See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/236605730

Indoor Air Quality-An Emerging Environmental Challenge

Article · January 2008

CITATIONS READS
2 3,191

2 authors:

Vinita Katiyar Mukesh Khare

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
28 PUBLICATIONS   55 CITATIONS    134 PUBLICATIONS   3,478 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

CArE-Homes: Clean Air Engineering for Homes View project

UGC-JRF/SRF 1994 View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Vinita Katiyar on 27 May 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY – AN EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE
Dr. Vinita Katiyar & Prof. M. Khare
Department of Civil Engineering
IIT Delhi

Email: vinita.katiyar@gmail.com

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

IAQ is an emerging issue of concern to building managers, operators, designers and occupants. Indoor
air quality has attributed to numerous rationales. The primary reason is to ensure that workers are able to
work in a comfortable, healthy environment. Increasing publicity and the resulting public awareness has
led to the building community to become sensitized to IAQ problems and issues. Thus IAQ studies have
become necessary due to the following reasons:
1. Indoor air is the medium through which people, building and climate interacts.
2. The health and well being of occupants are determined by physical, chemical and biological
properties of indoor air.
3. IAQ can be readily defined and rationally controlled.
Rapid industrialization and urbanization over the last few decades have led to the rise of countless
buildings. These buildings, which include offices, shopping complexes, hospitals, hotels, theatres, etc.
are mostly air-conditioned. This has led to a number of environmental problems indoors which
ultimately associated with workers well-beings and productivity. Indoor air quality can be characterized
on the basis of ventilation, level of indoor pollutants, respirable, non-respirable & viable particulate
matter, indoor CO2, CO concentration, thermal comfort, and relative humidity and ultimately
inhabitant’s perception. Unacceptable IAQ can lead to worker health complaints such as headaches,
coughs, colds, fatigue, nausea, and throat irritants. Now it is evident that air within homes and other
buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air. It is needed to encourage research in this
field and makes aware to building operators, managers, and occupants maintaining healthier and
pleasant indoor air environment.
Sources of Indoor air pollution
Indoor air contaminants can originate within the building or be drawn in from outdoors. If contaminants
sources are not controlled, IAQ problems can arise. There are many sources of air pollution in the indoor
environment. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco
products; building materials and furnishings, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and
furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance,

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 1

personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor
sources such as radon, and outdoor air pollution (EPA, 1995). These may be the primary cause of IAQ
problems inside the building. Ambient air predominated by SO2, NO2, O3, TSPM, RSPM etc. These
pollutants transported inside through openings like windows, doorways as well as through infiltration
via cracks. VOCs, Asbestos, PM, ETS, bioparticles etc. may be indoor origin. Common indoor air
pollutants are Environmental tobacco Smoke (ETS), Biological contaminants Carbon monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide Volatile organic compounds & Formaldehyde, Pesticides, Carbon dioxide and water
vapor Particulate Matter.

Plate 1 Moist and damp ceiling source of biocontaminants

Factors influencing IAQ

Plate 2 Features related to IAQ

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 2

 1. By surrounding outside air quality
2. Indoor Generation of pollutants by indoor activities/building materials/interior furnishings.
3. Pollutants Depletion Mechanisms.
4. Metrological Factors tend to have secondary effects since they usually affect I/O relationships
directly by altering the air exchange rate.
5. Ventilation controls the air exchange between indoors and outdoors directly affects the I/O
relationships.
Besides these parameters occupancy level also manipulate the indoor, temperature, availability of
oxygen for breathing, CO2 level, ventilation rate, inside moisture content and relative humidity. The
continuous respiration by building occupant’s continuously reduces the available oxygen in an enclosed
space and oxygen deficits cause headache, nausea, anorexia etc. Similarly, continuous respiration
increases the CO2 concentration inside the building. Though it is not toxic but the higher level of about
CO2 may cause nausea, depression, and headache. Figure 1 shows that level of CO2 increases during
peak hours in a centrally air conditioned office located in Delhi city (Katiyar, 2003).
Figure 1: Hourly distribution of CO2 at various locations in an Air Conditioned office

6000
CO2 concentration (in ppm)

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
9-5 hrs.

A person on an average produces about 300 B.Th.U. heat per hour (Mayer, 1983). Occupant’s bodies
may ultimately absorb the heat so produced by occupants of the room if it not leaks out. Severe
condition may lead to heat exhaustion, heat cramp, and finally heat stroke. Continuous supply of fresh
air through proper ventilation is, therefore very necessary to avoid heat effects.

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 3

Moisture in the form of water vapors are released by inhabitants of a building @ about 1.08 kg per day
(45 g per hour) (Mayer, 1983). This increases the humidity of the room/building, thereby decreasing
evaporation and consequent cooling of the bodies of the inhabitants, and thus causing them discomfort.
This moisture, supported by dust particles, also acts as carrier of germs and pathogenic bacteria and
fungi from one person to another, causing various diseases. The increase in concentration of biological
indoor air pollutants in an enclosed space, may cause nausea, headache, and even aggravate ones
existing illness. Even serious diseases like scarlet fever, whooping cough, measles, and lung diseases
etc. get spread through crowded buildings.
What parameters characterize IAQ in the workplace?
Following parameters characterize IAQ in a working environment-
Amount of Ventilation
Ventilation is the process of supplying or removing air, to or from a space, by either natural or
mechanical means in order to maintain acceptable level of IAQ. The air supply for this purpose usually
comes from outside. This air is also known as ventilation air. A distinction can be made between
intentional ventilation, which generally implies some form of manual or automatic control, and
unintentional ventilation, commonly referred to as air leakage. Ventilation is the intentional introduction
of air from outside into a building; it is further divided into ‘natural ventilation’ and forced ventilation
Natural ventilation is the intentional flow of air through open windows, doors, grills and other planned
building envelope penetrations, and it is driven by natural and/or artificially produced pressure
differentials. Forced ventilation is the intentional movement of air into and out of a building using fans
and intake and exhaust vents; it is also called mechanical ventilation. Ventilation air refers to clean;
outdoor air delivered to the building that, together with air exhausted from the building, dilutes and
removes to the air contaminants that are present. The concentration of CO 2 in the building is used as an
indicator of adequate ventilation. ASHARE 62-89 recommended required ventilation rates per minute
per person (cubic feet/minute) for different kinds of facilities (ASHARE, 1989).

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 4

Ventilation rates for different kinds of building
Application Ventilation rate/person Application Ventilation rate/person

Office space 20cfm Smoking lounge 60cfm

Restaurants 20cfm Beauty Salon 25cfm
Bars/Cocktail 30cfm Supermarkets 15cfm
Hotel Rooms 30cfm/room Auditorium 15cfm
Conference rooms 20cfm Classrooms 15cfm
Hospital rooms 25cfm Laboratory 20cfm
Operating rooms 30cfm General Retail 15cfm
Thermal comfort
Both temperature and relative humidity need to be considered when determining thermal comfort. No
one environment will be acceptable to everyone since people differ in age, activity level, and
physiology. The challenge is to maintain thermal comfort level that will be acceptable to a majority of
the building’s occupants. If RH rises above 70% growth of molds and bacteria, incidences of house dust
mites and survival of airborne pathogens will increase. At temperatures above 24 0C high humidity
interferes with the evaporation of sweat, causing increasing thermal discomfort and strain which are
health risks in vulnerable individuals (WHO, 1979).
Concentration of various pollutants
Urban ambient air predominated by SO2, NO2, O3, SPM, RSPM, hydrocarbons, VOCs etc. These
pollutants transported to inside through openings like windows, doorways as well as through infiltration
via cracks. Common indoor air pollutants are VOCs, Asbestos Environmental tobacco Smoke (ETS),
Biological contaminants Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide Nitrogen dioxide Volatile organic
compounds & Formaldehyde, Pesticides, Carbon dioxide and water vapor Particulate Matter. Indoor air
often contains a variety of contaminants at concentrations that are far below any standards or guidelines
for occupational exposure. It is difficult to relate complaints of specific health effects to exposure to
specific pollutant concentrations, especially since the significant exposure may be having too low levels.
WHO (1986), American Society for Heating Air conditioning Refrigeration Engineering (ASHARE)
(ASHARE 1989, 1992) European Commission (1994) (for biocontaminants) OSHA (1994) standards
recommended limits and guidelines for various pollutants. Beyond limits pollutants may unsafe for
workers and occupants, which may lead to loss in productivity. The indoor concentration of bacteria
classroom air of a school in Delhi has found to exceed above the standard limits recommended by
European Commission (1994) (Katiyar 2007).

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 5

 Figure 2: Bacterial load in classroom air in a school in Delhi

5000
4000

cfu/m3
3000 Indoor
2000 outdoor
1000
0

N .

A y
.

M b.
.

il
D .

n.

A h

t
ct

ec
pt

ov

us
l
c
pr
Fe
Ja

ju
ar
O
Se

ug
Indoor Air Pollution & Health Effects
Prior to the 1970s, problems with indoor air quality in residences and the non-industrial workplace were
occasionally investigated, but the level of interest was low (Stolwijk, 1992). Today, concern over the
health effects of poor indoor air quality is increasing. Poor indoor air quality can pose two kinds of
effects on occupants with respect to extent of exposure -
1. Health effects experienced immediately (immediate effects) after exposure eg, irritation of eye,
nose, & throat, headache, dizziness, and fatigue.
2. Health effects occur only after long exposure (cumulative effects) eg. Respiratory disease, heart
disease and cancer
In general indoor air pollution can be categorized in two distinct groups. The first group consists of
pollutants that are known to cause chronic effects such as cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. The
second and possibly more important group consists of those pollutants that cause acute effects such as
allergic reactions, irritation of the eyes and respiratory system discomfort, and similar effects.
Increasingly, contaminants are being introduced into the indoor atmosphere from the new building
materials, contents and furnishings, and from a growing range of consumer products that release
chemicals. Other factors of pollution are an undiminished supply of tobacco smoke, and generation of
human and household odors, with effects that are increased by lower ventilation rates (WHO, 1979).
On the basis of their origin air pollutants can also be categorized in two distinct groups
1. Pollution from non-biological sources-Asbestos, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide,
Formaldehyde Nitrogen dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, Radon, Respirable particles, Tobacco smoke,
Volatile organic compounds
2. Pollution from biological sources - Indoor biological allergens, Fungi, bacteria and viruses.

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 6

 Plate 3 Symptoms of poor IAQ.

Disease/Syndrome Examples of causal organisms cited

Rhinitis Alternaria, Cladosporium, Epicoccum
(and other upper
respiratory symptoms)
Asthma Various aspergilli and penicillia, Alternaria, Cladosporium,
Mucor, Stachybotrys, Serpula (dry rot)
Humidifier fever Gram-negative bacteria and their lipopolysaccharide
endotoxins, Actinomycetes and fungi
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis Cladosporium, Sporobolomyces, Aureobasidium,
Acremonium, Rhodotorula, Trichosporon, Serpula,
Penicillium, Bacillus
Atopic dermatitis Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium
The total health impact of indoor air contaminants is difficult to estimate. Some health symptoms can be
useful indicators of an IAQ problem, especially if they appear after a person moves to a new residence,
remodels or refurnishes a home, or treats a home with pesticides (EPA, 1995).
Sick building syndrome – The term SBS used to describe situation in which building occupants
experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no
specific illness or cause can be identified (Sterling et al, 1985). According ASHARE (62-1989),
building is graded as sick when more then 20% occupants complain for irritation, headache, etc and they
feel relieved once they go out. WHO, (1983) identified four syndromes related to buildings. Type 1 is a
probable allergic response in sensitive individuals. Research conducted to date has not isolated a causal
agent or agents for SBS.
In addition WHO (1983) lists the following symptoms of malaise:
 Eye, nose and throat irritation,
 Sensation of dry mucous membranes and skin
 Erythema,
 Mental fatigue,
In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 7
  Headache,
 High frequency of airway infection and cough
 Hoarseness, wheezing, itching and unspecific hypersensitivity,
 Nausea, dizziness
Indicators of SBS
1. Building occupants complain of symptoms associated with acute discomfort, e.g. headache; eye,
nose, or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and nausea; difficulty in
concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to odors.
2. The cause of symptoms is not known.
3. Most of the complaints report relief soon after leaving the building.
Building-related illnesses
In this type of IAQ problem a known agent or pollutant may be responsible for illness. Although many
symptoms related to poor indoor air quality is non-specific, some of them may be due to specific,
identifiable causes. These are usually referred to as building-related illnesses e.g. Hypersensitivity
pneumonitis, and the most famous outbreak of infectious disease from building sources was
Legionnaire's disease, a bacterial pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophilia, Pontiac fever
characterized by fever, chills, headache and myalgia. This has been associated with a similar list of
environmental factors, including air conditioners, whirlpool spas, steam turbine condensers, and
industrial coolants. Q fever is a rickettsial disease caused by Coxiella burnetti, disseminated through
ventilation systems where infected sheep, goats or cattle are housed. Symptoms include fever, chills,
headache, and myalgia. Q-fever may result in a pneumonia, hepatitis or endocarditic. Acute health
effects of ETS include exacerbation of asthma, or other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
and irritant symptoms including eye, nose and throat irritation. The level of ventilation in modern
mechanically ventilated buildings is generally inadequate to control the exposure level of ETS if
smoking is permitted. A ventilation rate of over 50 cubic feet per minute/person is necessary merely to
control the malodors from smoking. Health effects reported among office workers have included
accelerated decline in pulmonary function, and increased mortality from coronary artery disease.
Indoor air pollutants emanate from a range of sources. The concentration of a pollutant indoors depends
on the relationship between the volume of air contained in the indoor space, the rate of production or
release of the pollutant, the rate of removal of the pollutant from the air via reaction or settling, the rate
of air exchange with the outside atmosphere, and the outdoor pollutant concentration. However, actual
human exposures are often difficult to quantify. This is largely because the behavior and activity

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 8

patterns of individuals can strongly affect their levels of exposure. Results from the TEAM (Total
Exposure Assessment Methodology) studies undertaken by the US Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) during the 1980s consistently show that personal exposures to many pollutants can markedly
exceed those anticipated from concentrations in ambient air. Therefore, regular assessment of inside
IAQ is required. Building manager and operator should be instructed maintaining acceptable IAQ and
occupants’ illness and eventually loss in productivity could be stop.
Conclusions - India is the second largest populated country of the world. The urbanization levels of
country have been increasing consistently since 1971. Almost 30% people reside in urban areas. Indoor
air pollution has become a major concern in India in recent years both because it is now clear that large
parts of the Indian population are exposed to some of the highest pollutant levels in the world and also
become new studies around the world on the health effects of Indoor air pollution have increased
confidence in estimates of the risks posed by indoor air pollutants. Khare, (1996, 1997), has published
studies on IAQ in public buildings (air conditioned) in urban centers of India. A comprehensive
monitoring exercise has been done at IGI Airport building (Gupta & Khare 2000).
A significant data-gap exists regarding baseline IAQ for various buildings. India does not have its own
IAQ standards and guidelines for maintaining acceptable IAQ. Research on indoor air quality will
enlarge the usefulness of environmental evaluation in terms of IAQ parameters in Indian scenario. A
systematic approach should be applied meant for assessment of indoor air quality and its possible
consequences on occupants. Meeting the challenges that are posed by indoor air pollution will take some
time. We must manage our indoor environments using the best scientific advice existed and available.
Our accumulating knowledge of the sources, exposures, and health impacts of indoor pollutants will
need to be put to good use to ensure that future indoor environments provide the healthiest possible
conditions.
References

1. ASHARE (1989) – Standard 62-1989. Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. Atlanta
Georgia.
2. CEC (1994): European Commission Report.
3. Gupta S. & Khare M. (2000) – Evaluation of indoor air quality in a centrally air conditioned
Airport Authority Building MS ® Thesis
4. Katiyar V. (2003) – Indoor Air Quality Monitoring at Offices/Commercial Complexes. Research
Project (2001-2003) Sponsored by DST India.

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 9

 5. Katiyar V. (2007) - Assessment of Biocontaminants from Indoor Environment. Research Project
(2004-2007) Sponsored by DST India.
6. Khare M et al (1996) – Sick Building Syndrome in an educational institute library and
laboratories. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate
pp. 269-274.
7. Khare M. & Sharma P. (1997) – Evaluating Indoor air quality using CO2 as Surrogate Index.
AIRAH Journal. Vol. 51, 11, pp 29-38.
8. Mayer B (1983) – Indoor Air Quality. Addison-Wisley Publishing Company, Inc.
Massachusetts.
9. OSHA (1994): Standard For Indoor Air Quality: 1994
10. Sterling E M et al (1985) –Sick Buildings: Case studies of Tighjt Building Syndrome and IAQ
investigations in modern office buildings. Environmental Health Review.
11. Stolwijk JA (1992) – Risk assessment of acute health and comfort effects of indoor air pollution.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 641:56-62.
12. The Inside Story (1995): A Guide to Indoors Air Qualify. Washington, DC: EPA, 1995.
13. WHO (1979) – Health aspects related to Indoor Air Quality: EURO-Reports and studies 21,
WHO-Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen.
14. WHO (1983) – Indoor air pollutants: Exposure and health effects. WHO, Geneva.
15. WHO (1983) – Indoor air pollutants: Exposure and health effects. WHO, Geneva.

In CES Newsletter Enviroscan 10

View publication stats