Sick building syndrome

The United Nations "25 × 25 Strategy" of decreasing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases, by 25% by 2025 does not appear to take into account all causes of NCDs. Its focus is on a few diseases, which are often linked with life-style factors with "voluntary" "modifiable behavioral risk factors" causes tending towards an over-simplification of the issues. We propose to add some aspects of our built environment related to hazardous building materials, and detailed form of the construction of infrastructure and buildings, which we think are some of the missing causes of NCDs. Some of these could be termed "involuntary causes", as they relate to factors that are beyond the control of the general public.

The National Construction Code has been regularly enhanced since 2002 with an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many aging, and very young Australians spend most of their time within their homes. Coincidently, in Australia, asthma is the leading cause of disease in children aged 0 – 14 years, accounting for 17.9% of the total burden in boys and 18.6% in girls. Many researchers have supported a connection between damp housing and sensitivity to dust mites and other childhood respiratory symptoms. Within Australia’s temperate and cool temperate climates, the commensurate change in energy efficiency requirements in the national building regulations may have inadvertently created ideal interior environments that promote mould growth. If the built environment is promoting mould growth, leading to sick building syndrome, it is a matter of serious concern that could be resulting from design or technical flaws in the building fabric. This concern, which has been raised by medical s...

The indoor mycotoxins inhalation exposure of patients (n=25) was studied using a highvolume air sampler (60 cfm x 24 h) with a micropore-paper filter (8x11 inches). The filters were evaluated for cytotoxicity caused by mycotoxins using the MTT-cell culture bioassay and by culture identification. A subset of samples was analyzed with an enzyme-immuno assay for occurrence of macrocyclic trichothecenes produced by Stachybotrys chartarum and HPLC-DAD and GC-MS analyses for different mycotoxins. Highly toxic air samples (IC50 ≤ 31 mg/ml) were found in seven cases; moderate toxicities (IC50 > 31 to ≤ 125 mg/ml) in 14 cases, and four cases were not toxic compared to controls. The subset testing demonstrated that macrocyclic trichothecenes and other mycotoxins could become airborne. In conclusion, an inhalation risk could be confirmed (84% of cases) with the 24-hour high volume air sampling test method due to the detection of airborne cytotoxic fungal particles and specific mycotoxins, i...

Background: The goal of this project was to develop empirically based recommendations for practical strategies, suitable for use by those who own, lease, or manage office space, to prevent building-related symptoms in office buildings. Methods: Ideas from six experienced building investigators were gathered and prioritized in a multi-day workshop. Results: The top ranked problems identified were, in priority order: excessive building moisture, inadequate outdoor air, dust on indoor surfaces, indoor gases and odors, inadequate thermal control, and inadequate attention by management to indoor environments. The highest priority strategies recommended for preventing building-related symptoms were: managing water at building exteriors, operating ventilation systems per design intent, providing at least minimum ventilation rates, and maintaining indoor temperatures at 72°F ±2°. Findings in the scientific literature were generally consistent with these recommendations. Discussion: IEQ investigators showed considerable agreement on the most important causes of symptom complaints in office buildings and the key methods for preventing these problems. Despite the range of climates in which they worked, the investigators agreed that the highest priority prevention strategy was managing water at building exteriors. These recommendations, generally consistent with available research findings, provide useful practical guidelines for those who own, manage or maintain office buildings. The empirical knowledge of practitioners offers more guidance here for choosing health-protective strategies than current science, although efficacy of these empirically based strategies generally has not been confirmed.

Home can be a source of various air pollutants due to different activities such as cooking and smoking. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of phytoremediation in improving indoor air quality in homes in Alexandria, Egypt. This is an intervention study was conducted on 21 homes: 7 households from each zone (west, east and middle of Alexandria). Types of plants used during the course of the study included, Nephrolepis exaltata, Dracaena marginata, Spathiphyllum wallisii, Dypsis lutescens, Latania Livistona, Epipremnum aureum. The plants were obtained from Burj Al-Arab and Montazah palace nursery, in Alexandria. Plants were placed and maintained in the living rooms of the apartments under study as one plant for each 12 m 2. NPK fertilizer was used to keep the plants in a good healthy condition. The removal efficiency of N. exaltata, D. marginata, S. wallisii ranged between (45.4-51%) & (36.2-42.7%) for CO2 and VOCs, respectively. While the removing efficiency of D. lutescens and L. Livistona ranged between (40.9-41.8%) & (46-47.8%) for CO2 and VOCs respectively. Also, the removing efficiency of E. aurums has ranged between (35.6-38.6%) & (32-34.3%) for CO2 and VOCs, respectively. The presence of elevated VOCs indicates strong contaminating source in the building. VEF of about 1 indicates that the bio effluent emissions prevail, while; VEF > 5 indicates the existence of strong abiotic VOCs sources, and finally; VEF < 0.3 indicates the existence of large combustion source of CO2.

Composting comes into play here; organic waste may be recycled and the resulting product can be utilised to improve soil quality and aid plant growth. This can be simply implemented at hotels, colonies, schools, and institutions with readily available wet waste. The compost that is produced is used as manure for plants on the campus of the college.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a situation where building occupants of specific buildings feels unwell whenever they are in that building, but gets relieved when they exit the building. The effects of SBS is now of great concern to home owners and stakeholders in the building industry, even though some faction still believes that there is nothing like SBS since there is no clinical proof yet for the phenomenon, but still there is need for efficient means and strategies that can be employed to make our building right "well" and eliminate those factors that makes a building sick. To this effect, this study aims to investigate the phenomenon known as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), identify the causal factors, symptoms and possible ways through which we can eliminate them from our buildings. The study in the quest to achieve the above aim employed the literature review research design (systematic review), with particular reference to works of literature that dwelt majorly on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), the causes and how it can be curtailed. Evidence in literature revealed that for a fact most building occupants do experience SBS both in the residential and office/commercial buildings, owning to the fact that some of the buildings are exposed to the identified causal effects of SBS such as, poor ventilation, biological contaminants, chemical contaminants (both indoor and outdoor), radiation from electronics, psychological factors etc. this also comes with a lot of symptoms like headache, irritations of nose, eyes, throat, dizziness, dry cough, nausea. Other studies on SBS has dwelt majorly on the symptoms of SBS and definition, but this study tried to identify the causal agents of the phenomenon, which is where this study plays a major role in filling that gap. The research findings from this study ascertained that SBS can be completely avoided when the stakeholders in the construction industry adheres strictly to building guidelines, and in a situation where a building is considered to be sick, there should be proper corrective measures to make the building well and this should be followed with regular building inspection. This study will help inform the government and building stakeholders on ways to tackle SBS, and the things to look out for in building to ensure that the building is fit for people to occupy.

• Indoor air physical and comfort parameters in 114 schools across 23 European countries were measured. • PM2.5, radon and carbon dioxide concentrations were higher compared to air quality guidelines. • VOCs, particulate matter and physical parameters were positively and negatively associated with different disorders.

This study assessed subjective symptoms related to indoor concentrations of chemicals among residents in a housing estate in Dalian, China, where indoor air pollution by interior decoration materials has recently become a major health problem. Fifty-nine males and 50 females were surveyed for their symptoms related to sick building syndrome. Formaldehyde (HCHO), NO 2 , and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their dwellings were collected using a diffusion sampler and measured by GC/MS. For residents with one or more symptoms in the past, HCHO, butanol or 1,2-dichloroethane concentrations were significantly greater in their bedrooms or kitchens compared with those of subjects without previous symptoms. For residents with one or more symptoms at the time of the study, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, xylene, butanol, methyl isobutyl ketone, and styrene concentrations in their bedrooms or kitchens were significantly greater compared with those of residents without symptoms. HCHO, NO 2 , and VOCs were detected in all rooms, but their levels were lower than the guideline values except for HCHO in two rooms. Chemical substances from interior decoration materials at indoor air levels lower than their guideline values might have affected the health status of residents.

Indoor Air Pollutants and the Impact on Human Health 449 20%, while for the upper floors in high rise buildings, where the radon concentration-is estimated to be "typically" 20 Bq/m 3 , these values become 0%, 50% and 50% (UNSCEAR, 1993). For those who live close to the ground, e.g. in detached houses or on the ground floor of apartment buildings without cellars, the most important radon source is radium in the ground. The radium concentration in soil usually lies in the range 10 Bq/kg to 50 Bq/kg, but it can reach values of hundreds Bq/kg, with an estimated average of 40 Bq/kg (UNSCEAR, 1993). Typical radon concentrations in soil gas range from 10000 Bq/m 3 into 50000 Bq/m 3 . The potential for radon entry from the ground depends mainly on the activity level of radium-226 in the subsoil and its permeability with regard to air flow. Example of terrains with a high radon potential are alum shales, some granites and volcanic rocks, due to high concentrations of radium-226 and the presence of eskers (gravel, sand and rounded stone deposited from subglacial streams during the ice ages), all these being characterised by high permeability. The ground could also be contaminated with waste tailings from uranium or phosphate mining operations with enhanced activity levels . The ingress of radon from the soil is predominantly one of pressure-driven flow, with diffusion playing a minor role . The magnitude of the inflow varies with several parameters, the most important being the air pressure difference between soil air and indoor air, the tightness of the surfaces in contact with the soil on the site, and the radon exhalation rate of the underlying soil. If there is no airtight layer between the basement and the ground, the underpressure indoors causes radon to be drawn in from the ground under the building. Underpressure occurs in most houses if either the adjustment of inlet and outlet of air in forced ventilation systems or the outdoor air supply for vented combustion appliances is inappropriate. The underpressure may be considerable for all types of ventilation systems when the inlet air is restricted too much. The tightness of the structures has to do with e building regulations and techniques and is very dependent on cracks, openings and joints. Structures are hardly ever so airtight that radon inflow is completely prevented. For example, to get a radon daughter concentration of less than 100 Bq/m 3 EER in a house with a volume of 500 m 3 and a ventilation rate of 0.5 air changes per hour, not more than 1 m 3 per hour must be allowed to leak into the house if the radon gas concentration in soil air is about 50000 Bq/m 3 . Such values are quite typical. Building materials are generally the second main source of radon indoors, while in the Seventies they were considered the principal one (UNSCEAR, 1977;. Radon exhalation from building materials depends not only on the radium concentration, but also on factors such as the fraction of radon produced through material release, the porosity of the material and the surface preparation and finish of the walls. In general, no action needs to be taken concerning traditional building materials. Typical values for radium and thorium content in building materials are 50 Bq/kg or less (Nuclear Energy Agency Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development -NENOECD, 1979). Building materials containing by-product gypsum (UNSCEAR, 1982) and concrete containing alum shale (Swedjemark & Mjones, 1984) may have much higher radium

This study assessed the impact of Sick Building Syndrome (layout, ergonomic design of workstation, lighting/ventilation, health and performance, noise and aesthetics) on the effectiveness of Call Centre agents in managing customers and their needs. The study was undertaken in Durban, South Africa, and was conducted within a Public Sector service environment, which comprised of four major call centers employing 240 call centre agents. A sample of 151 call centre agents was drawn across using a simple random sampling technique and a 63% response rate was achieved. These call centre agents were responsible for inbound calls only. Data was collected using a self-developed, precoded questionnaire whose validity and reliability were statistically determined using Factor Analysis and Cronbach's Coefficient Alpha respectively. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that the dimensions of Sick building Syndrome have the potential to impact on agents' performance. Based on the results of the study a graphical representation has been designed and presents recommendations that, when implemented in call centre environments, have the potential to enhance agents' effectiveness in managing customers and their needs.

This study assessed the impact of Sick Building Syndrome (layout, ergonomic design of workstation, lighting/ventilation, health and performance, noise and aesthetics) on the effectiveness of Call Centre agents in managing customers and their needs. The study was undertaken in Durban, South Africa, and was conducted within a Public Sector service environment, which comprised of four major call centers employing 240 call centre agents. A sample of 151 call centre agents was drawn across using a simple random sampling technique and a 63% response rate was achieved. These call centre agents were responsible for inbound calls only. Data was collected using a self-developed, precoded questionnaire whose validity and reliability were statistically determined using Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha respectively. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicate that the dimensions of Sick building Syndrome have the potential to impact on a...

In order to achieve nearly net zero energy use, both new and energy refurbished existing buildings will in the future need to be still more efficient and optimized. Since such buildings can be expected to be already well insulated, airtight, and have heat recovery systems installed, one of the next focal points to limiting energy consumption for thermally conditioning the indoor environment will be to possibly reducing the ventilation rate, or making it in a new way demand controlled. However, this must be done such that it does not have adverse effects on indoor air quality (IAQ). Annex 68, Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings, is a project under IEA’s Energy Conservation in Buildings and Communities Program (EBC), which will endeavor to investigate how future residential buildings are able to have very high energy performance whilst providing comfortable and healthy indoor environments. New paradigms for demand control of ventilation will be in...

Hospitals are controlled yet complex ecosystems which provide a therapeutic environment that promotes healing, wellbeing and work efficiency for patients and staff. As these buildings accommodate the sick and vulnerable, occupant wellbeing and good indoor environmental quality (IEQ) that deals with indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics are important objectives. As the specialist nature of hospital function demands highly controlled indoor environments, this makes them energy intensive buildings due to the complex and varying specifications for their functions and operations. This paper reports on a holistic building performance evaluation covering aspects of indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics, and energy use. It assesses the performance issues and inter-relationships between IEQ and energy in a new building on a hospital campus in the city of Bristol, United Kingdom. The empirical evidence collated from this case study and the feedba...

Air pollution has become a mass phenomenon, a major and global problem of modern society, affecting billions of people and environment. People are exposed to various levels of pollutants not just in the outdoor environment, but also in indoors. The quality of life and well-being of employees can be increased by incorporating ornamental plants in the work environment. Among the great variety of plants species able to remove/reduce indoor air pollutants Dracaena deremensis, Sansevieria trifasciata and Ficus elastica were hereby investigated. Their ability to remove chemical pollutants was evaluated in real-life conditions and the changes induced by the environmental stress on the structure and biochemical composition of the plants leaves were evidenced by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The most pronounced concentration decrease was noticed for the CO2 (58.33% removed concentration), whereas the mean value of the removed concentration of other chemical pollutants was of ≈25%. The Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis revealed that, although the plants are subjected to the chemical pollutants action, they maintain the structure by adjusting their metabolism. A decrease in the overall protein contribution in the amide bands and an increase of the bands assigned to polysaccharide vibrations, illustrate the consequences of the pollution action. Moreover, the chlorophyll presence is evidenced in the IR spectra of all samples by the bands around 1040, 1445, 1620, and 1735 cm -1 . The results show that the Fourier transform infrared spectra are an important source of information for the rapid characterization of the chemical structure of the biological systems under environmental stress.

important needs of protection and preservation of goods, these "containers" are not always an ideal environment because the combination of "disturbances" called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) can be found, with relative frequency, in the majority of the people staying inside the building. In this paper we do not consider the mentioned important aspects linked to structural and fire safety and to the related (and very important) problems of buildings evacuation in case of emergency, but we focus on aspects regarding the health of the indoor spaces and the health of workers (regardless their job and therefore further specific, occupational risks). It is important to precise that in Italy, as regards hygiene of work spaces, the current regulation, beyond the local Municipal Regulations of hygiene, is still constituted by the old DPR 303/56. This technical prescriptive standard if on the one hand is outdated with regard to the new Community approach in matter, on the other hand, however, it is almost entirely still in force, although it contains generally obsolete technical references nowadays redefined by abundant international technical standard to which is always important to refer, if it contains more precautions. Since the mid-seventies in different parts of the world with ever increasing frequency, disturbances due to stay in often but not always crowded and provided with integrated air conditioning indoor places are reported, systems HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning); precisely at that time the first scientific publications showed the symptoms and possible causes of what, shortly after, was called SBS. According to some searchers the first discussion of SBS must however be referred to the study published in 1964, by the American Medical Theron Randolph with the title of An Alternative Approach to Allergies in which, for the first time, a close correlation between pollution generated from materials in home environment and allergies residents was suggested. Before having epidemiological observations on a large scale and therefore more reliable, we had to wait ten years. It must be considered that the possibility to easily measure some important indoor pollutants, even at relatively low concentrations, dates back to the sixties, a time in which we started to have available equipment capable of assessing nitrogen oxides, radon, lead and asbestos fibres in air, and the compounds present in tobacco smoke. During the observations extensively carried out during the next decade it was noticed that people involved by SBS complained generally, as well as symptoms of allergies, irritation in the eyes, nose, respiratory tract and occasionally skin and general symptoms such as headache, cough, hoarseness, nausea, fatigue, malaise, dizziness , hypersensi-R. Nicolucci -Archives, libraries and museums: containers often sick, sometimes seriously sick

PurposeThe goal of this project was to develop practical strategies for preventing building‐related symptoms in office buildings, based on the experience of those who investigate buildings with health complaints, and suitable for use by those who own, lease, or manage office space.Design/methodology/approachIdeas from six experienced building investigators on primary causes and key prevention strategies were gathered and prioritized through consensus and voting in a structured, multi‐day workshop.FindingsIEQ investigators from diverse climatic regions agreed on the most important problems causing symptom complaints in office buildings, and the key strategies for prevention. The top ranked problems identified were, in priority order: excessive building moisture, inadequate outdoor air, excessive dust, pollutant gases and odors, inadequate thermal control, and inadequate attention by management to indoor environments. The highest priority recommended prevention strategies for building...

High rates of Sick Building Syndrome in other countries where pollution levels are far lower than Indonesia,it is suspected that Sick Building Syndrome in Indonesia is already worrying and that pollution levels are veryhigh. This syndrome can cause respiratory infections and can worsen people with asthma and allergies due todirty air. The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship of temperature and humidity in airconditioned rooms to the emergence of Sick Building Syndrome in UPT PSMB-LT Surabaya. This researchis a descriptive study using an observational and approach cross-sectional. The population in this studywere all employees who worked at UPT PSMB-LT Surabaya, as many as 35 people, using Non-ProbabilitySampling namely techniques, total sampling. Data collection is done by interview and observation. Datawill be processed and presented in the form of frequency tabulation and described using a contingencycoefficient test. The results of this study indicate that ...

Binnen het project 'Plantkampioen luchtzuivering', een publiek-private samenwerking, is een literatuurstudie uitgevoerd naar de meest recente bevindingen over de mogelijkheid van planten om lucht binnenshuis te zuiveren. Er is gezocht in wetenschappelijke publicaties, vakbladen en tuinbouwrapporten. Het algemene beeld is dat planten in zekere mate Vluchtige Organische Stof (VOS) kunnen opnemen zonder zelf schade te ondervinden. De opnamemechanismen verschillen tussen typen VOS. Hydrofiele VOS zoals formaldehyde worden vrij goed door het blad verwerkt, terwijl lipofiele componenten via andere routes worden opgenomen. Verschillen tussen plantensoorten houden verband met de hoeveelheid blad, de huidmondjesopening, de waslaag en de beharing. Naast de groene plantendelen spelen ook de wortels, de micro-organismen en het substraat een rol in de luchtzuivering. Het onderzoek in plantkamers leverde vooral resultaten over de kortdurende opnamen door planten, maar over de lange-termijn effecten en de onderliggende mechanismen is nog weinig bekend. Het onderzoek naar opschaling van lab-naar praktijksituaties is nog weinig ontwikkeld. Enkele goede studies laten veelbelovende resultaten zien, maar veel onderzoek is matig onderbouwd. Meer onderzoek is nodig om de labproeven te kunnen extrapoleren naar de praktijk.

Efficient ventilation in enclosed environments such as underground car parks is critical for maintaining air quality, occupant safety, and regulatory compliance. This study utilizes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to analyze and optimize ventilation performance in a basement car park, focusing on airflow behavior, pollutant dispersion, and emergency smoke management. Two ventilation configurations were examined: one with passive airflow and another with jet fan-assisted mechanical ventilation. The analysis revealed that without mechanical intervention, stagnant air zones and high CO concentrations developed, posing significant health risks. In contrast, the jet fan system demonstrated substantial improvements in airflow distribution and pollutant removal, aligning with ASHRAE standards. Fire-mode simulations further validated the effectiveness of an active ventilation strategy in managing smoke propagation and supporting evacuation. The study underscores the role of CFD in designing high-performance, energy-efficient ventilation systems for confined urban infrastructures.

Sick Building syndrome (SBS) and stress have a prevalent influence on organizational productivity and competitiveness. Unhealthy employees not only tend to have high medical leaves but also low productivity due to ailments and discomforts. Studies that investigate the effects of indoor work environment on Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) have yielded mixed results while their effect on stress has not been empirically established. Furthermore, studies that simultaneously investigate both SBS and stress are almost non-existent. Thus, this study aimed to study the effects of perceived indoor work environment on SBS and stress and the link between SBS and stress. A crosssectional survey participated by 598 employees from various industries was conducted from September to October 2015. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both the measurement model and the path structure. The results suggest that indoor work environment has significant yet the weak effect on SBS while it has no effect on stress. However, SBS has a strong significant relationship with stress. The implication of this study on the importance of conducive indoor work environment is discussed with suggestions for future studies.

Objective: To obtain a case definition and to describe variables associated with a cluster of unspecific symptoms in healthcare workers (HCW) in a hospital building. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. All people working at the Residencia Cantabria building (a 200-bed building belonging to University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla) in June 2009 were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire, including questions on demographic data, working place and shift, working conditions and current symptoms. A cluster analysis was developed to obtain the case definition. The strength of the association between the studied variables and accomplishing the case definition was measured using odds ratios (OR) with the 95% confidence interval (CI). Multiple logistic regression was used to obtain a predictive model; its general validity was estimated with Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) and their Area Under the Curve (AUC). Results: 357 completed questionnaires were obtained. The case was defined as having at least 5 symptoms out of the eleven included. Not being ascribed to a specific shift was the strongest protective variable related with "being a case" (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.17-0.54), whereas the personal antecedent of distal pain or inflammation in arms or legs was the main risk factor (OR = 4.33, 95% CI: 2.75-6.82). A six-variable predictive model has AUC equaling to 0.7378. Conclusions: A disease associated with the indoor environment quality in a hospital was characterized. A multivariate score was drafted for identifying HCW with higher risk of developing the disease in order to apply administrative prevention measures.

Charoen Pokphand Group was used to complete the analysis of these data and preparation of the manuscript. However, the Charoen Pokphand Group did not play any role in study design, data collection This study found traffic exposure to be significantly associated with SBS symptoms. This finding is consistent with current literature that indicates an association between adverse health effects and living near highway or main road. and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Sick building syndrome (SBS) includes general, mucosal and skin symptoms. It is typically associated with an individual&#39;s place of work or residence. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of traffic exposure on SBS symptoms in Beijing, China. From January to May, 2011, recruitment occurred at kindergartens in 11 districts in Beijing. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed by teachers to legal guardians of children and then returned to teachers. The questionnaire asked them to recall the presence of 12 SBS symptoms from the previous three months. Living near a highway or main road (within 200 meters) was used as a proxy for traffic exposure. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association between traffic exposure and a higher number of SBS symptoms, controlling for key covariates. There were 5487 valid questionnaires (65.0% response rate). Univariate analysis showed that living near a main road or highway (OR = 1.40), female gender (OR = 1....

Distintas formas de interpretar las condiciones ambientales han llevado al desarrollo de conceptos tales como edificio enfermo, calidad del aire o calidad ambiental interior, todos ellos encaminados a entender la complejidad de los contaminantes en los ambientes cerrados y las implicaciones sobre la salud de la población. La propuesta de "Calidad ambiental interior" es un avance conceptual y operativo que supera ampliamente a los anteriores, puesto que orienta las acciones hacia ambientes saludables sin limitar al aire la idea de contaminación. El objetivo del trabajo es identificar las competencias y el marco legislativo que permiten actuar en la prevención de riesgos asociados a la exposición de contaminantes en ambientes interiores. Óptimas condiciones en los ambientes interiores deben redundar en salud, bienestar y confort, tanto en lo que respecta a la vida laboral como a los ámbitos donde se desarrollan las actividades cotidianas extralaborales, escolares, de descanso y de ocio. La sociedad actual exige lugares seguros, limpios y bien climatizados, para lo que es necesario integrar percepciones y exigencias de los habitantes y alcanzar un óptimo equilibrio entre estándares sociales, uso de la energía y desarrollo sostenible, buscando confort sin contaminar y sin aumentar el consumo de fuentes energéticas que degraden el medio ambiente. El desarrollo legislativo se orienta a la seguridad y la salud en los lugares de trabajo y la regulación de las sustancias químicas. La Sanidad Ambiental lleva a cabo tareas de prevención y control, participa en la ejecución de convenios internacionales de reducción de contaminantes y desechos y promueve acciones para el desarrollo de la Estrategia Europea de Salud y Medio Ambiente. Palabras clave: Contaminación del aire interior. Contaminantes ambientales del aire. Contaminación Ambiental. Síndrome del Edificio Enfermo. Enfermedades Ambientales. Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco.

Distintas formas de interpretar las condiciones ambientales han llevado al desarrollo de conceptos tales como edificio enfermo, calidad del aire o calidad ambiental interior, todos ellos encaminados a entender la complejidad de los contaminantes en los ambientes cerrados y las implicaciones sobre la salud de la población. La propuesta de "Calidad ambiental interior" es un avance conceptual y operativo que supera ampliamente a los anteriores, puesto que orienta las acciones hacia ambientes saludables sin limitar al aire la idea de contaminación. El objetivo del trabajo es identificar las competencias y el marco legislativo que permiten actuar en la prevención de riesgos asociados a la exposición de contaminantes en ambientes interiores. Óptimas condiciones en los ambientes interiores deben redundar en salud, bienestar y confort, tanto en lo que respecta a la vida laboral como a los ámbitos donde se desarrollan las actividades cotidianas extralaborales, escolares, de descanso y de ocio. La sociedad actual exige lugares seguros, limpios y bien climatizados, para lo que es necesario integrar percepciones y exigencias de los habitantes y alcanzar un óptimo equilibrio entre estándares sociales, uso de la energía y desarrollo sostenible, buscando confort sin contaminar y sin aumentar el consumo de fuentes energéticas que degraden el medio ambiente. El desarrollo legislativo se orienta a la seguridad y la salud en los lugares de trabajo y la regulación de las sustancias químicas. La Sanidad Ambiental lleva a cabo tareas de prevención y control, participa en la ejecución de convenios internacionales de reducción de contaminantes y desechos y promueve acciones para el desarrollo de la Estrategia Europea de Salud y Medio Ambiente. Palabras clave: Contaminación del aire interior. Contaminantes ambientales del aire. Contaminación Ambiental. Síndrome del Edificio Enfermo. Enfermedades Ambientales. Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco.

Unmetabolized VOCs in Urine as Biomarkers of Low Level Exposure in Indoor Environments: Bing‐Ling Wang, et al. Department of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences—This study aimed to test the possible use of unmetabolized volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine as biomarkers of low‐level indoor environmental exposure. Twenty‐four subjects in 13 dwellings in a prefecture of Japan participated in this study. Air samples of the breathing zone were collected in the living room and bedroom, along with spot urine samples (before bedtime and first morning voids). Toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene isomers, styrene and p‐dichlorobenzene in the air and urine samples were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. For the 21 subjects without solvent exposure at work, there were significant correlations between the timeweighted average air concentrations in the bedroom and morning urinary concentrations for toluene, oxylene, t...

A sample of 4,479 workers from 27 air conditioned office buildings was surveyed. Workers completed a questionnaire on environmental conditions, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, job satisfaction, job stress, occupational and personal information, at the same time as indoor air quality measures were taken. Indoor air quality met current ASHRAE guidelines in all buildings. Logistic regression analyses, conducted for individual symptoms, revealed environmental correlates for workers' reports of environmental conditions, but few environmental correlates for reports of SBS symptoms. The total number of SBS symptoms was related linearly to computer use, job stress, and job satisfaction, number of allergies, migraine, and eye wear, with separate intercepts necessary for each gender, and interactions of gender with age and PIAQ. Allergy did not replace gender in the regression equations. Effects of environmental conditions and SBS symptoms on work disruption were assessed.

Abstract: While various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to show neurotoxic effects, the detailed mechanisms of the action of VOCs on the autonomic nervous system are not fully understood, partially because objective and quantitative measures to indicate neural abnormalities are still under development. Nevertheless, heart rate variability (HRV) has been recently proposed as an indicative measure of the autonomic effects. In this study,

The concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbonyl compounds were measured at 40 residences in 3 cities in China (30 in Chengdu and 5 each in Beijing and Changsha) . Indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure samples were simultaneously collected at each site. The average concentrations of benzene, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde, particularly those of benzene and formaldehyde, were significantly higher than those in other countries, both indoors and outdoors. A significant correlation was observed between the indoor concentration of, and personal exposure to VOCs and carbonyl compounds. Indoor/outdoor ratios of many VOCs and carbonyl compounds exceeded 1 , indicating the presence of emission sources in the indoor environment. The relationship between indoor air concentrations or personal exposure to VOCs and carbonyl compounds and time elapsed after interior decorating, type of interior decoration, ventilation time, average length of furniture usage, number of pieces of furniture per floor area, interior decorating materials of floors, interior decorating materials of walls, and smoking were studied. It showed that VOCs and carbonyl compounds in Chinese indoor environments were influenced by factors such as time elapsed after interior decorating, type of interior decoration, decorating materials, and average length of furniture usage. The lifetime cancer risk of exposure to benzene or formaldehyde is about 10 -4 for each substance. More attention should be paid to the high risk of exposure to VOCs and carbonyl compounds in China.

Aspergillus section Restricti together with sister section Aspergillus (formerly Eurotium) comprises xerophilic species, that are able to grow on substrates with low water activity and in extreme environments. We adressed the monophyly of both sections within subgenus Aspergillus and applied a multidisciplinary approach for definition of species boundaries in sect. Restricti. The monophyly of sections Aspergillus and Restricti was tested on a set of 102 isolates comprising all currently accepted species and was strongly supported by Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inferrence (BI) analysis based on β-tubulin (benA), calmodulin (CaM) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) loci. More than 300 strains belonging to sect. Restricti from various isolation sources and four continents were characterized by DNA sequencing, and 193 isolates were selected for phylogenetic analyses and phenotypic studies. Species delimitation methods based on multispecies coalescent model were employed on DNA sequences from four loci, i.e., ID region of rDNA (ITS + 28S), CaM, benA and RPB2, and supported recognition of 21 species, including 14 new. All these species were also strongly supported in ML and BI analyses. All recognised species can be reliably identified by all four examined genetic loci. Phenotype analysis was performed to support the delimitation of new species and includes colony characteristics on seven cultivation media incubated at several temperatures, growth on an osmotic gradient (six media with NaCl concentration from 0 to 25 %) and analysis of morphology including scanning electron microscopy. The micromorphology of conidial heads, vesicle dimensions, temperature profiles and growth parameters in osmotic gradient were useful criteria for species identification. The vast majority of species in sect. Restricti produce asperglaucide, asperphenamate or both in contrast to species in sect. Aspergillus. Mycophenolic acid was detected for the first time in at least six members of the section. The ascomata of A. halophilicus do not contain auroglaucin, epiheveadride or flavoglaucin which are common in sect. Aspergillus, but shares the echinulins with sect. Aspergillus.

Safety in buildings today can no longer be taken for granted nor considered purely from the point of view of prevention of building collapse and other structural failures but must now cover wider issues of prevention of home accident and protection from the hazards of microbial lives that are invading our home and working environments as these find environments more and more conducive for their growth and multiplication. Consequently, we are now sharing our living and working environments with some bacteria in spaces created by design, construction methods, wrong use of materials, poor usage by occupants, or a combination of all of these. This paper therefore examined some buildings for &quot;sick building syndrome&quot; to determine their state on our health conditions with respect to the level of dangers that might be imposed by them. Samples were taken of some stains on the walls of some of these buildings to establish their true nature and confirm whether or not they are merely ...

Introduction. This research study looks to establish that the mycotoxin increase of 90% found in the research by Hirvonen et al, 2003 is indeed the black pin moulds defence mechanism, that can stop eradication of the mould from homes and allow for it to colonise dwellings even when biocides are used to eliminate it. The Research Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Silicate, Barium Sulphate and iron sulphate, are all ingredients of paint, calcium Ca is the main ingredient of gypsum, therefore, what we have are buildings that are high in calcium deposits.

The introduction of a presentation is of great importance (a) to get the attention of the audience, (b) to insure that the audience will be willing to listen and (c) to present yourself in such a way that people will believe what you are going to say. Cicero calls this attentum, benevolem and docilem facere. On the basis of theories as developed by Geert Hofstede and Edward T Hall, one may expect that cultures will differ in what they consider to be a good introduction . In this paper I will refer to experiments with groups of 100 people from France, French-speaking Belgium, Dutch-speaking Belgium and the Netherlands respectively in order to show that such differences do exist. The Overview is much more more appreciated than Ethical Appeal, Metaphor or Anecdote in Frenchspeaking Belgium, Dutch-speaking Belgium and the Netherlands. In France, Ethical Appeal is more appreciated than the other three introductions. These differences between countries partly run counter to what one may expect on the basis of theory. It is plausible that another factor interferes: the attention paid to rhetoric at school.

A field experiment evaluated the effect of a furniture-integrated breathing-zone filtration ( B Z F ) system on indoor air quality, worker comfort, health, and productivity. The B Z F system testedfilters office air to remove volatile organic compounds and airborne particulates. The B Z F system was installed on one floor of a 29 story air-conditioned office building. Another floor of the building served as a control. Comparisons of pre-installation and three month post-installation surveys showed improvements in indoor air quality, sick building syndrome symptoms, and self-reported productivity with the B Z F system Breathing-zone filtration, HEPA filter, Sick building syndrome, Productivity, Particulates, Total volatile organic compounds ' Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, NYS

Results of a questionnaire survey of 939 workers j k m 5 airconditioned o@es where smoking was prohibited are reported. Levels of carbon monoxde, carbon dioxide, formal&-hy&, respirable particulates, and temperature, relative humidiy, and duminance were measured in these buildings, but these did not correlate with symptom reports. 7?ae number of sick building syndrome symptoms per worker was related linearly w perceived indoor air qualiy, job stress, job satisfmtion, allergies, eyewear, and seasonal affective disorder. Two hundred andfity five of thse workers also completed a b a m y of psychological measures. Measures of depression, personaliy variables, situational stress, v d w a b i l i y w stress, and individual dafferences in circadian rhythms did not correlate with the numbers of sick building syndrome symptoms per worker, although depression did correlate with the number of sympwms when these were weighted for theirfiequency of occurrence in the previous month. Job stress and perceptions of indoor air quality correlated with both the unweighted and weighted indices of sick buiIding syndrome.

A sample of 4479 workers from 27 air conditioned office buildings completed a questionnaire on environmental conditions, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, job satisfaction, job stress, and occupational and personal information while indoor air quality measures were taken. Indoor air quality met current American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) guidelines in all buildings. Logistic regression analyses conducted for individual symptoms revealed environmental correlates for workers' reports of environmental conditions, but few environmental correlates for reports of SBS symptoms. The number of SBS symptoms per worker was related linearly to computer use, job stress, job satisfaction, number of allergies, migraine, and eye wear, with separate intercepts necessary for each gender and interactions of gender with age and perceived indoor air quality (PIAQ). Allergy did not replace gender in the regression equations. Effects of environmental conditions and SBS symptoms on work disruption were assessed.

The neighborhood has become the focus of attraction of urban planners, designers and architects. Over the last two decades, the field of study of the neighborhood and its relationship with health has witnessed an explosion of interest. Several researchers investigated neighborhood problems and its impacts on well-being. Different urban problems vary in mental and physical health impacts. A lot of longitudinal and crosssectional research linked the characteristic of neighborhood whether physical or social to the health condition of the community. Furthermore, heart disease, skin disorder, cancer diabetes, depression and drug use are some of the health problems that an individual might face while living in an insufficient neighborhood particularly in harsh climate conditions. In desert climate, thermal low performance can lead to urban problems such as the wellknown phenomenon "Urban Heat Island (UHI)". The later can lead to several illness syndromes for residents. Reviewing the literature revealed a gap in the knowledge on the detailed relationship between the urban design elements and the sick health syndrome. This paper discusses the negative impact of the neighborhood design elements and its interconnection with illness syndromes. Similar to the Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), the paper introduces a new term to define the relationship between the urban design elements and the sick health syndromes which is "Sick Neighborhood Syndrome" (SNS).

had a Heaf test reaction of 2 +, but had received BCG vaccination. All other tests were negative (Mantoux reaction < 5 mm or Heaf reaction 0 or 1 +). In addition, questionnaires were received from 55 (22%) of the 246 passengers who were not US citizens, and test results were reported for 20 (8%). 2 men from the UK had Heaf reactions of 4 + or 3 +. Chest radiographs were normal for both and both had histories suggestive of past exposure to M tuberculosis ; thus, these 2 were not regarded as converters. 5 others from the UK had positive skin-test reactions (4 had Heaf results of 2 +, had a Mantoux result of 8 mm), but each had received BCG vaccination. All other test results were negative. This investigation required more than 600 hours of personnel time at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and lasted 3 months. Direct costs to MDH in personnel time, telephone calls, and materials exceeded$25 000. Although the source-case was considered highly infectious, results of this investigation did not demonstrate evidence of transmission. We are unable to find reports of M tuberculosis transmission among passengers on a single flight. However, the risk of exposure during air travel exists; although short term, such exposures could be intense and result in transmission.

The design and management of the indoor environments of buildings should foster ‘‘health and wellbeing’’. Buildings affect the health of occupants in many ways, for example, through building related illnesses, sick building syndrome and allergy, and environmental health problems. The principal causes of sick buildings in the majority of cases are related to microbial effects and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde from building materials or products used in buildings. Lighting and inadequate ventilation, particularly in airtight buildings are also important factors. New and refurbished buildings where there has been inappropriate use of materials could lead to high indoor concentrations of VOCs and formaldehyde, odours, and adverse effects on occupants. Indoor air quality management and investigation of sick buildings are complex issues, requiring multidisciplinary investigations and environmental monitoring. This paper considers the requirements for inve...

Indoor air quality issues associated with exposure to moulds and their metabolites, mycotoxins, are becoming of increasing importance. There are believed to be about 1.5 million species of fungi of which more than 1000 species have evolved to exploit the built environment. Sexually mature fungi produce large numbers of spores that when airborne can be inhaled and deposited on the mucosal surface of the upper airways and in the eyes. Occupants of buildings may be affected in any of a number of ways. Fungi and moulds can contribute to the sick building syndrome or other building related illnesses and some people can have an allergic response. Such exposure to moulds and the other fungi and their spores indoors is unavoidable except when the most stringent air filtration or other environmental measures are observed. The repeated exposure to large amount of particular fungal propagules is an important risk factor for the development of specific allergic reactions. There are also a large...

A sample of 4,479 workers from 27 air conditioned office buildings was surveyed. Workers completed a questionnaire on environmental conditions, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, job satisfaction, job stress, occupational and personal information, at the same time as indoor air quality measures were taken. Indoor air quality met current ASHRAE guidelines in all buildings. Logistic regression analyses, conducted for individual symptoms, revealed environmental correlates for workers' reports of environmental conditions, but few environmental correlates for reports of SBS symptoms. The total number of SBS symptoms was related linearly to computer use, job stress, and job satisfaction, number of allergies, migraine, and eye wear, with separate intercepts necessary for each gender, and interactions of gender with age and PIAQ. Allergy did not replace gender in the regression equations. Effects of environmental conditions and SBS symptoms on work disruption were assessed.

Plijesni roda Aspergillus među najčešćim su uzročnicima kvarenja hrane i hrane za životinje, a u nepovoljnim uvjetima mogu proizvesti mikotoksine kao toksične sekundarne metabolite. Aflatoksini su skupina mikotoksina koji često onečišćuju različite žitarice, među kojima najčešće kukuruz, a ulaskom u prehrambeni lanac uslijed ishrane životinja onečišćenim krmivom, mogu biti prisutni i u hrani životinjskog podrijetla. Međunarodna agencija za istraživanje raka (IARC) svrstava aflatoksine u humane karcinogene skupine 1A, a sa stajališta zdravstvene ispravnosti, jedan od najvažnijih mikotoksina je aflatoksin B1. Zbog snažnog karcinogenog, teratogenog i mutagenog djelovanja, čiji su učinci u ljudi i životinja u ovisnosti o razini i trajanju izlaganja, prisutnost aflatoksina B1 u hrani i hrani za životinje potrebno je potpuno spriječiti ili zadržati na najnižoj mogućoj razini. Kako prisutnost aflatoksina može biti opasna po zdravlje ljudi i životinja, u cilju sprječavanja štetnih učinaka, ali i posljedičnih gospodarskih problema velikih razmjera, stalna kontrola u hrani i hrani za životinje od velikog su značaja širom svijeta. U cilju proizvodnje zdravstveno ispravne hrane potreban je kontinuirani razvoj novih metoda za detekciju aflatoksina i redukciju onečišćenja kao i sustavna provedba monitoringa na reprezentativnom broju uzoraka hrane i hrane za životinje.