Indoor air pollution and human health

Paramesh, H and Sankam, J (2023) Indoor air pollution and human health. In: Current Science, 124 (1). pp. 7-8.

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Abstract

Indoor air pollution (IAP) arising from chemical, biological and physical contaminants in air is one of the leading health risks very relevant to India. Concern over the negative health impacts of poor indoor air quality is growing. Accord-ing to WHO, in 2020, household air pollution caused roughly 3.2 million deaths. Although the vast majority of houses and buildings appear to have no issues, non-industrial IAP accounts for a variety of symptoms and illnesses (Redlich, C. A. et al., Lancet, 1997, 349, 1013–1016). Pollutants in in-door air emanate from a variety of sources like aero-biolo-gicals and irritants. Biological contaminants include dust mites, pet dander and saliva, mould, pollen, infectious agents due to stagnant water, mattresses, carpets and humidi-fiers (Paramesh, H., Indian J. Pediatr., 2002, 69, 309–312). The incomplete combustion by-products of biomass fuels include formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, polyaromatic hy-drocarbons, suspended particulate matter and oxides of sul-phur, arsenic and fluorine, which are produced when coal is burnt and are harmful to human health. Resins, waxes, polish-ing agents, cosmetics and binders contribute to the production of pollutants such as aldehydes, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, which significantly contaminate indoor air (Kankaria, A. et al., Indian J. Commun. Med., 2014, 39(4), 203–207). © 2023,Current Science. All Rights Reserved.

Item Type:	Editorials/Short Communications
Publication:	Current Science
Publisher:	Indian Academy of Sciences
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to Indian Academy of Sciences.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Divecha Centre for Climate Change
Date Deposited:	16 Feb 2023 10:45
Last Modified:	16 Feb 2023 10:45
URI:	https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/80146

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