Air Quality Testing By: The Mean Green Team

Indoor Air Quality  A new science to measure pollutants  Houses  Schools  Buildings  Symptoms for poor air quality  Headaches  Fatigue  Irritation  Eyes  Ears  Norse  throat

Elements Tested  Carbon Dioxide (CO2)  Carbon Monoxide (CO)  Formaldehyde (HCHO)  Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)  Bacteria  Fungus

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)  Colorless odorless gas  Generated through:  Respiration  Cooking Heating Systems  Wood Stoves

Carbon Monoxide (CO)  Colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion of any carbon based material  Common Source of CO  Automobile exhaust  Cigarette smoke  Kerosene heater  Furnaces

Formaldehyde  Colorless, pungent gas used in solution as a strong disinfectant  Found in:  Wood building material  Plastics  Cosmetics  Textiles carpet furniture  Pesticides  Paint glue

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 )  Result of large amounts of NO 2  Irritation  Throat  Nasal passages  Upper respiratory tract  Exposure for 30 min. or more can be fatal to the human boby

Mold, Yeast and Bacteria  Mold-Downy or fury growth on the surface of organic matter  Yeast-A cluster of minute, fermenting fungi that produces fungi  Allergic reaction  Runny nose  Sore throat  Watery eyes  Sneezing  Coughing  Upper respiratory discomfort

Fungus  Yeast, Mold, and mushrooms are a type of fungi.  Over 90% of plants species engage in some relationship with fungi in order to survive.  1.5 million species of fungi  70 thousand species have yet to be described

Asbestos  Asbestos:  Can cause lung diseases such as Mesothelioma  Does not dissolve in Water or Evaporation  Does not have any odor or taste (Asbestos is the name given to a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers)

Lead in Paint & Dust  Lead Paint & Lead-Contaminated Dust  Paint containing lead, a heavy metal  Before 1978, lead was added to paint as pigment and to speed paint drying  Lead in paint is very harmful to children under the age of 7  Lead Dust are to small to see but are very harmful  Lead can cause permanent brain and nerve damage and result in learning difficulties.

Air Quality Testing in CALS Early College High School (Positive results)  Carbon Monoxide (CO)  Good  Typical CO concentration indoors.  Formaldehyde (HCHO)  Good  Recommended maximum- standard by American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, & AC Engineers  Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)  Good  Allowable limit-standard by the Association of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning  Lead in Paint and Dust  BDL indicates level is below detection limit  Asbestos  None Detected

Poor Results  Carbon Dioxide (CO2)  Poor  1%-5% per hour or 1000 fo 5000 ppm can or will cause headaches, fatigue, eye throat and nose irritation after long exposure.  Bacteria  Very Poor  Fungus  Very Poor  Standards Below by INX Laboratories-Can trigger allergic reactions and cause new allergic reactions, upper- respiratory

Conclusion on Air Quality  CALS ECHS has moderate indoor air quality. The data indicates that everything is of "good" air quality besides CO2, mold, and bacteria. This combination can possibly cause headaches, fatigue, irritation of eyes and noses, allergic reactions, dizziness, sneezing, watery eyes, discomfort, and digestive problems for students. It is likely that this has effected student performance, particularly those who are sensitive to compromised indoor air quality (IAQ).

Suggestions for Air Quality  Suggestions: Install and use fans vented to the outdoors, keep air conditioning ducts clean, change air filters more frequently and buy plants that can tolerate low light and little air circulation. If problem persists hire engineers trained in IAQ.