Indoor- and outdoor-derived contaminants in urban and rural homes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Indoor and outdoor air contaminants have largely been treated separately in studies of their respective effects on respiratory and nonrespiratory health. In this paper, we report the results of a comprehensive study of key contaminants in 10 urban and 10 rural homes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The analyses included house dust mite and cat allergens along with the fungal inflammatory polysaccharide beta1,3-D-glucan in settled dust and fine particulate matter, coarse particulate matter, ergosterol, glucan, and endotoxin from air samples. In addition, black carbon was continuously measured for 7 days. A detailed physical assessment of the house and patterns of use were undertaken, including a careful inspection for mold and water damage, as well as measurements of air leakage. The performance of the houses and the range and distribution of the contaminants measured were largely similar to that of previous Canadian studies. For certain combinations, it is thought that the presence of both allergen and inflammatory materials increases asthma symptoms. House-by-house comparisons of airborne concentrations of inflammatory compounds measured (endotoxin, fine particulate matter, and fungal glucan) with dust mite allergens indicated that certain houses had relatively higher amounts of both kinds of materials.
Miller
J David
JD
Air Health Effects Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. david_miller@carleton.ca
Dugandzic
Rose
R
Frescura
Anna-Maria
AM
Salares
Virginia
V
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000032:analysis; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000032:analysis; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D010316:Particle Size; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000032:analysis
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D004391:Dust; D004731:Endotoxins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D047071:beta-Glucans; D002244:Carbon; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C451159:Dermatophagoides farinae antigen f 1; C451162:Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus antigen p 1; C059296:Fel d 1 protein, Felis domesticus; D004875:Ergosterol