Indoor Air Quality and Personal Exposure Assessment Program
This page updated March 24, 2003
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Sources and Potential Health Effects of Indoor Air Pollutants |
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Pollutant |
Major Indoor Sources |
Potential Health Effects* |
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| Environmental Tobacco Smoke | Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes | Respiratory irritation, bronchitis and pneumonia in children, emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease | ||
| Carbon Monoxide | Unvented or malfunctioning gas appliances, wood stoves, and tobacco smoke |
Headache; nausea; angina; impaired vision and mental functioning; fatal at high concentrations | ||
| Nitrogen Oxides | Unvented or malfunctioning gas appliances |
Eye, nose, and throat irritation; increased respiratory infections in children | ||
| Organic Chemicals | Aerosol sprays, solvents, glues, cleaning agents, pesticides, paints, moth repellents, air fresheners, drycleaned clothing, and treated water | Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; damage to liver, kidney and brain; various types of cancer | ||
| Formaldehyde | Pressed wood products such as plywood and particleboard; furnishings; wallpaper; durable press fabrics | Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; allergic reactions; cancer | ||
| Respirable Particles | Cigarettes, wood stoves, fireplaces, aerosol sprays, and house dust | Eye, nose and throat irritation; increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and bronchitis; lung cancer | ||
| Biological Agents (Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Animal Dander, Mites) | House dust; pets; bedding; poorly maintained air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers; wet or moist structures; furnishings | Allergic reactions; asthma; eye, nose, and throat irritation; humidifier fever, influenza, and other infectious diseases | ||
| Asbestos | Damaged or deteriorating insulation, fireproofing, and acoustical materials | Asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other cancers | ||
| Lead | Sanding or open-flame burning of lead paint; house dust | Nerve and brain damage, particularly in children; anemia; kidney damage; growth retardation | ||
| Radon | Soil under buildings, some earth-derived construction materials, and groundwater | Lung cancer | ||
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