Download Air Quality Testing Team

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
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Eyes
Ears
Norse
throat
Elements Tested
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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
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Automobile exhaust
Cigarette smoke
Kerosene heater
Furnaces
Formaldehyde
 Colorless, pungent gas used in solution
as a strong disinfectant
 Found in:
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Wood building material
Plastics
Cosmetics
Textiles carpet furniture
Pesticides
Paint glue
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
 Result of large amounts of NO2
 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
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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.
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Formaldehyde (HCHO)
 Good
 Recommended maximumstandard 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
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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, upperrespiratory
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.