Interaction of Hazardous Air Pollutants & Indoor Materials
The following slides include the results of recent studies to better understand how volatile and hazardous air pollutants interact with indoor materials. Such interactions can lead to prolonged chemical retention in homes, schools, and offices. Humans may then be exposed to these chemicals via ingestion (e.g., eating food that was contaminated by air pollutants), dermal contact (e.g., infant skin contact with contaminated carpet), or inhalation (e.g., as chemicals are slowly released from materials to indoor air over time). The latter is clearly illustrated when non-smokers receive a “smoking” room in a hotel, and find the odors objectionable. These odors are from chemicals that desorb from material surfaces such as carpet, walls, and curtains.