AQS Indoor Air Quality Flashcards

Which indoor air pollutant is classified as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States?

Answer: Radon

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that seeps from soil and rock, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US after cigarette smoking.

The EPA's action level for radon in indoor air is:

Answer: 4 pCi/L

The EPA recommends mitigating radon when indoor concentrations reach or exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air.

What is the primary health concern associated with indoor carbon monoxide (CO) exposure?

Answer: Carboxyhemoglobin formation preventing oxygen transport

CO binds to hemoglobin with ~250x greater affinity than oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin and reducing blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, causing hypoxia and potentially death.

ASHRAE Standard 62.1 primarily governs:

Answer: Ventilation rates for acceptable indoor air quality in commercial buildings

ASHRAE 62.1 specifies minimum ventilation rates and indoor air quality requirements for commercial, institutional, and high-rise residential buildings.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) differs from Building-Related Illness (BRI) in that:

Answer: SBS symptoms cannot be attributed to a specific identifiable cause, while BRI has a diagnosable cause

SBS describes nonspecific symptoms (headache, irritation) that improve upon leaving the building without an identifiable cause, whereas BRI involves clinically diagnosed illness linked to a specific indoor exposure.

Which chemical is commonly off-gassed by new furniture, carpets, and pressed-wood products and classified as a probable human carcinogen?

Answer: Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is released from urea-formaldehyde resins in pressed wood, adhesives, and textiles; IARC classifies it as a Group 1 human carcinogen.