Indoor Air Pollutants

Pollutant

Major Indoor Sources

Potential Health Effects*

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes

Respiratory irritation, bronchitis and pneumonia in children, emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease

Carbon Monoxide

Unvented or malfunctioning
gas appliances, wood stoves, and tobacco smoke

Headache; nausea; angina; impaired vision and mental functioning; fatal at high concentrations

Nitrogen Oxides

Unvented or malfunctioning
gas appliances

Eye, nose, and throat irritation; increased respiratory infections in children

Organic Chemicals

Aerosol sprays, solvents, glues, cleaning agents, pesticides, paints, moth repellents, air fresheners, dry-cleaned clothing, and treated water

Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; damage to liver, kidney and brain; various types of cancer

Formaldehyde

Pressed wood products such as plywood and particleboard; furnishings; wallpaper; durable press fabrics

Eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; allergic reactions; cancer

Particles You Breathe In

Cigarettes, wood stoves, fireplaces, aerosol sprays, and house dust

Eye, nose and throat irritation; increased susceptibility to respiratory infections and bronchitis; lung cancer

Biological Agents (Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Animal Dander, Mites)

House dust; pets; bedding; poorly maintained air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers; wet or moist structures; furnishings

Allergic reactions; asthma; eye, nose, and throat irritation; humidifier fever, influenza, and other infectious diseases

Asbestos

Damaged or deteriorating insulation, fireproofing, and acoustical materials

Asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other cancers

Lead

Sanding or open-flame burning of lead paint; house dust

Nerve and brain damage, particularly in children; anemia; kidney damage; growth retardation

Radon

Soil under buildings, some earth-derived construction materials, and groundwater

Lung cancer

* Depends on factors such as the amount of pollutant inhaled, the duration of exposure and susceptibility of the individual exposed.