A researcher CREAL participates in WHO guidelines on indoor air quality and chemicals

CREAL researcher, Jan-Paul Zock, participated in the new issue of comprehensive guidelines for indoor air quality that were presented today. The WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected pollutants result from the contribution of over 60 international scientists to the project coordinated by WHO Regional Office for Europe and present for the first time evidence and guidance to protect health from the impact of indoor chemicals globally.

Dr. Jan-Paul Zock, which focused on the chapter of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ensures that this document provides "a scientific basis for establishing specific standards for interior spaces, something that currently exists for very few chemicals."

The purpose of these guidelines is to prevent health risks related to indoor chemical agents. Therefore, "we have identified, quantified and evaluated the determinants of exposure and, therefore, have provided tools for the development of preventive strategies," said researcher CREAL.

In this research center of Barcelona is evaluating the health effects, mainly respiratory exposure to chemicals in homes and other interior spaces. The goal is to expand knowledge of these effects in terms of the susceptible population (eg, infants) and as the mechanism behind these effects exist. Apart from exhibitions related to construction materials or human activities like burning, CREAL research focuses on the use of chemicals such as cleaning products, solvents, pesticides and air fresheners.

In fact, the substances emitted by buildings, building materials and equipment, or due to human activities like burning in the actions of cooking or heating, give rise to a wide range of health problems. According to WHO, at least 400 deaths a year are caused by carbon monoxide poisoning within the European region, and up to 14% of lung cancers are attributable to residential radon exposure. The lifetime exposure to benzene concentrations as seen in European homes is associated with a maximum of 10 leukemia cases per 100 000 people.

The nine substances considered in this review are common indoor air pollutants: benzene, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, radon, formaldehyde, naphthalene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene.

The guidelines are aimed at public health professionals involved in preventing health risks of environmental exposures, as well as experts and authorities involved in the design and use of buildings, interior materials and products.

This volume is the second in the following book series 2009 on moisture and mold and expects to continue working to meet household fuel combustion.

Further information:
•;WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould (http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/43325/E92645.pdf)
•;Air Quality programme of the WHO/Europe (http://www.euro.who.int/air)