Indoor pollution: a widely overlooked problem

Scientists propose the use of real-time sensors of indoor air-quality for the battle against the Sick-Building Syndrome

Scientists propose the use of real-time sensors of indoor air-quality for the battle against the Sick-Building Syndrome

Household air pollution is ranked the 9th largest Global Burden of Disease risk (Forouzanfar et al., The Lancet 2015). Moreover, indoor air pollution was linked to 4.3 million deaths globally in 2012, compared with 3.7 million for outdoor air pollution. These figures may sound scary, but the truth is that urban dwellers typically spend 90% of their time indoor. Even so, many indoor spaces suffer from the so-called ‘Sick Building Syndrome’.

A collaborative effort of European, Australian and UK researchers, led by the University of Surrey, assessed the harmful effects of indoor pollution in order to make recommendations on how best to monitor and negate these outcomes. Up to now, conventional instruments are used to measure pollutant concentrations and thermal comfort in order to review indoor air quality (IAQ) standards. The measurements however, are usually averages over long integrated time periods, which become available after the exposure has already occurred. This new research published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, proposes the use of novel real-time air pollution sensing methods as the key to determine IAQ.

Dr Prashant Kumar of the University of Surrey explained: "When we think of the term 'air pollution' we tend to think of car exhausts or factory fumes expelling grey smoke. However, there are actually various sources of pollution that have a negative effect on air quality, many of which are found inside our homes and offices. From cooking residue to paints, varnishes and fungal spores, the air we breathe indoors is often more polluted than that outside". And he continued: "It is essential that we are able to effectively monitor indoor air pollution so that we can better understand when and where levels are worst, and in turn offer solutions to make our air healthier. Our work looks at the use of small, low-energy monitoring sensors that would be able to gather real-time data and tell families or workers when levels of pollutants are too high. Sometimes the solution to this will be as simple as opening a window, but without knowledge at the right time these simple steps are often skipped. With this research we are calling for greater importance to be placed on ensuring buildings are built with indoor pollution monitoring in mind. As we enter the age of smart cities, this is one way in which technology will actively benefit health".

Source: Sciencedaily