Studies have shown that most people spend more than 80% of their time indoors, do you think you don't need to worry about air pollution at home? In fact, indoor air can be polluted. These pollutants are invisible and invisible, and if you ignore their existence, you will often bury health risks.
Let's see what indoor air pollution and how to prevent and control?
1, the status of indoor air pollution
Indoor air pollution has become a global environmental health problem and is one of the top ten risk factors for disease burden .
Indoor air pollution is not only affected by outdoor air pollution, but also by building decoration materials, daily necessities, and heating, cooking, smoking and other air pollutants produced by people's lives. In recent years, due to changes in building structure, the degree of indoor confinement has increased, so the degree of indoor air pollution is often more serious than outdoor.
The most common indoor air pollutants are mainly respirable particles (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), formaldehyde, benzene and benzene, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), oxides, ammonia, radon and so on.
2, the main sources of indoor air pollutants and health hazards
① Respirable particles (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
PM10 refers to the air particle size ≤ 10 μm particles, PM2.5 is the air particle size ≤ 2.5 μm particles.
PM10 and PM2.5 within indoor air can originate from both outdoor and indoor sources. PM10 and PM2.5 generated from outdoor automobile emissions and fuel combustion can enter indoors through gaps in windows and doors, ventilation, etc., and indoor evaporation of building and renovation materials, as well as smoke generated from cooking and smoking can lead to elevated indoor PM10 and PM2.5 [4].
Studies have shown that PM10 and PM2.5 can increase the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases [5,6]. Indoor air quality standards (GB/T18883-2022) [7] PM10, PM2.5 indoor concentrations do not exceed 0.1mg/m3 and 0.05mg/m3, respectively.
② formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is usually a colorless gas with an irritating odor that can be absorbed through the respiratory tract.
Formaldehyde is widely used in the construction industry, as an adhesive used in wood processing, paints and textiles. Most of the formaldehyde in indoor air pollution comes from construction materials used in indoor decoration.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a class I carcinogen [8], and formaldehyde exposure can also lead to a number of respiratory symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, asthma, colds and chronic bronchitis [9]. The Indoor Air Quality Standard (GB/T18883-2022) stipulates that formaldehyde concentration should not exceed 0.08 mg/m3.
③ Benzene and benzene
Benzene, as a commonly used organic solvent, is often found in building materials such as paints, coatings, and various glues, as well as in daily necessities such as rubber, fibers, and plastics.
The main sources of benzene and benzene series in home indoor are paints, stains, wallpapers, carpets, synthetic fibers, and cleaning agents [10].
Long-term exposure to benzene-contaminated indoor environments may increase the risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and hematologic diseases in humans [11]. The Indoor Air Quality Standards (GB/T18883-2022) stipulate that benzene, toluene, and xylene concentrations should not exceed 0.03 mg/m3 , 0.2 mg/m3 , and 0.2 mg/m3 , respectively.
④ Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC)
TVOC includes alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alkenes, ketones, aldehydes, amines, halogenated alkenes, esters and other substances.
Indoor TVOC mainly comes from building materials, interior decoration materials and office living supplies, such as artificial boards, paints, carpets, inks and so on.
Human exposure to TVOC may cause symptoms such as nasal congestion, headache, and cough [12], and long-term exposure may also increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and cancer [13]. The Indoor Air Quality Standard (GB/T18883-2022) stipulates that TVOC should not exceed 0.60 mg/m3.
⑤ Radon
Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless radioactive gas, which is found in rocks and soil [14], and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies radon as a class I carcinogen.
The main source of indoor radon is the use of construction materials such as granite, cement, sand and gravel.
Inhalation of excessive radon may increase the risk of lung cancer [15], and the Indoor Air Quality Standard (GB/T18883-2022) stipulates that the indoor radon concentration should not exceed 300 Bq/m3.
3. Protective Measures and Suggestions① Use green decoration materialsDecoration and construction materials are the main cause of indoor air pollution. Choose green indoor decoration materials to solve the problem from the source and reduce the generation of indoor air pollutants.
② Strengthen indoor ventilationVentilation not only dilutes the concentration of indoor air pollutants, but also expels indoor air pollutants outside through gas exchange. Therefore, increasing the frequency and duration of indoor ventilation is the easiest way to control indoor pollutants.However, it should be noted that when outdoor air pollution is severe, it may cause outdoor air pollutants to enter indoors, resulting in an increase in the concentration of certain indoor air pollutants.③Adopt healthy living habitsAdopting healthy living habits is crucial to reducing indoor air pollution. Avoid smoking indoors, reduce the use of chemicals such as pesticides, coloring agents, aromatherapy, etc., lower the temperature of oil when cooking, and reduce the number of cooking methods such as deep-frying and pan-frying.
④ Installation of air purification devices or fume exhaust devicesAir purification devices can improve indoor air quality to a certain extent, and range hoods can effectively reduce cooking fumes and other harmful substances in the kitchen, so indoor buildings should be installed in conjunction with the actual situation of air purification devices or fume exhaust devices.
In addition, you can use activated carbon, silica gel and other adsorbents to remove indoor air pollutants, but it should be noted that the adsorbent should be cleaned in a timely manner, otherwise there may be secondary pollution.⑤ Place green plants indoorsStudies have shown that green plants have the effect of balancing the content of indoor oxygen and carbon dioxide, improving microclimate, and keeping indoor air fresh and clean [16-17]. However, the effect on air purification and particle adsorption is limited, and also related to the type and number of green plants.
