Inquiries Received by the California Indoor Air Quality Program on Biological Contaminants in Buildings

Abstract

Nonindustrial indoor environments, such as homes, offices, schools, and other commercial and public buildings are now recognized as important environments for exposure to air pollutants. Many urban residents spend 80–90% of their time indoors, especially the elderly, the infirm, and infants, who are indoors almost all the time. It has been found that the concentrations of many pollutants are higher indoors than outdoors. In addition, exposures to most human pathogenic microorganisms occur predominantly indoors, and the concentrations of many aeroallergens are higher inside buildings than outdoors. In order to develop a coordinated state effort to determine the extent and nature of the indoor air quality (lAQ) problem in California, the State Legislature passed a bill in 1982 to form an lAQ program within the Department of Health Services.