Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3. The aldehydes, formaldehyde and acrolein, are potent mucous membrane
irritants. Why?
4. In what environments are glutaraldehyde exposures a potential health
concern?
5. What are the primary health concerns associated with indoor formaldehyde
exposures?
6. Describe how temperature, humidity, and outdoor temperature affect indoor
formaldehyde concentrations.
7. When multiple formaldehyde sources are present, air concentrations are not
equal to the sum of each source's emission potential. Why?
8. What is the significance of ozone and aldehydes in indoor chemistry?
9. How may indoor chemical reactions result in building-related health com-
plaints? Describe specific concerns.
10. What is the common chemical sense? How may it be related to SBS-type
symptoms?
11. Use of the TVOC theory in diagnosing problem buildings should be limited.
Why?
12. What is the significance of sink effects in exposures to VOCs and SVOCs?
13. What common indoor VOC/SVOC contaminants have a potential for causing
cancer in humans and pets?
14. Pesticides used outdoors are commonly found indoors. Why is this the case?
15. What biocides/pesticides are present in your home?
16. Why would you expect air concentrations of SVOCs to be low relative to
concentrations of VOCs commonly observed indoors?
17. How can you be exposed to airborne mercury in your home?
18. Describe three ways that occupants of residential environments are exposed
to pesticides indoors.
19. Though pentachlorophenol was commonly used as an exterior wood preser-
vative, it was present in the blood of a large percentage of Americans in the
late 1970s. How is it possible that so many Americans were exposed?
20. Describe the potential health significance of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesti-
cides and exposures that occur indoors.
21. What are the sources and potential significance of polyvalent alcohols and
their derivatives in indoor air?
22. Describe potential pathways for pesticide exposures to young children in
residences?
23. What health concerns are potentially associated with low-level exposures to
plasticizer chemicals?
24. Describe factors that contribute to elevated pesticide residues in residential
floor dust.
25. What factors account for elevated levels of cyclodiene pesticides in indoor air
and floor dust?
26. Describe childhood cancer concerns that may be associated with residential
pesticide use/exposure.
27. Describe the potential significance of the “toxics brought home” phenomenon.
28. What are the immunologic concerns associated with exposures to pesticides
such as chlorpyrifos, chlordane/heptaclor, and other pesticide chemicals
indoors?
