Effects of Indoor Air Quality on Human Health

Dear Colleagues,

Indoor air pollution is considered as a noteworthy health risk factor for humans, leading to millions of premature deaths globally each year. The association between indoor air quality (IAQ) and human health has always been one of the most crucial and hot research topics. Broadly speaking, IAQ refers to the quality of the air in a home, office, school, transport vehicle, aircraft or other built environments, where people spend approximately 90% of their time. Vulnerable populations (e.g., infants, the elderly, and patients) tend to spend even more time indoors. Meanwhile, indoor air pollutant concentrations have increased in recent decades due to inadequate fresh air ventilation and increased use of synthetic building materials, paint, furnishings, pesticides, and daily chemical products. Adverse health effects associated with the exposure to indoor air pollutants can be categorized into sick building syndrome (irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, etc.), building relative illness (respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, etc.) and multiple chemical sensitivity. Indoor environments are also major venues for the airborne transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been demonstrated to be related to a loss of productivity, worse cognitive performance, increased absenteeism and lower satisfaction.

While adverse effects of indoor air pollution have been widely documented, the scientific understanding of IAQ issues needs to evolve. The complex interplay between exposure to multiple indoor air attributes and human response still merits further exploration. The understanding of both the epidemiology and the toxicity mechanism is not clear enough to understand the role of IAQ factors on specific health outcomes, e.g., inflammation, respiratory and cardiac diseases, severe cognitive deficit, cancer, and DNA changes. Notably, scientifically sound metrics are still lacking to quantitatively measure IAQ’s effects on human health and work performance.

In recognition of the above research needs, this Special Issue is being organized to share the advanced and multidisciplinary research efforts exploring the relationship between indoor air quality and human health, comfort and cognitive function. Original or reviewed results from field or controlled measurements, subjective surveys, epidemiological models, and numerical simulations are all welcome contributions. Authors are encouraged to provide scientific evidence or practical suggestions to guide the development of new policies and standards for creating healthier and more productive indoor environments.

Dr. Xiaodong Cao
Guest Editor

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