What Is Indoor Air Pollution?

Indoor air pollution can be broken down into three major categories:

Particulates - Particles or particulate matter are the general terms used for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air.  Over 99% of particulate matter is invisible to the naked eye and measures less than 1 micron.  For airborne pollutants, the greatest concern is with particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns because these can easily infiltrate the lungs.  On average, every cubic foot of untreated indoor air contains 20 million particles.

Microbes - The general category of microbes relates to three major types of organisms: bacteria, protozoa, and fungi/mold.  Sizes of these range from .001 to 10 microns.  Most of these contaminants rely on a humid and moist environment for their growth & survival.  Some molds can produce certain chemicals, such as mycotoxins and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

Gases & Odors - Indoor gases, such as benzene, formaldehyde, chloroform, and hydrogen sulfide, are released from furniture, cabinets, carpets, cleaning chemicals, copy machines, insulation, pesticides, and hair sprays.  Gases, ranging in size from .0001 to .001 microns, include VOCs - chemicals containing carbon that evaporate into the air easily, making them easier to breathe in.  Odors are typically made up of VOCs or other gases.

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