Sources, Impacts, and Control of Indoor and Noise Pollution

Introduction

Noise pollution and indoor air pollution can come from a variety of sources and can affect people in a variety of ways. The purpose of this paper is to examine the sources, impacts, and control of indoor and noise pollution using a literature review methodology. As Salwen (1996) explains, "A literature review often becomes a study in itself... A literature review can organize studies alongside one another and explore differences among them. This becomes more possible as the literature review proceeds and focuses on details of those findings most relevant to your theorizing" (pp. 28–29). Therefore, this approach seemed most appropriate given the nature of the study.

Indoor Air Pollution: Sources and Health Effects

A significant amount of attention has recently been paid to indoor air quality in working environments — particularly office buildings. Poor air quality inside an office building can increase employee absenteeism both because of recurring illness and the desire to avoid an unpleasant working environment.

Most office buildings today use modern air conditioning systems to keep employees comfortable. However, in order to save money and energy, these systems tend to recirculate the air, which can cause certain harmful substances to become concentrated indoors. This, in turn, can cause illnesses such as headaches, coughing, and nausea, and in extreme cases can even lead to death (Pope et al., 1995).

All buildings enclose only a limited volume of air. Without sufficient ventilation, the quality of that air is likely to decline. Air quality can be worsened by two different classes of contaminants: organic and inorganic. Inorganic contaminants include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and ozone, for example. Organic contaminants include hydrocarbons like formaldehyde as well as living organisms such as fungi, bacteria, and dust mites (Daisey, Angell & Apte, 2003).

There are many different sources of indoor air pollution. Many pollutants enter buildings from the outside, especially in industrial and urban areas. Pollutants from cars, factories, and other contributors to outdoor pollution can all find their way inside a building and become recirculated. The building itself can also be a source of pollution through mold, fungi, asbestos, or other harmful materials. Objects inside the building — office machines, appliances, and cleaning chemicals — are just a few items that can degrade indoor air quality. Furthermore, according to Blondeau et al. (2003), "Recent studies have shown that surface and gaseous contaminant interactions may play an important role in indoor air quality. Modeling is an important tool to improve our knowledge about the phenomena involved and define appropriate ventilation strategies. However, data for sorption isotherms and diffusion in building materials remain woefully lacking" (p. 310). Finally, people themselves can be sources of pollution — either through the substances they emit naturally, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and skin cells, or through unnatural means such as tobacco smoke.

Indoor pollution is not limited to office buildings; it occurs inside any type of structure, including the home. Children are especially vulnerable to indoor air pollution. According to Palfrey (1994), "The agents placing children at risk are tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide (generally from gas stoves and ovens), carbon monoxide (from gas stoves and automobiles), wood smoke, biologic agents (including bacteria, viruses, fungal spores, algae, amoebae, animal dander, and arthropod droppings and fragments), formaldehyde (from insulation materials as well as many common household products and tobacco smoke), and radon (a uranium by-product found particularly in homes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York)" (p. 26). These are essentially the same pollutants that pose risks to adults; however, children are likely to suffer more serious health consequences because of their limited immunity and incomplete physiological development.

Controlling Indoor Air Pollution

There are several options for controlling indoor air pollution. The most important is ensuring proper ventilation (Daisey, Angell & Apte, 2003). Without adequate ventilation, contaminants will continue to accumulate and cause numerous health problems. It is also important to take active steps to prevent people from willingly contaminating the air — for example, requiring smokers to go outside rather than smoke indoors, where their habit affects everyone else. Most states no longer permit indoor smoking for precisely this reason. Finally, purchasing environmentally friendly, chemical-free products that do not harm air quality is an essential measure for controlling indoor pollution.