The Indoor Air Quality and Environmental Toxins Page

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The Indoor Air Quality and Environmental Toxins Page

This section is maintained by M. Painter, D.C.Send all comments or additions to: p@...If there are terms in these articles you don't understand, you can get a definition from the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary. If you want information about a specific disease, you may access the Merck Manual. Or you may do your own search @ Pub Med. Jump to: IAQ Resources Abstracts of Interest Systemic Fungal Diseases

IntroductionThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that indoor air pollution is a major health risk –– indoor air pollutants can accumulate at 2 to 100 times higher concentrations than outdoor pollution. Why is that? Because modern homes have been built to be "leak-proof" –– with tighter seals on our doors and windows.The average person spends 90% of their time indoors, surrounded by a vast array of modern chemicals –– including the glues and coatings on our furniture and walls, the plastic cases on our electronic toys, synthetic fabrics, disinfectants, soaps, perfumes, insecticides, lubricants and more. All these products "breath" out some level of pollution –– as described by the term out–gas.Did you see Bill Moyers recent documentary about the chemical industry? It was pretty scary! By the time there have been enough clinical studies to confirm the health risks of any particular substance, it may be too late for the generation of people who have been exposed and are at risk.Adding to the list are biologic entities in our homes which may contribute to allergic reactions –– molds and mildews in our walls and ductwork which release spores, dust mite excrement in our rugs and bedding, and the danders from our pets.Another aspect to consider is the dramatic increase in childhood asthma and learning disabilities –– again associated with exposures to cleaning products, certain food–colorings and additives. The intention of this page is to offer you access to the most current, scientific and non-sensational information, so that you may reduce those health risks associated with indoor air pollution.

Indoor Air Quality Resources

Center for Children's Health and the Environment The Center for Children’s Health and the Environment (CCHE) is the nation’s first academic research and policy center to examine the links between exposure to toxic pollutants and childhood illness. Pages that caught my eye were: "Children's Vulnerability to Toxins in the Environment" and a page devoted to "Indoor Air Contamination and Childhood Asthma".

Preventing Harm: A Resource For Children And The Environment Awareness of learning and behavioral disorders makes us ask if toxics in our air, water or food combine with other factors to keep our children from reaching their full human potential. This site is about learning more, finding resources, sharing what we learn, and taking action for our families and communities. Pages of note are "In Harms Way", "Kids At Risk", and a link to Bill Moyer's "Trade Secrets" Report

EPA's Indoor Air Quality Page Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally, more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. The pages devoted to "Indoor Air and Your Health", "Biological Contaminants" and the "Indoor Asthma Triggers" may all be of immediate interest.

National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals The National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals is a new publication that will provide an ongoing assessment of the U.S. population’s exposure to environmental chemicals using biomonitoring. For this Report, an environmental chemical means a chemical compound or chemical element present in air, water, soil, dust, food, or other environmental media. Of particular interest are sections on "Known Human Carcinogens" and a link to the "EPA Risk Information Page".

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) NIEHS is one of 25 Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Human health and human disease result from three interactive elements: environmental factors, individual susceptibility and age. Their page includes important articles like "Breast Cancer: Susceptibility and the Environment", and their "20 Easy Steps to Personal Environmental Health Now" has an amazing array of recommendations.

Fragranced Products Information NetworkSensitivity and adverse effects from added-fragrance are hardly isolated events. An estimated 1-2% of the population has skin allergy to fragrance. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) labels fragrances and pesticides as a volatile organic compound form of Indoor Air Pollutantion. The Fragrance Products Information Network website was developed to help fill the void of information that exists regarding scented products.

Top Child Health Agencies Urge Testing to Protect Early Brain Development From Toxins: One Out of Six AffectedOne out of six children are suffering from behavioral disorder according to the Learning Disabilities Association and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS–NIU). Both are calling for research testing to recognize, reduce and eliminate the environmental toxins scientifically linked to learning disabilities.

Toxins: NTP Chemical Health & Safety Data Health and Safety information has been collected on over 2000 chemicals studied by the National Toxicology Program. There are a number of ways to retrieve data from these NTP files.

Air Quality Abstracts of Interest

What is Stachybotrys? Individuals with chronic exposure to the toxin produced by this fungus reported cold and flu symptoms, sore throats, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, dermatitis, intermittent local hair loss (28) and generalized malaise. The toxins produced by this fungus will suppress the immune system affecting the lymphoid tissue and the bone marrow (1). Animals injected with the toxin from this fungus exhibited the following symptoms: necrosis and hemorrhage within the brain, thymus, spleen, intestine, lung, heart, lymph node, liver, and kidney (29). Affects by absorption of the toxin in the human lung are known as pneumomycosis (1).

Toxic Effects of Indoor Molds Pediatrics 1998 Apr; 101 (4 Pt 1): 712—4 American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health This statement describes molds, their toxic properties, and their potential for causing toxic respiratory problems in infants. Guidelines for pediatricians are given to help reduce exposures to mold in homes of infants. This is a rapidly evolving area and more research is ongoing.

Biological Action of Mycotoxins J Dairy Sci 1993; 76 (3) Mar: 880–91 Mycotoxins are ubiquitous, mold–produced toxins that contaminate a wide variety of foods and feeds. Ingestion of mycotoxins cause a range of toxic responses, from acute toxicity to long–term or chronic health disorders. Some mycotoxins have caused outbreaks of human toxicoses, and at least one mycotoxin, aflatoxin B1, is a presumed human hepatocarcinogen.

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Mold and Insurance Stachybotrys. If you can't pronounce it (let alone spell it), don't worry, you soon will. That's because stachybotrys (pronounced "stack-e-botris") — a toxic mold that has been found in all 50 states — has been thrust into the limelight by high-profile cases of "sick building syndrome."

Indoor Air Pollutant Health Effects This page is provided by the University of Minnesota Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS) and contains sections on Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema, Pulmonary Hemosiderosis, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).

Hidden Menace: Insurers Worry About Toxic Mold Claims ABC News.com June 26, 2001 Earlier this month, a Texas jury awarded $32 million to a woman for what mold did to her 22-room mansion and the mental anguish she went through. The insurer she sued, Farmers Insurance Group, was among the companies seeking relief from the state.

Moldy Schools: Are Your Kids Getting Sick at School? ABC News.com April 18, 2001 St. ' high school, like hundreds of other schools around the country, is infested with toxic mold — millions of tiny spores that, when inhaled, can trigger a range of allergic reactions. Allergist Dr. Santilli says symptoms include pounding headaches, a fever and chills. And doctors say children are most at risk because their lungs are still developing.

Asthma and Exposure to House-dust Allergens

Acute Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution: The Ultrafine Particle HypothesisJ Aerosol Med 2000 Winter; 13(4): 355–59A strong and consistent association has been observed between adjusted mortality rates and ambient particle concentration. The strongest associations are seen for respiratory and cardiac deaths, particularly among the elderly. Particulate air pollution is also associated with asthma exacerbations, increased respiratory symptoms, decreased lung function, increased medication use, and increased hospital admissions.

Asthma Severity, Atopic Status, Allergen Exposure and Quality of Life in Elderly PersonsAnn Allergy Asthma Immunol 2001 May; 86(5): 524–30A cross-sectional data analysis with 80 elderly persons with asthma recruited from medical, geriatric, and allergy/immunology tertiary care centers. Asthma severity was determined by symptoms and measurements of lung function. House dust specimens were collected from mattresses and bedroom carpets and analyzed separately for the major allergens of house dust, using monoclonal antibody-based immunoenzymetric assays.

The Relation Between Infant Indoor Environment and Subsequent AsthmaEpidemiology 2000 Mar; 11(2): 128–35Poor indoor air quality may play an important role in the development of childhood asthma.

Adverse Effects of Low-level Air Pollution on the Respiratory Health of Schoolchildren in Hong KongJ Occup Environ Med 2001 Apr; 43(4): 310–6Children of both sexes in the more polluted district had significantly poorer lung function, and the differences among girls were more marked. The study provides additional evidence for the adverse effects of long-term exposure to relatively low-level air pollution.

What Do Epidemiologic Findings Tell Us About Health Effects of Environmental Aerosols?J Aerosol Med 2000 Winter; 13(4): 335–54In the last 10 years there has been an abundance of new epidemiological studies on health effects of particulate air pollution. The overall evidence suggests that fine particulate pollution can be an important risk factor for cardiopulmonary disease. Long-term, repeated exposure to fine particulate air pollution may increase the risk of chronic respiratory disease and the risk of cardiopulmonary mortality. Short-term exposures exacerbate existing cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and increase the risk of becoming symptomatic, requiring medical attention, or even dying.

Immune Response to Allergen Exposure

Serum IgE Specific to Indoor Molds, Measured by Basophil Histamine Release, is Associated with Building-related Symptoms in Damp BuildingsInflamm Res 2001; 50 (4) Apr: 227–31To study the relationship between basophil histamine release (HRT) to indoor moulds, indicating specific IgE, and building-related symptoms (BRS), asthma, and hay fever in individuals working in damp and moldy buildings.

Allergic Sensitization and Allergen Exposure During Pregnancy Favor the Development of Atopy in the NeonateInt Arch Allergy Immunol 2001; 124 (1-3) Jan-Mar: 193–6Several studies have considered that the in utero environment plays an important role in the onset of the allergic phenotype. We assessed whether allergic sensitization and allergen exposure during pregnancy favor the postnatal onset of allergy in the neonate.

Potential Role of Environmental Factors in the Etiology and Pathogenesis of Atopy: A Working ModelEnviron Health Perspect 1999; 107 Suppl 3 Jun: 485–7Because of the known effects of the mold cell wall component (1-->3)-ss–d–glucan on monocyte cytokine secretion, exposure to molds during childhood may be a significant etiologic factor in allergic respiratory disease in general.

Prenatal Origins of Allergic Disease J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000 Feb; 105(2 Pt 2): S493–8 The prevalence of asthma and related allergic disorders has increased considerably over the last 25 years. Because genetic stock has not changed, environmental factors must have influenced the phenotype. Infants who experience the development of allergy already have an altered immune response at birth. We have investigated the development of immune responses during gestation and the effect of maternal allergen exposure during pregnancy and infant exposure in the first month of life on the development of allergy and disease.

The Relevance of Allergen Exposure to the Development of Asthma in ChildhoodEnviron Health Perspect 1999; 107 Suppl 3 Jun: 485–7Sensitization to 1 or more of the common indoor allergens has been consistently associated with asthma among children and young adults (odds ratios for asthma, 3-18). For dust mite and cockroach allergens, there is a dose response relationship between domestic exposure and sensitization. Given that allergen provocation can induce many of the features of asthma, the findings strongly suggest that there is a causal relationship between allergen exposure in the home and asthma.

Systemic Fungal Diseases

There have been a variety of reports in the popular and scientific press about illnesses associated with exposure to mold spores (conidia). These chapters, from the Merck Manual are provided as an easy-access resource for review. The General Introduction notes that "Many of the causative fungi are opportunists and are not usually pathogenic unless they enter a compromised host. Opportunistic fungal infections are particularly likely to occur in patients during therapy with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, or antimetabolites; such infections also tend to occur in patients with AIDS, azotemia, diabetes mellitus, bronchiectasis, emphysema, TB, lymphoma, leukemia, or burns." If there are terms in these articles you don't understand, you can get a definition from the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary. AspergillosisAllergic Bronchopulmonary AspergillosisBlastomycosis (North American Blastomycosis; Gilchrist's Disease)Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever; San Joaquin Fever)Cryptococcosis (Torulosis; European Blastomycosis)HistoplasmosisMucormycosis (Zygomycosis; Phycomycosis)Systemic Candidiasis (Candidosis; Moniliasis)

More to Come!

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