Indoor Air Pollution: A Health Perspective

During the last two decades, outdoor air pollution has decreased in the United States and in many other industrial nations. But many hazardous pollutants have been found in offices, cars, homes, and hospitals. Outbreaks of illness related to the noninjdustrial work environment have been reported with increasing frequency. And "sick-building," or "tight-building," syndrome has been recognized as a new and serious threat to public health.

Indoor Air Pollution: A Health Perspective outlines current research on the subject and examines effotrs to regulate the quality of indoor air. Contributors—including epidemiologists, clinicians, risk assessorsm experts in air monitoring, microbiologies, and engineers—discuss methodologies used in measuring exposures to pollution, strategies for imporving indoor air quality, and other issues. They also assess the health effects of specific pollutants: tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, wood smoke, nitrogen dioxide, biological agents, formaldehyde, and radon.

Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., is professor of medicine at the University of New Mexico.

John D. Spengler, Ph.D., M.S., is professor of environmental health at the Harvard University School ofPublic Health.