126 Ecology and Applied Environmental Science
the industrial countries is as a rule linked with inadequate ventilation, and
has become worse since the 1970s due to improved insulation in buildings.
The accumulation of toxic substances in enclosed spaces is often so substantial that the quality of the air is much worse than it is in the external
urban environment. The principal indoor pollutants are the following:
• Cigarette smoke
• Radon
• By-products of combustion (carbon monoxide, aromatic hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide)
• Asbestos fibres
• Formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Pathogenic microorganisms
Passive smoking is a very important problem, because the smoke from a
burning cigarette is just as harmful as or more harmful than what smokers
themselves inhale. It contains 3 times as much benzopyrene and 6 times
as much toluene (carcinogens), 50 times as much dimethylnitrosamine, and
increased quantities of carbon monoxide, acrolein and nitrogen oxides.
pounds, many of which are carcinogens, poisons, irritants, etc. In most developed countries smoking has been banned in enclosed public spaces such as
offices, restaurants, bars etc. in order to avoid the risks of passive smoking.
Radon (Rn) is a radioactive noble gas released from igneous rocks, granites in particular. It is therefore a natural pollutant that may be emitted by
floors, construction materials in dwellings, water etc. and accumulates in
indoor spaces in concentrations much higher than in the outdoor environment. This gas is chemically inert, but the solid radioactive products of its
decay adhere to airborne dust and are inhaled, with the result that they
irradiate the lungs and create a threat of cancer. In the United States, radon
is the second cause of death from lung cancer, after smoking. In countries
where the rocks are mainly sedimentary, the threat from radon is much
less serious.
Asbestos is a natural material with unique properties including incombustibility, durability, etc., and has been used extensively as insulation
material and in other applications. After years of research, however, it
was shown to be a serious threat to health. When inhaled in the form of
fibres it causes a form of lung cancer. When it enters the digestive system,
however , mainly in water (asbestos water pipes in the water supply system)
its potential negative effects are unclear, as it has not been documented to
be harmful. The greatest risks are run by workers in asbestos mines and
industries, as well as
people engaged in demolition or repair of buildings
containing asbestos-bearing materials. The European Union has prohibited
the production and use of asbestos.
the industrial countries is as a rule linked with inadequate ventilation, and
has become worse since the 1970s due to improved insulation in buildings.
The accumulation of toxic substances in enclosed spaces is often so substantial that the quality of the air is much worse than it is in the external
urban environment. The principal indoor pollutants are the following:
• Cigarette smoke
• Radon
• By-products of combustion (carbon monoxide, aromatic hydrocarbons,
nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide)
• Asbestos fibres
• Formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Pathogenic microorganisms
Passive smoking is a very important problem, because the smoke from a
burning cigarette is just as harmful as or more harmful than what smokers
themselves inhale. It contains 3 times as much benzopyrene and 6 times
as much toluene (carcinogens), 50 times as much dimethylnitrosamine, and
increased quantities of carbon monoxide, acrolein and nitrogen oxides.
pounds, many of which are carcinogens, poisons, irritants, etc. In most developed countries smoking has been banned in enclosed public spaces such as
offices, restaurants, bars etc. in order to avoid the risks of passive smoking.
Radon (Rn) is a radioactive noble gas released from igneous rocks, granites in particular. It is therefore a natural pollutant that may be emitted by
floors, construction materials in dwellings, water etc. and accumulates in
indoor spaces in concentrations much higher than in the outdoor environment. This gas is chemically inert, but the solid radioactive products of its
decay adhere to airborne dust and are inhaled, with the result that they
irradiate the lungs and create a threat of cancer. In the United States, radon
is the second cause of death from lung cancer, after smoking. In countries
where the rocks are mainly sedimentary, the threat from radon is much
less serious.
Asbestos is a natural material with unique properties including incombustibility, durability, etc., and has been used extensively as insulation
material and in other applications. After years of research, however, it
was shown to be a serious threat to health. When inhaled in the form of
fibres it causes a form of lung cancer. When it enters the digestive system,
however , mainly in water (asbestos water pipes in the water supply system)
its potential negative effects are unclear, as it has not been documented to
be harmful. The greatest risks are run by workers in asbestos mines and
industries, as well as
people engaged in demolition or repair of buildings
containing asbestos-bearing materials. The European Union has prohibited
the production and use of asbestos.