Indoor Air Quality: Occurrence and Health Effects of Contaminants

This book presents a comprehensive and detailed overview of indoor pollution, covering the main contaminants in the indoor environment - air and dust, the health aspects of exposure, and different possibilities for a risk assessment. The book outlines the chemical substances and physical and biological factors that occur more frequently indoors, which are of health significance, or for which only limited information on their occurrence indoors is available to date. It also provides guidance to identify where problems may arise in the future and where data is missing for a valid exposure and risk assessment as well as for consequent risk management.

Written by a highly recognized and experienced medical expert in the field, the book starts with an introduction to the indoor environment, including topics such as indoor environmental quality and health, indoor climate, sampling of indoor pollutants, and measures to improve indoor air quality. The author then delves into the fundamentals of exposure assessment and special exposure indoor situations, followed by in-depth coverage of the health aspects, and indoor air occurrence of several substances such as volatile organic compounds, very volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, and particulate matters and fibers. Particular attention is given to bioaerosols like mold, microbial volatile organic compounds, mycotoxins, and viruses. Readers will also find chapters devoted to the main health aspects and indoor occurrence of inorganic gases, radon and metals, and smoking. The book closes with a chapter on risk assessment, in which readers will learn more about the basics of risk assessment, key points and processes of a health evaluation, and guidance for assessing indoor air contamination.

This book is a unique compilation of the current worldwide exposure situation in private and public indoor spaces, and an important reference for researchers that are willing to assess the rising burden of disease and potential causes behind degraded indoor air quality. Scientists, students, and policymakers interested in the fields of medicine and environmental sciences will understand the appeal of this book.