The
Hidden Epidemic: Chemical Sensitivity and MCS
INDOOR
AIR POLLUTION
“Globally, about 2.8 million premature deaths occur every year
due to indoor air pollution”. Domestic Environment and Health
of Women and Children by Annapurna Vancheswaran.
Close attention needs to be paid to the quality of the air indoors since we spend
most of our lives inside. Healthy indoor air is a high priority in the well
being of everyone, but especially people with CS and MCS. Unfortunately,
the average indoor air in America is more polluted than the air we breathe
outside.
Our
lungs are designed to efficiently take oxygen into the
bloodstream. Many other gasses and toxic chemicals will enter
just as easily as oxygen
and when they enter the body through the bloodstream they
cause harmful affects on tissue throughout body, not just the
lungs. Because
of this, inhalation
of polluted indoor air is often the route of exposure that
causes chemical injuries.
The
first step in cleaning up your indoor air is to identify the sources
of indoor air pollution. The next step is to remove the sources of pollution
and to scrub the air with an air cleaner. In telephone consultations,
onsite evaluations and in my e-book, Two Steps to Improve Indoor Air
Quality, I walk you through your home or workplace, room by room to assist
you to identify sources of pollution and give you ideas on non-toxic
substitutes. Listed below are some references that you can use to determine
how to improve your indoor air quality.
HEALTH
AFFECTS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION:
Some of the known affects of chemicals found in indoor air are: Death, cancer,
asthma, rashes, fatigue, headaches, migraines, gastrointestinal disorders, Parkinson’s
Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Chemical Sensitivity, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity,
Leukemia, liver disorders, kidney disorders, birth defects, irritation of the
upper and lower respiratory system, brain damage, cardiovascular disorders, blood
pressure abnormalities, irregular heart rhythms, immune system suppression, burning
of the eyes nose and throat, suppression of bone marrow production, allergies,
hay fever, chronic sore throat, persistent flu-like symptoms, pneumonia, bronchitis,
learning disabilities and other cognitive impairments.
SOURCES OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION:
Some of the known sources of indoor air pollution are: Carpets, moth balls, bleach,
paints, solvents, adhesives, sealants, particle board, press board, synthetic
fabric, plastic, vinyl, chemical-based cleaning supplies, perfume and cologne,
air fresheners, fragranced products, fabric softeners, carpet cleaners, oven
cleaners, candles (excluding beeswax with organic cotton non-metal wicks.), detergents,
hair dyes, hair spray, incense, chemical-based shampoos and hair conditioners,
chemical-based soaps, nail polish, nail polish remover, white-out correction
fluid, carbonless paper, copying machines, printers, fax machines, furniture
polish, spray-on chemical-based glass cleaner, wood burning (hobby), craft making
materials, fabric dyes, wood preservatives, pesticides, fungicides, rodenticides,
mold, dust mites, fungi, bacteria, viruses, aerosol sprays, electrical appliances,
refrigerator and window air conditioner leakage, wood burning fireplaces, gas
fireplaces, gas stoves, wood burning stoves, gas clothes dryers, gas furnaces,
coal burning furnaces, kerosene burning furnaces, and gas water heaters.
INDOOR AIR POLLUTANTS:
Some of the known pollutants found in indoor air are: Formaldehyde, benzene,
toluene, trichloroethylene, perchlorate, acetone, naphthalene, hydrogen cyanide,
hexamine, ammonia, ethanol, stearic acid, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, lead, asbestos,
mercury, cadmium, hydrochlorofluoro carbons, dioxins, chlorinated hydrocarbons,
carbon monoxide, propane, butane, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone,
sulfur oxides, radon, perchloroethylene, 2-nitropropane, acetaldehyde, acrolein,
isoprenoids, alkanes, alkenes, nickel, polonium-210, prydine, urethane, vinyl
chloride, hydrazine, dimethylnitrosomine, carboxylic acid, hydrazine, acrylamide,
alkyphenols, Bisphenol A, Orthophenylphenol, Ethylene oxide, polychlorinated
Perfluorochemicals, chlorpyrifos, methyl parathion, lindane, Phthalates Diethyl
phthalate, Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
acetone, acetylene, aerylonitryl, butanone, butyl acetate, butyl chloride, butyl
ether, butyne, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chloronitropropane, chloropicrin,
cyclohexane, cyclohexanol, dichlorodifuluromethane, dichloronitroethane, ethyl
amine, ethyl bromide, ethyl ether, ethyl formate, ethyl mercaptain, pentaone,
pentane, propyl ether, propul acetate, propionaldehyde, propionic acid, sulfur
trioxide, toludine, urea, uric acid, and valericaldehyde.