WHO Guidelines for indoor air quality

484 Pages·2010·2.72 MB·English

W
H
W
H
O O
G
U

I
D G
E
L
IN U
This book presents WHO guidelines for the protection of pub- E
S
F I
lic health from risks due to a number of chemicals commonly O D
R
present in indoor air. The substances considered in this review, I
N
E
i.e. benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, naphthalene, D
O
nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (especially O L
R
benzo[a]pyrene), radon, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethyl- A I
I N
R
ene, have indoor sources, are known in respect of their hazard- Q
U E
ousness to health and are often found indoors in concentrations A
SELECTED
of health concern. The guidelines are targeted at public health LIT S
Y
professionals involved in preventing health risks of environmen- : S F POLLUTANTS
E
tal exposures, as well as specialists and authorities involved in L O
E
the design and use of buildings, indoor materials and products. C
T
E R
They provide a scientific basis for legally enforceable standards. D
C
H I
E
M N
I
C
A D
L
S
O
O
R

A
I
R

Q
U
A
World Health Organization
Regional Offi ce for Europe L
I
Scherfi gsvej 8, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
T
Tel.: [phone]. Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected] Y
Web site: www.euro.who.int

WHO guidelines
for indoor air quality:
selected pollutants
The WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Bonn Office,
WHO Regional Office for Europe coordinated the development of these WHO guidelines.
Keywords
AIR POLLUTION, INDOOR - prevention and control
AIR POLLUTANTS - adverse effects
ORGANIC CHEMICALS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE - adverse effects
GUIDELINES
ISBN 978 92 890 0213 4
Address requests for publications of the WHO Regional Office for Europe to:
Publications
WHO Regional Office for Europe
Scherfigsvej 8
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Alternatively, complete an online request form for documentation, health information, or for per-
mission to quote or translate, on the Regional Office web site (http://www.euro.who.int/pubrequest).
© World Health Organization 2010
All rights reserved. The Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization welcomes requests
for permission to reproduce or translate its publications, in part or in full.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the ex-
pression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal
status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its fron-
tiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet
be full agreement.
The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are en-
dorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that
are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by
initial capital letters.
All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information
contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of
any kind, either express or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies
with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.
The views expressed by authors, editors, or expert groups do not necessarily represent the decisions or the
stated policy of the World Health Organization.
Language editing: Frank Theakston. Cover molecule structure image: Ben Mills.
Book design: Sven Lund. Printed in Germany by: in puncto druck+medien GmbH, Bonn.
WHO guidelines
for indoor air quality:
selected pollutants
Abstract
This book presents WHO guidelines for the protection of public health from
risks due to a number of chemicals commonly present in indoor air. The sub-
stances considered in this review, i.e. benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde,
naphthalene, nitrogen dioxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (especially
benzo[a]pyrene), radon, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene, have indoor
sources, are known in respect of their hazardousness to health and are often
found indoors in concentrations of health concern. The guidelines are targeted at
public health professionals involved in preventing health risks of environmental
exposures, as well as specialists and authorities involved in the design and use of
buildings, indoor materials and products. They provide a scientific basis for le-
gally enforceable standards.
Contents
Contributors viii
Acknowledgements xiv
Foreword xv
Executive summary xvi
Introduction 1
Developing indoor air quality guidelines 2
Setting indoor air quality guidelines 4
Preparation of the guidelines 7
Combined exposures 9
Use of the indoor air quality guidelines in protecting public health 11
References 13
1. Benzene 15
General description 15
Indoor sources 15
Pathways of exposure 17
Indoor concentrations 18
Indoor–outdoor relationship 19
Kinetics and metabolism 20
Health effects 24
Health risk evaluation 36
Guidelines 38
References 39
2. Carbon monoxide 55
General description 55
Indoor sources 55
Indoor levels and relationship with outdoor levels 57
Kinetics and metabolism 63
Health effects 66
Health risk evaluation 83
Guidelines 86
References 89
3. Formaldehyde 103
General description 103
Sources and pathways of exposure 104
Indoor concentrations and relationship with outdoor levels 105
Kinetics and metabolism 108
Health effects 110
Health risk evaluation 138
Guidelines 140
References 142
4. Naphthalene 157
General description 157
Sources and pathways of exposure 157
Indoor concentrations and exposures 158
Kinetics and metabolism 165
Health effects 173
Health risk evaluation 182
Guidelines 185
References 187
5. Nitrogen dioxide 201
General description 201
Sources and pathways of exposure 201
Indoor levels and relationship with outdoor levels 202
Kinetics and metabolism – effects observed in experimental studies 206
Health effects 215
Health risk evaluation 244
Guidelines 246
References 248
6. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 289
General description 289
Sources and pathways of exposure 290
Toxicokinetics and metabolism 302
Health effects 307
Health risk evaluation 321
Guidelines 323
References 325
7. Radon 347
General description 347
Sources, occurrence in air and exposure 350
Kinetics and metabolism 354
Health effects 357
Health risk evaluation 366
Guidelines 367
References 369
8. Trichloroethylene 377
General description 377
Indoor sources and exposure pathways 378
Indoor air concentrations 379
Toxicokinetics and metabolism 381
Health effects 387
Health risk evaluation 400
Guidelines 402
References 403
9. Tetrachloroethylene 415
General description 415
Indoor sources and pathways of exposure 417
Indoor air concentrations and relationship with outdoor levels 418
Toxicokinetics 421
Health effects 427
Health risk evaluation 439
Guidelines 442
References 444
viii WHO GUIDELINES FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY: SELECTED POLLUTANTS
Contributors
Participants of the working group meeting in Bonn, 3–6 November 2009
Gary Adamkiewicz1 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Hugh Ross Anderson3 St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London,
London, United Kingdom
Kenichi Azuma2 Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
Vernon Benignus2 Durham, NC, USA
Paolo Carrer2 University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Hyunok Choi1 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Aaron Cohen3 Health Effects Institute, Boston, MA, USA
Christine Däumling2 Federal Environment Agency, Berlin, Germany
Juana Maria Delgado Saborit1 University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Peter Farmer2 University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
Paul Harrison1 PTCH Consultancy, Leicester, United Kingdom
Roy M. Harrison1 University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Rogene F. Henderson1 Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Marie-Eve Héroux2 Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Deborah Jarvis1 National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London,
London, United Kingdom
Debra A. Kaden1 Dak Tox LLC, Arlington, MA, USA
Frank J Kelly1 King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
Stelios Kephalopoulos1 Institute for Health & Consumer Protection, European
Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
Severine Kirchner3 Centre scientifique et technique du bâtiment (CSTB),
Marne-la-Vallée, France
Michael T. Kleinmann2 University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
Hannu Komulainen1 National Institute of Health and Welfare, Kuopio, Finland
Dimitrios Kotzias1 Institute for Health & Consumer Protection, European
Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
Michaela Kreuzer1 Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS),
Neuherberg, Germany
Erik Lebret3 National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM),
Bilthoven, Netherlands
Benoit Lévesque2 Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Canada
Corinne Mandin1 Centre scientifique et technique du bâtiment (CSTB),
Marne-la-Vallée, France
Robert L. Maynard1 Health Protection Agency, Chilton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
James McLaughlin1 University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland