AERMEC RePuro 650 - Introduction to Residential Ventilation and Technical Solution; Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

9
IREPPY - 1404 - 4238051_01
Pollutant  Correlated symptoms
Benzene
Produced from external trac or from proximity to pet-
rol staons, chemical industries, and steelworks. With
garages joined to dwellings it can move towards internal
rooms. It can be released from cooking and heang sys-
tems.
Elevated concentraons can cause death in a maer
of hours. Exposure by connuous inhalaon at lower
levels mainly aects the blood producing illnesses of
anaemia, lymphopenia and leukemia.
Carbon Monoxide
(CO)
Is found in external air and is produced by the bad
combuson of endothermic engines. In internal
spaces it can be caused by an incorrect installaon,
a defect, or poor maintenance of cooking systems or
heang systems burning fossil fuels.
High concentraons (>80%) cause death by cardiac
arrest. Exposure by connuous inhalaon at lower
levels can cause memory loss, psycho-emove al-
teraons, asthma, and heart failure.
Formaldehyde
Mainly produced within internal environments. It is
generated by tobacco smoke, heang systems, burn-
ing candles or incense. It is also produced by construc-
on materials (resins applied on wooden furniture and
insulang materials) and is frequently used in cleaning
products (it is a strong bactericide).
Provokes irritaons of the upper respiratory system.
In more serious forms it causes carcinomas.
Nitrogen dioxide
(NO
2
)
Derives from combuson processes (the main pro-
ducer is vehicular trac). Within internal environ-
ments this substance is produced from tobacco
smoke and combuson (from any combusble);
combuson being the worst and major producer of
this gas.
Can cause eczema, throat and ear infecons and
leads to increased allergen sensivity in children.
In adults it can contribute to the increase of respira-
tory symptoms (such as asthma).
Polycyclic aromac
hydrocarbon (PAH)
Produced from combuson at high temperature.
Comes from vehicular trac in the external air. Inter-
nally it is produced from cigaree smoke, re places,
cooking systems, smoke from candles and incense.
Is a carcinogenic substance.
Radon
Is naturally produced from the radioacvity of certain
rocks. There can be traces in some construcon mate-
rials and in the water.
Is a carcinogenic substance (lung cancer).
Trichloroethylene
Is produced in industrial environments (cooling sys-
tems), dry cleaners, print works (prinng ink), paints,
texle prinng. In internal environments it comes
from printers, fax and photocopy machines, as well
as cleaning products and furniture paint.
Is a carcinogenic substance (liver and lung tumours);
other symptoms involve deformity of the eyes and
heart.
Tetrachloroethylene
Is a solvent agent used in industrial applicaons
(steelworks, texle industries, inks and cleaning
products). In internal environments it can be pro-
duced from adhesives, perfumes, stain removers,
fabric nish, water repellents, wood detergents and
detergents for vehicles.
In various concentraons aack eyes, kidneys, liver,
lungs and mucous membranes of the skin, causing
renal, liver and reproducve systems failure. A cor-
relaon has also been shown with oesophageal and
cervical cancer.
4. INTRODUCTION TO RESIDENTIAL VENTILATION AND THE AERMEC RePuro TECHNICAL SOLUTION
4.1. 
In terms of preventing health risks deriv-
ing from ambient factors it is only in recent
years that more attention has been paid to
internal air pollution; the quality of the en-
vironments in dwellings or schools, techni-
cally defined as indoor.
When we think about the air that we
breathe in a residence in a traditional ur-
ban centre, compared to that outdoors,
we conclude that the outdoor air quality
is worse.
This is not always the case and the oppo-
site could be true.
On average the internal air of a domestic
environment is more polluted than that
outdoors.
Due to infiltration caused by the opening
of doors and windows the air breathed in-
doors is the same as outdoors.
In practice the result becomes:
air in house
=
external air + internal pollutants
Recently constructed dwellings are de-
signed to minimise the infiltration of air,
and as a consequence the pollutants pro-
duced internally remain there.
Internal and external pollutants are of this
nature:
- chemical
- biological
- physical
The following table shows the main pollut-
ants, where they come from and what ef-
fects they provoke or cause (source: World
Health Organizaon – (WHO) GUIDELINES
FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY – 2010).