Indoor atmospheres effects

See also Acid Ram Air Quality, Indoor Atmosphere Automobile Performance Climatic Effects Emission Control, Vehicle Emission Control, Power Plant Environmental Economics Environmental Problems and Energy Use Gasoline and Additives Transportation, Evolution of Energy Use and Turbines, Gas. 

Radon daughter ions and the ionization caused by the decay chains of radon and thoron in indoor air play important roles both from the contribution made by the daughter product positive ions to internal dose and from the effects of ion-pair production on the indoor atmospheric electrical parameters. 

A major reason for understanding the chemistry of the atmosphere is the impact that changes can have on human health and well-being. With respect to effects due to direct inhalation of gases and particles, exposure occurs not only outdoors but also indoors as well. Indeed, the vast majority of time for most people is spent indoors. As a result, understanding the nature of the indoor atmosphere and human impacts on it is important as well. 

For excellent summaries of general exposure and health effects data for 243 substances, see the California Air Resources Board report (1997b). Each summary describes the physical properties, sources, and concentrations both outdoors and indoors, atmospheric persistence, health effects, and other risk assessment information. 

With this convention, the effective dose equivalent in the average indoor atmosphere is given in terms of the PAEC by... 

In this chapter, possible chemical toxics in the indoors atmosphere as related to the existence of some plastics, and treated plastics, as well as rubber construction materials (which may also be referred to as indoor chemical contaminants) will only be outlined, with some additional general brief information about radon and its effects. Hence, biological contamination will be totally ignored although in over 40% of the cases, there... 

Effect of Some Plastics, Rubbers and Wood-Related Materials on the Indoors Atmosphere in Houses... 

There has been a growing interest in health issues relating to the use of plastic construction materials, for some time, and especially on their effect on indoor atmospheres, causing the so called sick building syndrome . PVC is the one plastic that has been most critisised. Some general issues regarding health problems are discussed in Chapter 12. 

Section V on Testing in Environments (H. Hack, Section Editor) includes chapters on outdoor and indoor atmospheres, seawater, fresh water, soils, concrete, industrial waters, industrial chemical, petroleum, high-temperature gases, organic liquids, molten salts, liquid metals, corrosion inhibitors, in-vivo, and microbiological effects. Each chapter provides a descriptive overview of the environment and factors and variables affecting corrosion rates and mechanisms. 

For closed air spaces, such as indoor atmospheres, it has been pointed out that the increase in relative humidity associated with a drop in temperature has an overriding effect on corrosion rate. This implies that simple air conditioning that decreases the temperature without additional dehumidification will accelerate atmospheric corrosion damage. At temperatures below freezing, where the electrolyte film... 

Air contaminants Aerosols, gases, vapors or dusts which may cause adverse effects if discharged into the indoor or outdoor atmosphere. 

The atmospheric corrosion rate of metals depends mainly on TOW and pollutants however, if the differences in the corrosion process between outdoor and indoor conditions are taken into account, the influence of direct precipitation such as rain is very important for outdoor and negligible for indoor conditions. The acceleration effect of pollutants could change depending on wetness conditions of the surface, so the influence of the rain time and quantity should be very important in determining changes in corrosion rate. 

In short, while HONO is believed to play an important role in atmospheric chemistry and perhaps be of concern from the point of view of health effects, much remains to be learned about its sources both indoors and outdoors. 

Biocides. The attack of fungi on the several components of a vinyl formulation may manifest itself as an unsightly growth looking much like dirt or may result in the formation of discolored areas (yellow, pink, blue, clear) on the finished goods. Outdoor exposure, indoor exposure in humid atmosphere, soil burial or contact, and electrical insulation compounds are typical areas where biocide addition is indicated. Since most commercial biocides are heavy metal derivatives, care must be taken to assess their effect on heat and light stability and compatibility with the vinyl system in which they are used. 

NO in combination with SOp has a synergistic corrosion effect especially indoors on electrical contact materials, copper and steel. The influence of acid precipitation may differ for different metals and depends also on the pollution level. The atmospheric corrosion of metals due to acid deposition is in most regions mainly a local problem restricted to areas close to the pollution source. 

Indoors NO in combination with SO has a synergistic corrosive effect on electrical contact matefials like gold plating and copper and may also be important for other materials like carbon steel at storage in industrial atmospheres. 

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