researchers.There were cross-sectional, dose response relationships identified between measures of both healthy (positive and unhealthy (inverse diets and scores on the emotional subscale of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL, where higher scores mean better mental health, before and after adjustments for age, gender, socio-economic status, dieting behaviours, body mass index and physical activity. Higher healthy diet scores at baseline also predicted higher PedsQL scores at follow-up, while higher unhealthy diet scores at baseline predicted lower PedsQL scores at follow-up. Improvements in diet quality were mirrored by improvements in mental health over the follow-up period, while deteriorating diet quality was associated with poorer psychological functioning. Finally, results did not support the reverse causality hypothesis.This study highlights the importance of diet in adolescence and its potential role in modifying mental health over the life course. Given that the majority of common mental health problems first manifest in adolescence, intervention studies are now required to test the effectiveness of preventing the common mental disorders through dietary modification.

Indoor radon level measurements in Iran using AEOI passive dosimeters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohrabi, M.; Solaymanian, A.R.

1988-01-01

A passive radon diffusion dosimeter was developed at the RPD of AEOI for nationwide indoor radon level measurements. Several parameters of the dosimeter were studied. Radon levels were determined in about 250 houses in Ramsar (a high natural radiation area), Tehran, Babolsar and Gonabad. In this paper, the results of some dosimeter parameters as well as radon levels in indoor air are reported

Assement on level of indoor air quality at kindergartens in Ampang ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study identify the air pollutant that occurs in the kindergartens, to measure the level of indoor air quality and also to analyze the association between indoor air quality patterns with respiratory health symptoms. Three kindergartens were selected based on types of building (single house, terraced 2 floors and refurbished ...

Indoor Air Quality: Maryland Public Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Maryland State Dept. of Education, College Park. Office of Administration and Finance.

Less than adequate indoor air quality in schools can lead to a higher risk of health problems, an increase in student and teacher absenteeism, diminished learning, and even hazardous conditions. An indoor air quality program that addresses the planning, design, maintenance, and operation of public school buildings should be implemented at the…

An Evaluation of Antifungal Agents for the Treatment of Fungal Contamination in Indoor Air Environments

OpenAIRE

Rogawansamy, Senthaamarai; Gaskin, Sharyn; Taylor, Michael; Pisaniello, Dino

2015-01-01

Fungal contamination in indoor environments has been associated with adverse health effects for the inhabitants. Remediation of fungal contamination requires removal of the fungi present and modifying the indoor environment to become less favourable to growth.  This may include treatment of indoor environments with an antifungal agent to prevent future growth. However there are limited published data or advice on chemical agents suitable for indoor fungal remediation. The aim of this study wa...

Indoor and outdoor poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in Korea determined by passive air sampler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seung-Kyu; Shoeib, Mahiba; Kim, Kyeong-Soo; Park, Jong-Eun

2012-01-01

Despite concerns to their increasing contribution to ecological and human exposure, the atmospheric levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been determined mainly in Europe and North America. This study presents the indoor and outdoor air concentrations of volatile PFASs [fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), and perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides/sulfonamidoethanols/sulfonamide ethyl acetate (FOSAs/FOSEs/FOSEA)] for the first time in Korean cities. In contrast to the good agreement observed for indoor FTOHs levels in Korea and Europea/North America, FOSAs/FOSEs levels were 10–100-fold lower in Korean indoor air, representing a cultural difference of indoor source. Korean outdoor air contained higher PFAS levels than indoor air, and additionally showed different PFAS composition profile from indoor air. Thus, indoor air would not likely be a main contributor to atmospheric PFAS contamination in Korea, in contrast to western countries. Inhalation exposure of volatile PFASs was estimated to be a minor contributor to PFOA and PFOS exposure in Korea. - Highlights: ► Volatile PFASs were measured in indoor and outdoor airs of Korea, for the first time. ► Cultural difference in indoor source was observed for Korea v.s. western countries. ► Furthermore, PFASs concentrations were higher in indoor air than outdoor air. ► Indoor air was not a major contributor to atmospheric PFASs contamination in Korea. ► Release from industrial activities was considered a possible source. - Korean outdoor air showed not only different PFAS composition profile but higher PFAS levels than indoor airs, indicating indoor air would not be a main source to Korean atmospheric PFASs.

About the Subdivision of Indoor Spaces in Indoorgml

Science.gov (United States)

Diakité, A. A.; Zlatanova, S.; Li, K.-J.

2017-10-01

Boosted by the dynamic urbanization of cities, indoor environments are getting more and more complex in order to be able to host people properly. While most of our time is spent inside buildings, the need of GIS tools to assist our daily activities that can become tedious, such as indoor navigation or facility management, became more and more urgent. In that perspective, the IndoorGML standard is aiming to address the gaps left by other standards regarding the spatial modelling for indoor navigation. It includes several concepts such as the organization of the spaces into cells along with their network representation and the possibility to represent multiple connected layers. However, being at its first stage, several concepts of the standard could be improved. One of these is the cell subspacing that is not enough discussed in the current version of the standard. In this paper, we explore all the aspects involved in the subdivision process, from the identification of the navigable and non-navigable space cells to the generation of a navigation graph. We propose several criteria on which the indoor sub-spacing can rely to be automatically performed and and illustrate them on a 3D indoor model.

Soil as a source of indoor 220Rn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Schery, S.D.; Turk, B.

1992-01-01

Two suggestions for sources of indoor 220Rn (thoron) have appeared in the literature: (1) building materials and outside air, and (2) soil beneath the house. Due to the difficulty of 220Rn measurement and limited data, both suggestions lack sufficient supporting evidence. We have investigated sources of indoor 220Rn in seven occupied houses in northern New Mexico, U.S. A two-filter system was used to measure indoor 220Rn levels continuously, and 220Rn progeny were measured with single filters and specialized alpha-track detectors. The amount of 220Rn entry from soil was curtailed by cutting off soil gas flow to the indoor air with subfloor depressurization mitigation systems. Four of the houses showed significant reductions in 220Rn with mitigation systems on. The average effect for these houses was to reduce indoor 220Rn levels by 70%. The other three houses had no clear reductions but in one of these houses, the mitigation system was not effective for stopping soil gas flow. Our results provide some of the most clear evidence to date supporting soil as an important source of indoor 220Rn

Hourly indoor radon measurements in a research house.

Science.gov (United States)

Sesana, Lucia; Begnini, Stefania

2004-01-01

This paper reports and discusses the behaviour of radon concentration with time in an uninhabited dwelling. The relationship between variations in radon concentrations and indoor-outdoor temperatures and wind intensity has also been discussed. Radon concentration was measured hourly in a house located at a height of 800 m in the Lombard Prealps, at the top of the Valassina valley. The wind velocity and indoor-outdoor temperatures were measured by means of a meteorological station located on the terrace of the house. The data were analysed using the LBL model for indoor-outdoor air exchange and the models for the indoor accumulation of radon due to exhalation from building materials and pressure-driven infiltrations located underground. The role of wind and indoor-outdoor temperatures were analysed. The agreement of measurements with modelling clearly demonstrates the importance of the different sources of indoor radon. As the investigation was conducted in an uninhabited house, the measurements were not affected by the behaviour of people, e.g. opening and closing of windows. Measurements of the outdoor atmospheric concentrations of (222)Rn provide an index of the atmospheric stability, the formation of thermal inversions and convective turbulence.

Hourly indoor radon measurements in a research house

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sesana, L.; Begnini, S.

2004-01-01

This paper reports and discusses the behaviour of radon concentration with time in an uninhabited dwelling. The relationship between variations in radon concentrations and indoor-outdoor temperatures and wind intensity has also been discussed. Radon concentration was measured hourly in a house located at a height of 800 m in the Lombard Pre-alps, at the top of the Valassina valley. The wind velocity and indoor-outdoor temperatures were measured by means of a meteorological station located on the terrace of the house. The data were analysed using the LBL model for indoor-outdoor air exchange and the models for the indoor accumulation of radon due to exhalation from building materials and pressure-driven infiltrations located underground. The role of wind and indoor-outdoor temperatures were analysed. The agreement of measurements with modelling clearly demonstrates the importance of the different sources of indoor radon. As the investigation was conducted in an uninhabited house, the measurements were not affected by the behaviour of people, e.g. opening and closing of windows. Measurements of the outdoor atmospheric concentrations of 222 Rn provide an index of the atmospheric stability, the formation of thermal inversions and convective turbulence. (authors)

Indoor Tanning within UK Young Adults: An Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, Lorna J; Forshaw, Mark J; Williams, Stella

2013-01-01

The indoor tanning industry poses a long-term public health risk. Despite the adverse health effects, indoor tanning seems to be gaining considerable popularity. The study examined indoor tanning intentions and behaviour within UK young adults using an extended theory of planned behaviour model, which included variables on "appearance reasons to tan," "perceived susceptibility to damaging appearance," "perceived susceptibility to health consequences," and "tanning knowledge." The model was successful in predicting indoor tanning intentions and behaviour (explained 17% and 71%, resp.). An interesting outcome was the magnitude of the variable "appearance reasons to tan." A current tanned appearance therefore seemed to outweigh any adverse future appearance or health consequences caused by indoor tanning. Appearance-focused interventions to reduce such behaviour may now prove to be efficacious within a UK sample.

Exploring the potential relationship between indoor air quality and the concentration of airborne culturable fungi: a combined experimental and neural network modeling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhijian; Cheng, Kewei; Li, Hao; Cao, Guoqing; Wu, Di; Shi, Yunjie

2018-02-01

Indoor airborne culturable fungi exposure has been closely linked to occupants' health. However, conventional measurement of indoor airborne fungal concentration is complicated and usually requires around one week for fungi incubation in laboratory. To provide an ultra-fast solution, here, for the first time, a knowledge-based machine learning model is developed with the inputs of indoor air quality data for estimating the concentration of indoor airborne culturable fungi. To construct a database for statistical analysis and model training, 249 data groups of air quality indicators (concentration of indoor airborne culturable fungi, indoor/outdoor PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations, indoor temperature, indoor relative humidity, and indoor CO 2 concentration) were measured from 85 residential buildings of Baoding (China) during the period of 2016.11.15-2017.03.15. Our results show that artificial neural network (ANN) with one hidden layer has good prediction performances, compared to a support vector machine (SVM). With the tolerance of ± 30%, the prediction accuracy of the ANN model with ten hidden nodes can at highest reach 83.33% in the testing set. Most importantly, we here provide a quick method for estimating the concentration of indoor airborne fungi that can be applied to real-time evaluation.

Quality Management Framework for Total Diet Study centres in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Pité, Marina; Pinchen, Hannah; Castanheira, Isabel; Oliveira, Luisa; Roe, Mark; Ruprich, Jiri; Rehurkova, Irena; Sirot, Veronique; Papadopoulos, Alexandra; Gunnlaugsdóttir, Helga; Reykdal, Ólafur; Lindtner, Oliver; Ritvanen, Tiina; Finglas, Paul

2018-02-01

A Quality Management Framework to improve quality and harmonization of Total Diet Study practices in Europe was developed within the TDS-Exposure Project. Seventeen processes were identified and hazards, Critical Control Points and associated preventive and corrective measures described. The Total Diet Study process was summarized in a flowchart divided into planning and practical (sample collection, preparation and analysis; risk assessment analysis and publication) phases. Standard Operating Procedures were developed and implemented in pilot studies in five organizations. The flowchart was used to develop a quality framework for Total Diet Studies that could be included in formal quality management systems. Pilot studies operated by four project partners were visited by project assessors who reviewed implementation of the proposed framework and identified areas that could be improved. The quality framework developed can be the starting point for any Total Diet Study centre and can be used within existing formal quality management approaches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indoor radon level in schools of Shillong, Meghalaya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxena, A.; Sharma, Y.; Maibam, D.; Walia, D.; Diengdoh, E.

2010-01-01

Radon ( 222 Rn) in the atmosphere is the most important contributor to human exposure from natural sources. Radon is a noble inert gas; and it decays to radionuclides that are chemically active and relatively short lived. Inhalation of the short lived radon progeny imparts a radiation dose to the lung, to which an increased risk of lung cancer is attributed due to the alpha particle irradiation of the secretory and basal cells of the respiratory tract. The indoor radon concentration is dependent on the texture, porosity, permeability, water content of the soil underlying the structure and the radon behaviour in soils on aspects of geology and climate. The direct cause of high radon entry rates into structures exhibiting high indoor radon concentrations are fractures in bedrock formations, cracks in the soil, and similar inhomogeneities in the materials of the foundation of the structures. Other factors influencing indoor radon concentration includes exhalations from the walls and ceilings, building design and material, cracks and openings in the foundation of the buildings. The geological factors in the study area promote radon accumulation especially in buildings and dwellings. The world average annual effective dose in the indoor environments is 1.01 mSv.y -1 . The importance of radon level measurements in school buildings is of interest as children are more sensitive to radon exposure than adults. Hence, radon measurements in 10 schools have been undertaken in the present study

Diet and polycystic kidney disease: A pilot intervention study.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Jacob M; Hamilton-Reeves, Jill M; Sullivan, Debra K; Gibson, Cheryl A; Creed, Catherine; Carlson, Susan E; Wesson, Donald E; Grantham, Jared J

2017-04-01

Dietary sodium, protein, acid precursors, and water have been linked to cyst growth in polycystic kidney disease; yet, no studies in patients have examined the feasibility of using a dietary intervention that controls all of these factors. The aim of this study was to determine if a diet, appropriate for persons of most ages, reduces the excretion of sodium, urea, acid, and decreases mean urine osmolality while gaining acceptance by patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Twelve adults with ADPKD enrolled in a pre-post pilot feasibility study and served as their own controls. Individuals consumed their usual diet for one week then for four weeks followed an isocaloric diet lower in sodium and protein and higher in fruits, vegetables, and water. Three-day diet records and two 24-h urine samples were collected at baseline, week 2, and week 4 visits; blood pressure, weight, and serum were obtained at all three visits. A modified nutrition hassles questionnaire was completed on the last visit. During the dietary intervention, subjects (n = 11) consumed less sodium, protein, and dietary acid precursors 36%, 28%, and 99%, respectively, and increased fluid intake by 42%. Urinary sodium, urea, net acid excretion, osmoles, and osmolality decreased 20%, 28%, 20%, 37%, and 15%, respectively; volume increased 35%. Urine changes were in accord with the diet record. Ninety-one percent of participants reported that none of the hassles were worse than "somewhat severe", and most participants felt "somewhat confident" or "very confident" that they could manage the new diet. A majority of adult patients with ADPKD successfully prepared and followed a composite diet prescription with decreased sodium, protein, acid precursors, and increased fluid intake. This trail was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01810614). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Strength of smoke-free air laws and indoor air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kiyoung; Hahn, Ellen J; Robertson, Heather E; Lee, Seongjik; Vogel, Suzann L; Travers, Mark J

2009-04-01

Smoke-free air laws have been implemented in many Kentucky communities to protect the public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure. The impact of different strengths of smoke-free air laws on indoor air quality was assessed. Indoor air quality in hospitality venues was assessed in seven communities before and after comprehensive smoke-free air laws and in two communities only after partial smoke-free air laws. One community was measured three times: before any smoke-free air law, after the initial partial law, and after the law was strengthened to cover all workplaces and public places with few exemptions. Real-time measurements of particulate matters with 2.5 mum aerodynamic diameter or smaller (PM(2.5)) were obtained. When comprehensive smoke-free air laws were implemented, indoor PM(2.5) concentrations decreased significantly from 161 to 20 microg/m3. In one community that implemented a comprehensive smoke-free law after initially passing a partial law, indoor PM(2.5) concentrations were 304 microg/m3 before the law, 338 microg/m3 after the partial law, and 9 microg/m3 after the comprehensive law. The study clearly demonstrated that partial smoke-free air laws do not improve indoor air quality. A significant linear trend indicated that PM(2.5) levels in the establishments decreased with fewer numbers of burning cigarettes. Only comprehensive smoke-free air laws are effective in reducing indoor air pollution from secondhand tobacco smoke.

Measurements of indoor radon and radon progeny in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Y.S.; Rodriguez, G.P.

1996-01-01

Indoor radon has been a public concern associated with increased lung cancer risks. Radon decay products interact with indoor aerosols to form progeny with different size distributions, which may influence the lung dosimetry when the progeny are inhaled. Air pollution in Mexico City is a serious problems with high particulate concentrations, but there are few reports of indoor radon measurement. The purposes of this study were to measure the aerosol concentration, radon concentration, and radon activity size distribution in the living area of three houses in Mexico City. The radon concentration was monitored by a RGM-3 radon gas monitor (Eberline, Inc., Santa Fe, NM). A graded diffusion battery was used to determine the progeny concentration and activity size distribution. The concentration and size distribution of the indoor aerosols were monitored by a quartz, crystal microbalance cascade impactor. Our measurements showed high concentrations of indoor aerosols (20-180 gg m -3 ). However, the radon concentrations-were low ( -1 ), but showed a clear diurnal pattern with peak concentrations from 2-10 AM. The activity size distributions of radon progeny were trimodal, with peaks of 0.6 nm, 4-5 nm, and 100 rim. Most activities were associated with large particle sizes. Our results indicated that indoor radon concentration was not high, due in part to a relatively high air exchange with outdoor air. The high aerosol concentration may also play an important part in the activity size distribution of radon progeny

Towards an integrative approach of improving indoor air quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bluyssen, Philomena M. [TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, P.O. Box 49, 2600 AA Delft (Netherlands)

2009-09-15

There seems to be a discrepancy between current Indoor Air Quality standards and end-users wishes and demands. Indoor air quality can be approached from three points of view: the human, the indoor air of the space and the sources contributing to indoor air pollution. Standards currently in use mainly address the indoor air of the space. ''Other or additional'' recommendations and guidelines are required to improve indoor air quality. Even though we do not fully understand the mechanisms behind the physical, chemical, physiological and psychological processes, it is still possible to identify the different ways to be taken regulatory, politically-socially (awareness), technically (process and product) and scientifically. Besides the fact that there is an urgent need to involve medicine and neuro-psychology in research to investigate the mechanisms behind dose-response, health effects and interactions between and with the other factors and parameters of the indoor environment and the human body and mind, a holistic approach is required including the sources, the air and last but not least the human beings (occupants) themselves. This paper mainly focuses on the European situation. (author)

Sample design considerations of indoor air exposure surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, B.G.; Mage, D.T.; Immerman, F.W.

1988-01-01

Concern about the potential for indoor air pollution has prompted recent surveys of radon and NO 2 concentrations in homes and personal exposure studies of volatile organics, carbon monoxide and pesticides, to name a few. The statistical problems in designing sample surveys that measure the physical environment are diverse and more complicated than those encountered in traditional surveys of human attitudes and attributes. This paper addresses issues encountered when designing indoor air quality (IAQ) studies. General statistical concepts related to target population definition, frame creation, and sample selection for area household surveys and telephone surveys are presented. The implications of different measurement approaches are discussed, and response rate considerations are described

Methodology developed to make the Quebec indoor radon potential map

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drolet, Jean-Philippe, E-mail: jean-philippe.drolet@ete.inrs.ca [Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre (ETE-INRS), 490 de la Couronne, G1K 9A9 Quebec (Canada); Martel, Richard [Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre (ETE-INRS), 490 de la Couronne, G1K 9A9 Quebec (Canada); Poulin, Patrick [Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), 945 avenue Wolfe, G1V 5B3 Quebec (Canada); Dessau, Jean-Claude [Agence de la santé et des services sociaux des Laurentides, 1000 rue Labelle, J7Z 5 N6 Saint-Jérome (Canada)

2014-03-01

This paper presents a relevant approach to predict the indoor radon potential based on the combination of the radiogeochemical data and the indoor radon measurements in the Quebec province territory (Canada). The Quebec ministry of health asked for such a map to identify the radon-prone areas to manage the risk for the population related to indoor radon exposure. Three radiogeochemical criteria including (1) equivalent uranium (eU) concentration from airborne surface gamma-ray surveys, (2) uranium concentration measurements in sediments, (3) bedrock and surficial geology were combined with 3082 basement radon concentration measurements to identify the radon-prone areas. It was shown that it is possible to determine thresholds for the three criteria that implied statistically significant different levels of radon potential using Kruskal–Wallis one way analyses of variance by ranks. The three discretized radiogeochemical datasets were combined into a total predicted radon potential that sampled 98% of the studied area. The combination process was also based on Kruskal–Wallis one way ANOVA. Four statistically significant different predicted radon potential levels were created: low, medium, high and very high. Respectively 10 and 13% of the dwellings exceed the Canadian radon guideline of 200 Bq/m{sup 3} in low and medium predicted radon potentials. These proportions rise up to 22 and 45% respectively for high and very high predicted radon potentials. This predictive map of indoor radon potential based on the radiogeochemical data was validated using a map of confirmed radon exposure in homes based on the basement radon measurements. It was shown that the map of predicted radon potential based on the radiogeochemical data was reliable to identify radon-prone areas even in zones where no indoor radon measurement exists. - Highlights: • 5 radiogeochemical datasets were used to map the geogenic indoor radon potential. • An indoor radon potential was determined for

Modeling indoor air pollution of outdoor origin in homes of SAPALDIA subjects in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Reto; Schindler, Christian; Eeftens, Marloes; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Ducret-Stich, Regina E; Ineichen, Alex; Davey, Mark; Phuleria, Harish C; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Tsai, Ming-Yi; Künzli, Nino

2015-09-01

Given the shrinking spatial contrasts in outdoor air pollution in Switzerland and the trends toward tightly insulated buildings, the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA) needs to understand to what extent outdoor air pollution remains a determinant for residential indoor exposure. The objectives of this paper are to identify determining factors for indoor air pollution concentrations of particulate matter (PM), ultrafine particles in the size range from 15 to 300nm, black smoke measured as light absorbance of PM (PMabsorbance) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and to develop predictive indoor models for SAPALDIA. Multivariable regression models were developed based on indoor and outdoor measurements among homes of selected SAPALDIA participants in three urban (Basel, Geneva, Lugano) and one rural region (Wald ZH) in Switzerland, various home characteristics and reported indoor sources such as cooking. Outdoor levels of air pollutants were important predictors for indoor air pollutants, except for the coarse particle fraction. The fractions of outdoor concentrations infiltrating indoors were between 30% and 66%, the highest one was observed for PMabsorbance. A modifying effect of open windows was found for NO2 and the ultrafine particle number concentration. Cooking was associated with increased particle and NO2 levels. This study shows that outdoor air pollution remains an important determinant of residential indoor air pollution in Switzerland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving Wi-Fi Based Indoor Positioning Using Bluetooth Add-Ons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baniukevic, Artur; Sabonis, Dovydas; Jensen, Christian S.

2011-01-01

enabling indoor LBSs. Existing indoor positioning services typically use a single technology such as Wi-Fi, RFID or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi based indoor positioning is relatively easy to deploy, but does often not offer good positioning accuracy. In contrast, the use of RFID or Bluetooth for positioning requires...... considerable investments in equipment in order to ensure good positioning accuracy. Motivated by these observations, we propose a hybrid approach to indoor positioning. In particular, we introduce Bluetooth hotspots into an indoor space with an existing Wi-Fi infrastructure such that better positioning...

Development of Indoor Air Pollution Concentration Prediction by Geospatial Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adyati Pradini Yudison

2015-07-01

Full Text Available People living near busy roads are potentially exposed to traffic-induced air pollutants. The pollutants may intrude into the indoor environment, causing health risks to the occupants. Prediction of pollutant exposure therefore is of great importance for impact assessment and policy making related to environmentally sustainable transport. This study involved the selection of spatial interpolation methods that can be used for prediction of indoor air quality based on outdoor pollutant mapping without indoor measurement data. The research was undertaken in the densely populated area of Karees, Bandung, Indonesia. The air pollutant NO2 was monitored in this area as a preliminary study. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations were measured by passive diffusion tube. Outdoor NO2 concentrations were measured at 94 locations, consisting of 30 roadside and 64 outdoor locations. Residential indoor NO2 concentrations were measured at 64 locations. To obtain a spatially continuous air quality map, the spatial interpolation methods of inverse distance weighting (IDW and Kriging were applied. Selection of interpolation method was done based on the smallest root mean square error (RMSE and standard deviation (SD. The most appropriate interpolation method for outdoor NO2 concentration mapping was Kriging with an SD value of 5.45 µg/m3 and an RMSE value of 5.45 µg/m3, while for indoor NO2 concentration mapping the IDW was best fitted with an RMSE value of 5.92 µg/m3 and an SD value of 5.92 µg/m3.

Numerical study on human model shape and grid dependency for indoor thermal comfort evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, Jin Won; Choi, Yun Ho; Park, Jae Hong

2013-01-01

Various computer-simulated person (CSP) models have been used to represent occupants in indoor airflow simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Despite the capability of CFD to predict temperature and velocity fields in an automotive cabin or a room in a building, it is more difficult to evaluate the degree of thermal comfort considered by the CSP models. Up to now, the shapes of CSP models and their grid characteristics have not been studied for the evaluation of indoor thermal comfort. In this paper, the effects of the human model's shape and the physical characteristics of the grids are studied. The FLUENT code is used for analysis, and the predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD), and equivalent homogeneous temperature (EHT) values are used for the evaluation and comparison of thermal comfort. The computational results show that the CSP shape and grid features do not affect the global flow fields or the evaluations of PMV and PPD. However, more precise results are obtained from the evaluation of thermal comfort by EHT when detailed human models with a prism grid are used.

Numerical study on human model shape and grid dependency for indoor thermal comfort evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Jin Won; Choi, Yun Ho [Ajou University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jae Hong [LIG Nexl Co. Ltd, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of)

2013-02-15

Various computer-simulated person (CSP) models have been used to represent occupants in indoor airflow simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Despite the capability of CFD to predict temperature and velocity fields in an automotive cabin or a room in a building, it is more difficult to evaluate the degree of thermal comfort considered by the CSP models. Up to now, the shapes of CSP models and their grid characteristics have not been studied for the evaluation of indoor thermal comfort. In this paper, the effects of the human model's shape and the physical characteristics of the grids are studied. The FLUENT code is used for analysis, and the predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD), and equivalent homogeneous temperature (EHT) values are used for the evaluation and comparison of thermal comfort. The computational results show that the CSP shape and grid features do not affect the global flow fields or the evaluations of PMV and PPD. However, more precise results are obtained from the evaluation of thermal comfort by EHT when detailed human models with a prism grid are used.

Tetrabromobisphenol A in Indoor Dust from Houses and Internet Cafes

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Ma. Pythias B. Espino

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Tetrabromobisphenol A or TBBPA is a widely used brominated flame retardant in modern materials such as electronic products, plastics and building materials. TBBPA can leach out of flame retardant-treated products during production, use, reuse, and final disposal of these consumer products. It has thus become a contemporary environmental contaminant. This study reports the levels of TBBPA in indoor dust from houses (n=4 and internet cafes (n=5 in Angono and Quezon City, in the Philippines. TBBPA in indoor dust was analyzed by ultrasonication-assisted hexane extraction and HPLC-UV determination. The instrument and method detection limits were 0.004 ng uL-1 and 1275 ng g-1, respectively. The standard calibration solutions ranged from 0.03 to 0.30 ng uL-1 (r2=0.9956. The extraction recovery was 78% (n=3. TBBPA was found in six of the nine indoor dust samples studied where the concentrations ranged from not detected to 4916 ng g-1. The occurrence and levels of TBBPA in indoor dusts are significant and suggest the need for further investigations especially in other microenvironments where people may be exposed to this contaminant.

Measurements of indoor 222Rn concentration in two art galleries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneiro, Luana Gomes; Braz, Delson; Jesus, Edgar Francisco de; Cunha, Kenya Dias da; Medeiros, Geiza; Zouain, Felipe; Pitassi, Gabriel; Leite, Carlos Barros; Cardoso, Katia

2009-01-01

It is point out that radon and their decay products in environment give high dose to human lung. Studies indicate that the indoor radon inhalation by humans has been considered probably the second most important cause of lung cancer after of smoking. A passive-type radon detector was used for measuring indoor radon concentration in two art galleries at Rio de Janeiro city during 90 days January to March, 2009. The aim of this study is to evaluate the occupational and public radon exposure in art galleries and museums. This paper shows the preliminary results of samples collected at two art galleries located in Gavea, Rio de Janeiro city. 30 LEXAN (GE) track detectors were exposed in the air (indoor as well as outdoor). The samples were collected in the same building which is a construction of XIX century. The analysis of the results suggests that the 222 Rn concentration levels are different in both sampling site, in closed environmental, demonstrating that, although the construction materials are the same the absence of circulating air is a factor very important to increase the concentration of indoor Rn. (author)

An Innovative Gateway for Indoor Positioning

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Marias Giannis F

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Enabling the pervasive paradigm requires the incorporation of location information. Retrieving location data has been a field of ongoing research for both the outdoor and indoor wireless systems. The results in the cellular scenario are already mature and location architectures have been standardized. Recent research is ongoing for indoor-positioning mechanisms, resulting in implementations that vary. A platform that enables the deployment of location-based services in heterogeneous indoor and WLAN-based communication systems will address difficulties in cooperating with different positioning systems. For that purpose, we have designed a novel entity, called Gateway WLAN Location Center (GWLC, which hides the heterogeneous functions of the indoor positioning architectures, incorporating a unified framework for retrieving location data of users and objects. The GWLC platform has been designed to meet objectives such as modularity, scalability, as well as portability, and to facilitate open interfaces. In this contribution, we elaborate on the design principles and the functionality of GWLC. We also provide performance results, obtained through real experiments.

Habitual diet and diet quality in Irritable Bowel Syndrome : A case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tigchelaar, E. F.; Mujagic, Z.; Zhernakova, A.; Hesselink, M. A. M.; Meijboom, S.; Perenboom, C. W. M.; Masclee, A. A. M.; Wijmenga, C.; Feskens, E. J. M.; Jonkers, D. M. A. E.

2017-01-01

Background: Diet is considered to be a key factor in symptom generation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and patients tend to exclude food products from their diet in pursue of symptom relief, which may impair diet quality. Methods: We evaluated habitual dietary intake in IBS patients with regard

Geologic factors and house construction practices affecting indoor radon in Onondaga County, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laymon, C.; Kunz, C.

1990-01-01

Indoor radon in Onondaga County, New York is largely controlled by bedrock and surficial geology. At more local scales, these alone are insufficient to characterize indoor radon potential. This paper reports on a detailed study of the concentration of indoor radon, soil radium, soil-gas radon, soil and bedrock type, permeability, and home construction practices indicates that above-average indoor radon concentrations are associated with gravelly moraine and glaciofluvial deposits, the radium-bearing Marcellus Shale, and high permeability zones around the substructure of houses built into limestone bedrock

Monocular Vision SLAM for Indoor Aerial Vehicles

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Koray Çelik

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a novel indoor navigation and ranging strategy via monocular camera. By exploiting the architectural orthogonality of the indoor environments, we introduce a new method to estimate range and vehicle states from a monocular camera for vision-based SLAM. The navigation strategy assumes an indoor or indoor-like manmade environment whose layout is previously unknown, GPS-denied, representable via energy based feature points, and straight architectural lines. We experimentally validate the proposed algorithms on a fully self-contained microaerial vehicle (MAV with sophisticated on-board image processing and SLAM capabilities. Building and enabling such a small aerial vehicle to fly in tight corridors is a significant technological challenge, especially in the absence of GPS signals and with limited sensing options. Experimental results show that the system is only limited by the capabilities of the camera and environmental entropy.

Indoor radon measurements and methodologies in Latin American countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canoba, A.; Lopez, F.O.; Arnaud, M.I.; Oliveira, A.A.; Neman, R.S.; Hadler, J.C.; Iunes, P.J.; Paulo, S.R.; Osorio, A.M.; Aparecido, R.; Rodriguez, C.; Moreno, V.; Vasquez, R.; Espinosa, G.; Golzarri, J.I.; Martinez, T.; Navarrete, M.; Cabrera, I.; Segovia, N.; Pena, P.; Tamez, E.; Pereyra, P.; Lopez-Herrera, M.E.; Sajo-Bohus, L.

2001-01-01

According to the current international guidelines concerning environmental problems, it is necessary to evaluate and to know the indoor radon levels, specially since most of the natural radiation dose to man comes from radon gas and its progeny. Several countries have established National Institutions and National Programs for the study of radon and its connection with lung cancer risk and public health. The aim of this work is to present the indoor radon measurements and the detection methods used for different regions of Latin America (LA) in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. This study shows that the passive radon devices based on alpha particle nuclear track methodology (NTM) is one of the more generalized methods in LA for long term indoor radon measurements, CR-39, LR-115 and Makrofol being the more commonly used detector materials. The participating institutions and the radon level measurements in the different countries are presented in this contribution

Estimation of indoor and outdoor ratios of selected volatile organic compounds in Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jing; Szyszkowicz, Mieczyslaw; Jovic, Branka; Cakmak, Sabit; Austin, Claire C.; Zhu, Jiping

2016-09-01

Indoor air and outdoor air concentration (I/O) ratio can be used to identify the origins of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I/O ratios of 25 VOCs in Canada were estimated based on the data collected in various areas in Canada between September 2009 and December 2011. The indoor VOC data were extracted from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Outdoor VOC data were obtained from Canada's National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) Network. The sampling locations covered nine areas in six provinces in Canada. Indoor air concentrations were found higher than outdoor air for all studied VOCs, except for carbon tetrachloride. Two different approaches were employed to estimate the I/O ratios; both approaches produced similar I/O values. The I/O ratios obtained from this study were similar to two other Canadian studies where indoor air and outdoor air of individual dwellings were measured. However, the I/O ratios found in Canada were higher than those in European cities and in two large USA cities, possibly due to the fact that the outdoor air concentrations recorded in the Canadian studies were lower. Possible source origins identified for the studied VOCs based on their I/O ratios were similar to those reported by others. In general, chlorinated hydrocarbons, short-chain (C5, C6) n-alkanes and benzene had significant outdoor sources, while long-chain (C10sbnd C12) n-alkanes, terpenes, naphthalene and styrene had significant indoor sources. The remaining VOCs had mixed indoor and outdoor sources.

Study of the removal difference in indoor particulate matter and volatile organic compounds through the application of plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung-Han Hong

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of plants to purify indoor air by observing the effective reduction rate among pollutant types of particulate matter (PM and volatile organic compounds (VOCs. PM and four types of VOCs were measured in a new building that is less than three years old and under three different conditions: before applying the plant, after applying the plant, and a room without a plant. The removal rate of each pollutant type due to the plant was also compared and analyzed. In the case of indoor PM, the removal effect was negligible because of outdoor influence. However, 9% of benzene, 75% of ethylbenzene, 72% of xylene, 75% of styrene, 50% of formaldehyde, 36% of acetaldehyde, 35% of acrolein with acetone, and 85% of toluene were reduced. The purification of indoor air by natural ventilation is meaningless because the ambient PM concentration has recently been high. However, contamination by gaseous materials such as VOCs can effectively be removed through the application of plants.

Normal and seasonally amplified indoor radon levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gammage, R.B.; Dudney, C.S.; Wilson, D.L.; King, D.

1995-01-01

Winter and summer indoor radon measurements are reported for 121 houses in Freehold, New Jersey. When presented as winter:summer ratios of indoor radon, the data closely approximate a lognormal distribution. The geometric mean is 1.49. Freehold is located on the fairly flat coastal plain. The winter:summer ratios are believed to represent the norm for regions of the U.S. with cold winters and hot summers. The Freehold data set can be compared to corresponding data sets from other locations to suggest seasonal perturbations of indoor radon arising from unusual causes

Indoor/outdoor elemental concentration relationships at a nursery school

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lannefors, H.; Hansson, H.C.

1981-01-01

Indoor and outdoor concentrations of lead and bromine have been measured at a nursery school, using streaker samplers with 2.4 h resolution. The observed variations in concentration were well-correlated with traffic intensity variations. In addition to their closely related time-variation curves, the bromine to lead ratios pointed to the emissions from leaded gasoline-powered vehicles as the main source of these elements both in and outdoors. Time-variation patterns on weekdays and during weekends indicated that the lead and bromine containing particles entered the nursery school mainly by leaking. Only a minor fraction seemed to be brought in and resuspended by the staff and children. The indoor concentrations of the elements studied were about 5 times lower than the outdoor levels thus considerably reducing the indoor exposure. (orig.)

Antimicrobial Treatments of Indoor Mold and Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Biological contaminants especially mold in buildings are known to act as sources of indoor air pollution, discomfort, asthma and pulmonary disease to building occupants. Sick buildings are evidence of extremely problematic indoor air quality (IAQ), often resulting from unacceptab...

Mood changes after indoor tanning among college women: associations with psychiatric/addictive symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolyn Heckman

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Indoor tanning (IT has been linked with psychiatric and addictive symptoms, and frequent tanning may indicate tanning dependence (addiction. The current study evaluated the effects of an IT episode on mood states and the association of these effects with psychiatric and addictive symptoms among young adult female indoor tanners. One-hundred thirty-nine female university students aged 18-25 years who had indoor tanned completed an online survey including the Positive and Negative Affects Scales and a standardized psychiatric interview (the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview via telephone. Psychiatric and addictive symptoms were relatively common among these young adult female indoor tanners. Overall, participants reported significant decreases in both negative (upset, scared, irritable, nervous, jittery, afraid and positive (feeling interested mood states after their most recent tanning episode. Multivariable linear regression analyses showed that more frequent indoor tanning in the past month and symptoms of illicit drug use disorders were associated with decreases in negative mood, and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder were associated with a decrease in feeling interested. In summary, indoor tanners report relatively high rates of psychiatric and substance use symptoms, including symptoms of tanning dependence, and indoor tanning appears to alter mood. Women with certain substance use and psychiatric characteristics may be more vulnerable to such mood changes after tanning indoors. Further research is needed to clarify the relationships among these variables.

[European community guidelines and standards in indoor air quality: what proposals for Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Settimo, Gaetano; D'Alessandro, Daniela

2014-01-01

Indoor air quality is an issue on which to focus because of the increasing number of exposed population and in view of the strong public feeling on this issue. This paper reports the rules of EU and several European countries about indoor air quality, focusing on the initiatives performed in Italy to respond to WHO recommendations. Several EU countries have introduced in their legislation rules relating to indoor air quality. At the moment, in Italy, a reference rule has not been issued. For this reason, up to date main informations concerning some guidelines or reference values in indoor air, to be used for a first comparison, are those obtained by the scientific literature, or by the guidelines issued by other European countries or, for analogy, by other standard values such as limit or reference values regarding outdoor air. Even the EU, while reaffirming the priority of energy efficiency measures, recommends healthier indoor environments and the development of a specific European strategy on the issue of indoor air quality. The National Study Group on indoor pollution of the Italian National Health Institute (ISS), is working for the development of shared technical and scientific documents, in order to provide greater uniformity of actions at national level, waiting for a legal framework for indoor air quality, in the light of the indication already produced by the WHO.

Very volatile organic compounds: An understudied class of indoor air pollutants: Keynote: Indoor Air 2014

OpenAIRE

Salthammer, T.

2016-01-01

Very volatile organic compounds (VVOCs), as categorized by the WHO, are an important subgroup of indoor pollutants and cover a wide spectrum of chemical substances. Some VVOCs are components of products commonly used indoors, some result from chemical reactions and some are reactive precursors of secondary products. Nevertheless, there is still no clear and internationally accepted definition of VVOCs. Current approaches are based on the boiling point, and the saturation vapor pressure or ref...

Headache symptoms and indoor environmental parameters: Results from the EPA BASE study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gretchen E Tietjen

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of migraine and headache symptoms in a national sample of US office employees. Also, we explored the association of headache symptoms with indoor environmental parameters of the work place. Background: Sick building syndrome (SBS, which includes headache, is a common global phenomenon, but the underlying environmental cause is uncertain. Materials and Methods: We used data from the 1994-1998 US Environmental Protection Agency′s (EPA Building Assessment and Survey Evaluation, a cross-sectional study of workers employed in 100 public and private office buildings across 25 states. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to assess headache frequency and prevalence of self-reported physician-diagnosed (SRPD migraine. Indoor environmental parameters (IEP were collected per EPA protocol from each building over a 1-week period and included carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, temperature, relative humidity, particulate matter, volatile organic compound, illuminance, and sound level. The standards of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers were used to categorize IEP as either within- or out-of-comfort range for human dwelling. These limits delineate whether a parameter value is safe for human dwelling. Out-of-comfort range IEPs are associated with SBS and other human diseases. SRPD migraine and headache frequency were the primary outcome measures of the study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed for the purpose of assessing the association between the outcome variable and IEPs. Results: Of the 4326 participants, 66% were females and 60% were between 30 and 49 years. Headache frequency during the last 4 weeks was as follows: None in 31%, 1-3 days in 38%, 1-3 days per week in 18%, and every or almost every workday in 8%. Females had higher SRPD migraine prevalence compared to males (27% vs. 11%, P<0.001 and were more

Summer indoor heat exposure and respiratory and cardiovascular distress calls in New York City, NY, U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Uejio, C K; Tamerius, J D; Vredenburg, J; Asaeda, G; Isaacs, D A; Braun, J; Quinn, A; Freese, J P

2016-08-01

Most extreme heat studies relate outdoor weather conditions to human morbidity and mortality. In developed nations, individuals spend ~90% of their time indoors. This pilot study investigated the indoor environments of people receiving emergency medical care in New York City, NY, U.S., from July to August 2013. The first objective was to determine the relative influence of outdoor conditions as well as patient characteristics and neighborhood sociodemographics on indoor temperature and specific humidity (N = 764). The second objective was to determine whether cardiovascular or respiratory cases experience hotter and more humid indoor conditions as compared to controls. Paramedics carried portable sensors into buildings where patients received care to passively monitor indoor temperature and humidity. The case-control study compared 338 respiratory cases, 291 cardiovascular cases, and 471 controls. Intuitively, warmer and sunnier outdoor conditions increased indoor temperatures. Older patients who received emergency care tended to occupy warmer buildings. Indoor-specific humidity levels quickly adjusted to outdoor conditions. Indoor heat and humidity exposure above a 26 °C threshold increased (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 0.98-2.68, P = 0.056), but not significantly, the proportion of respiratory cases. Indoor heat exposures were similar between cardiovascular cases and controls. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Indoor particle levels in small- and medium-sized commercial buildings in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiangmei May; Apte, Michael G; Bennett, Deborah H

2012-11-20

This study monitored indoor and outdoor particle concentrations in 37 small and medium commercial buildings (SMCBs) in California with three buildings sampled on two occasions, resulting in 40 sampling days. Sampled buildings included offices, retail establishments, restaurants, dental offices, and hair salons, among others. Continuous measurements were made for both ultrafine and fine particulate matter as well as black carbon inside and outside of the building. Integrated PM(2.5), PM(2.5-10), and PM(10) samples were also collected inside and outside the building. The majority of the buildings had indoor/outdoor (I/O) particle concentration ratios less than 1.0, indicating that contributions from indoor sources are less than removal of outdoor particles. However, some of the buildings had I/O ratios greater than 1, indicating significant indoor particle sources. This was particularly true of restaurants, hair salons, and dental offices. The infiltration factor was estimated from a regression analysis of indoor and outdoor concentrations for each particle size fraction, finding lower values for ultrafine and coarse particles than for submicrometer particles, as expected. The I/O ratio of black carbon was used as a relative measure of the infiltration factor of particles among buildings, with a geometric mean of 0.62. The contribution of indoor sources to indoor particle levels was estimated for each building.

Measurements of indoor and outdoor natural radiation exposure rates in model houses