Indoor Air Quality

MOHD TALIB LATIF School of Environmental and natural Resource Sciences Faculty of Science and Technology University Kebangsaan Malaysia

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term referring to

the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants

Indoor Air Pollution

The National Health and Medical Research Council

(NHMRC- Australia) defines indoor air as air within a building occupied for at least one hour by people of varying states of health. This can include the office, classroom, transport facility, shopping centre, hospital and home.
Indoor air quality can be defined as the totality of

attributes of indoor air that affect a person's health and well being.

Sick building syndrome

Condition associated with complaints of discomfort including headache; nausea; dizziness; dermatitis; eye, nose, throat, and respiratory irritation; coughing; difficulty concentrating; sensitivity to odors; muscle pain; and fatigue.

Sick building syndrome

The specific causes of the symptoms are often not

known but sometimes are attributed to the effects of a combination of substances or individual susceptibility to low concentrations of contaminants.
The symptoms are associated with periods of

occupancy and often disappear after the worker leaves the worksite.

Cause of SBS
Inadequate ventilation 52% Contamination from inside building 16% Contamination from outside building 10%

Microbial contamination 5%
Contamination from building fabric 4% Unknown sources 13%1

Thermal Comfort
Personal factors (health, psychology, sociology &

situational factors) Air temperature Mean radiant temperature Air movement / velocity (see wind chill factor) Relative humidity (see also perspiration) Insulative clothing Activity levels.

THE IMPORTANT OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Indoor Air Quality Council-USA

The IAQ Council offers certifications in five disciplines related to indoor air quality:
Indoor Environmental Consulting and Investigation Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) Council-certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) Microbial Consulting and Investigation Council-certified Microbial Consultant (CMC) Council-certified Microbial Investigator (CMI)

Microbial Remediation Council-certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor (CMRS) Council-certified Microbial Remediator (CMR) Indoor Air Quality Administration Council-certified Indoor Air Quality Manager (CIAQM) Council-certified Microbial Claims Adjuster (CMCA) Residential Mold Inspection Council-certified Residential Mold Inspector (CRMI)

Sources of Indoor Pollutants

Base on Specific Building Combustion activity Furniture Chemical Building materials Food Water Smoking activity Outdoor air pollution

Walkaround Inspection
Potential Problem Areas
Sample Collection

Contaminant
Bioaerosols Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Formaldehyde Nitric oxide Nitrogen dioxide Particulates Pesticides Ozone

Range
0-1,000 cfu/m3 0-2,000 ppm 2-50 ppm 0.04-1 ppm 0-25 ppm 0-5 ppm 0-40,000 particles/cc

Screening Method
Viable biological sampler DT, IR DT, meter DT DT DT Light scattering meter

Validation Method

Sampling bag, GC/TCD OSHA ID172 Sampling bag, meter Coated XAD-2, GC/NPD OSHA-52 TEA tube with oxidizer, DPP OSHA ID190 TEA-Molecular Sieve Tube, IC OSHA ID 182

(See OSHA Chemical Information Manual) 0-0.1 ppm DT, Chemiluminescent meter Radon Cartridge, Electrect

Radon VOC's

4-200 pCi/L

(See OSHA Chemical Information Manual)

GREEN BUILDING INDEX

http://www.greenbuildingindex.org/

Green Building Index (GBI)

The Green Building Index (GBI) is Malaysias industry

recognised green rating tool for buildings to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise awareness among Developers, Architects, Engineers, Planners, Designers, Contractors and the Public about environmental issues and our responsibility to the future generations

What is Dust
Dust consists of tiny solid particles carried by

air currents. These articles are formed by a disintegration or fracture process, such as grinding, crushing, or impact.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration

(MSHA) defines dust as finely divided solids that may become airborne from the original state without any chemical or physical change other than fracture.

Occupational health point of view

Total Dust Inhalable Dust Respirable Dust

Total Dust
Total dust includes all airborne particles,

regardless of their size or composition.

Inhalable Dust
The EPA describes inhalable dust as that size

fraction of dust which enters the body, but is trapped in the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract. The median aerodynamic diameter of this dust is about 10 m.

Respirable Dust
Respirable dust refers to those dust particles that are

small enough to penetrate the nose and upper respiratory system and deep into the lungs.
Particles that penetrate deep into the respiratory

system are generally beyond the body's natural clearance mechanisms of cilia and mucous and are more likely to be retained.

OSHA Definition

General Understanding

Fine mode

Aerosols
Other 19% EC 5% SO4237%

OC 24%

NH4+ 11%

NO34%

Other OSHA Definition

Inhalable Particulate Mass
Dust particles having a 50% cut-point of 100 m. These dust particles are

hazardous when deposited anywhere in the respiratory tract.

Thoracic Particulate Mass

Dust particles having a 50% cut-point of 10 m. These dust particles are

hazardous when deposited anywhere in the lung airways and gas-exchange regions.

Respirable Particulate Mass

Dust particles having a 50% cut-point of 4 m. These dust particles are

hazardous when deposited anywhere in the gas-exchange regions.

MSHA Definition
Aerodynamic diameter m (unit density spheres) 2.0 2.5 3.5 5.0 Percent passing selector 90 75 50 25

10.0
*MSHA Mine Safety and Health Administration

Inhalable Dust (Malaysian DOSH)

Respirable Dust (Malaysian DOSH)

INDOOR AIR SAMPLING (DOSH METHOD)

Respirable and Total Dust

Respirable Dust Sampling Head

Total Dust Sampling Head

Respirable Dust

Total Dust

Gas Analysis

Lead in Indoor Air

Asbestos

Guideline
Base on Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality

(DOSH 2005)
Indoor Air Contaminant Unit Eight-hour time weighted average airborne concentration ppm mg/m3

Carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide Formaldehyde Respirable particulate Total Volatile organic compounds

1000
10 0.1 0.15 3

OSHA (USA) Limit for Air Contaminants

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_doc

ument?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9992
Total dust...........| | ........ | 15 mg/m3| Respirable Fraction..| | ........ | 5 mg/m3 |
Further explanation by Young, J. M. (2008). Journal of Air Quality Atmosphere and Health.

Other Guideline
Agency
ASHARE American Society of Heating, Air conditioning & Refrigeration Engineers, US National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, US

NIOSH

SIAQG

Singapore Indoor Air Quality Guidelines

WHO

World Health Organization

Parameter Carbon Monoxide

Air Quality Standard 35 ppm / 40,000 gm-3/ as 1 hour average 9 ppm / 10,000 gm-3/ as 8 hour average

Organization EPA NPAAQS SIAQG ASHRAE SIAQG AIHA SIAQG EPA NPAAQS WHO ASHRAE SIAQG EPA NPAAQS SIAQG

Carbon Dioxide

Ventilation rate/air exchange rate to achieve carbon dioxide level below 1,000 ppm / 1800mg m-3/ 4 ppm / 5mgm-3/ for total VOCs 3 ppm

Total Volatile Organic Compounds Ozone

0.12 ppm / 5gm-3/ as 1 hour average 0.05 ppm / 100 gm-3/ as 8 hour average

Respirable Suspended Particulates

150 gm-3 as 24 hour average 50 gm-3 as annual mean 0.15 mgm-3 as 24 hour average

Parameter Formaldehyde 1 ppm

Air Quality Standard

Organization OSHA ASHRAE SIAQG ASHRAE SIAQG ASHRAE SIAQG WHO AIHA SIAQG WHO SIAQG

0.4 ppm for indoor exposure 0.1 ppm / 120gm-3 Temperature 22C - 24C 22.5C - 25.5C Relative Humidity 40% - 60% 70% Bacteria 500 CFU/ as a maximum value

Air Movement

0.25m/s

Singapore

http://app2.nea.gov.sg/data/cmsresource/20090618385702933220.pdf

Hong Kong

Lee, S. C., 2002

Table 1: IAQ Objectives for Office Buildings and Public Places

8-hour average Excellent Class Good Class 20 to < 25.5 40 to < 70 % Air movement Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Carbon Monoxide (CO) Respirable Suspended Particulates (PM10) Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Ozone (O3) Formaldehyde (HCHO) Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) Radon (Rn) Airborne Bacteria cfu/m3 m/s ppmv g/m3 ppmv g/m3 < 0.2 < 800
d c b a

Parameter Room Temperature Relative Humidity

Unit C

< 25.5 < 70 < 0.3

< 1,000

< 2,000 f < 1.7 f < 20

< 10,000 g < 8.7 h < 180

8 hrs!

g/m3 ppbv g/m3 ppbv g/m3 ppbv g/m3 ppbv Bq/m3

< 40 < 21 f < 50 < 25 f < 30 < 24 f < 200 < 87 < 150 < 500
i j, k

< 150 < 80 g < 120 < 61 f, g < 100 < 81 f < 600 < 261 < 200 < 1,000
f j, k

http://www.iaq.gov.hk

http://www.iaq.gov.hk/tables.html

EEFECT OF INDOOOR AIR QUALITY

Effect of Indoor Air Pollution

Silicosis - Silicosis is a form of pneumoconiosis

caused by the dust of quartz and other silicates. The condition of the lungs is marked by nodular fibrosis (scarring of the lung tissue), resulting in shortness of breath. Silicosis is an irreversible disease; advanced stages are progressive even if the individual is removed from the exposure.

 Black Lung - Black lung is a form of pneumoconiosis

in which respirable coal dust particles accumulate in the lungs and darken the tissue. This disease is progressive. Although this disease is commonly known as black lung, its official name is coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP).

 Asbestosis - Asbestosis is a form of pneumoconiosis

caused by asbestos fibers. This disease is also irreversible.