Indoor air pollution and effects on human health

Background and Purpose: Indoor pollutants could be significant public health risks. People in modern societies spend about 90% of their time in indoor environment. In spite of the evidence of harm to human health, poor indoor environments are generally hard to understand. Materials and Methods: There are numerous indoor atmospheric pollutants. Specifically, combustion sources, building materials, volatile organic compounds, central heating and cooling system are described. Results: Indoor home environments are the site of a variety of biological and other environmental hazards. Indoor environmental quality has a significant impact on public health and well-being. These hazards cause and exacerbate a variety of adverse health effects in humans, ranging from acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and diseases to cancer. We review the effects of indoor allergen exposure and sensitization on asthma, focusing on dust mite, fungi, indoor pollutants such as ozone, paniculate matter nitrogen dioxide, environmental tobacco smoke, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and dampness of buildings. Additionally, the effects of lead, as well as carcinogenic effects of asbestos, radon, and smoking habits are described. Conclusions: Preventive measures, such as identification of a source of chemical, physical, or biological pollutants that may have deleterious health effects, and improvement of such harmful environmental conditions should be undertaken.