What are common indoor air pollutants?
Radon, environmental tobacco smoke, biologicals, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, organic gases, respirable particles, pesticides, formaldehyde, and asbestos. • RADON Sources: Earth and rock beneath home; well water; building materials. Levels in Homes: Based on a national residential radon survey completed in 1991, the average indoor radon level is 1.3 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The average outdoor level is about 0.4 pCi/L. • CARBON MONOXIDE Sources: Invented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water, heaters, woodstoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves, automobile exhaust form attached garages, and environmental tobacco smoke. Levels in Homes: Average levels in homes without gas stoves vary form 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher. • ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE Sources: Cigarette, pipe, and cigar smoke L
