Indoor Air Quality: The Latest Sampling and Analytical Methods, Second Edition

In the new millennium, indoor air quality methodologies have expanded, evolved, and morphed. This book addresses the old and the new. The focus is shifting from a knee-jerk to a more proactive response. Although indoor air quality in older buildings will continue to present old challenges, new construction is going forward with new challenges.

Indoor Air Quality: The Latest Sampling Methods, Second Edition covers basic concepts and details various approaches to the identification and assessment of indoor air contaminants that contribute to building-related illness in commercial buildings, institutions, and residences. Included are newly added topics focusing on less common concerns in indoor air quality such as psychological and building comfort factors and approaches to assessing air movement within buildings. Expanded appendices and three new chapters provide the reader with 30 percent new material, including the most recent approaches to indoor air quality as well as more inclusive information to further address quality problems.

Coverage includes:

• New Sewage Gases and HV AC Systems, assessment guidelines, "tainted Chinese drywall," green buildings, and the LEED Rating System and ASHRAE 189.1
• A historic overview with regulatory limits and guidelines; preliminary investigation methods including means for assessing complaints; and a means for speculation, narrowing the hunt for offenders
• Sampling methodologies for volatile organic compounds; microbial volatile organic compounds; carbon dioxide; carbon monoxide; formaldehyde; and product emissions
• Sampling methodologies for animals allergens such as dust mites and forensic methods for identifying dust components

The book is a "practical guide" for developing a theory and following it through to the sampling methodologies, identification and interpretation of suspect/known air contaminants, and assessing HVAC and sewage systems.

Kathleen Hess-Kosa is the president/owner of Omega Southwest Consulting. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with a minor in microbiology and chemistry from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene from the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. In 1982, she was introduced to her first indoor air quality study and became enamored with building-related challenges. She has written numerous books upon the subject of indoor air quality.