The sick building syndrome (SEE) refers to a set of symptoms that a considerable percentage of people who live or work inside buildings can present. In 1982, the World Health Organization recognized the SEE as an important impact on people's health.
This syndrome occurs when there is a high concentration of pollutants, such as chemical compounds, particulate matter and microorganisms, due to accumulation and defective ventilation, without total evacuation and renewal of the internal volume of air in the interior spaces of buildings..
The sick building syndrome is a multifactorial problem, since it is affected by: the architectural design, ventilation, engineering related to the type of construction materials and facilities, the maintenance and habits of the occupants of the interior space considered..
Among the habits that generate this syndrome are: inefficient ventilation, use of fossil fuel stoves, heating and water heaters, use of insecticides, cleaning substances aggressive to health, accumulation of dust, composite wood furniture, the smoking habit of the occupants, among others.
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The occupants of a sick building, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), present some or more of the following symptoms:
Eye symptoms
As can be seen, it is a varied and complex symptomatology, as it comes from different effects acting simultaneously on the body..
In the interior environments of a sick building, pollutants from the outside air are concentrated. Additionally, other pollutants can be generated within the building. For this reason, poor ventilation favors the problem of sick building syndrome.
The causes that generate sick building syndrome can be grouped into:
Chemical contaminants include:
In indoor environments the concentration of carbon monoxide (odorless and colorless gas) can increase due to the incomplete burning of domestic gas, coal, firewood, kerosene or other carbonated fuel in kitchens, indoor heating and water heaters..
Another cause of increased CO concentration in indoor environments is the habit of “heating up” car engines in garages and adjacent parking lots, by igniting for prolonged and unnecessary times..
When carbon monoxide is inhaled through the air we breathe, it passes into the blood where it forms a complex with hemoglobin called carboxyhemoglobin, which is not capable of transporting oxygen to cells..
Exposure to high concentrations of CO causes headaches, fatigue, unconsciousness, and can lead to death. The risk for smokers is much higher since, when they inhale greater amounts of CO during tobacco consumption, they have 3% of their hemoglobin inactive, forming carboxyhemoglobin.
Formaldehyde (HtwoC = O) is a gas of organic origin and one of the most important pollutants in interior spaces. In the outdoor air it appears in minimal concentrations (trace), since it is a stable intermediate in the oxidation of methane (CH4) and volatile organic compounds.
In interior spaces of buildings, formaldehyde concentrations can be considerable due to emissions from cigarette smoke and industrial materials that contain formaldehyde resins..
These resins are used as an adherent in composite woods, cardboard-wood agglomerates, polyurethane insulating foams, upholstery and carpets..
The formaldehyde used in the production of these objects is released for years in the form of free gas, causing eye, nasal, throat and dermatological irritation, difficulty in breathing, an increase in respiratory diseases, allergies and asthma, even cancer.
This group of compounds includes gasoline, kerosene, cleaning solutions, paint solvents, among others, which evaporate easily and are toxic. This group includes insecticides against mosquitoes and crawling insects, which are used in the form of aerosols..
Several research works report a decrease in memory capacity, manual dexterity, color discrimination and visual acuity in factory workers with high levels of VOC concentrations..
Household cleaner vapors contain chlorine, sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide, substances that are highly corrosive and irritating to the respiratory tract..
Nitrogen dioxide concentrations (NOtwo) in indoor environments that have kitchens or stoves, water heaters and heating that work with carbonated fuels, they are usually larger than those outside. The high temperatures of the flame favor the oxidation of nitrogen from the air to NOtwo.
He does nottwo It is a water-soluble oxidant and is a chemical precursor to nitric acid, making it an irritant to the human respiratory system. It has been observed that high levels of this gas can affect some sensory processes such as sensitivity to lighting and adaptation to light..
Secondhand smoke (HAT) contains thousands of chemical compounds, many of them carcinogenic. Its components include: nicotine, tar, benzene, benzopyrene, toluene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium, among others..
Suspended particles are a mixture of different solid particles and aerosols suspended in the air. They can be seen as smoke (soot), dust or mist, and are capable of adhering to its surface or dissolving some or all of the other pollutants.
Particles with a diameter less than 10 μm, called PM10, have the greatest impact on human health, since they can be inhaled.
Radon is the heaviest noble gas; under ambient conditions it is a chemically inert monatomic gas. Radon decays in radioactive sequence to polonium, lead, and bismuth. Polonium (218Po and 214Po) emits radioactive, high-energy α particles that cause cell damage and lung cancer.
The majority source of radon in interior spaces comes from the filtration from the first meter of depth of the soil penetrated by the foundations of the constructions; enters buildings through concrete foundation cracks in basements.
The word asbestos designates six natural silicates with a fibrous structure. Asbestos is used as a thermal insulator, as an aerosol in fire retardant material in buildings and fabrics, an additive to increase the strength of cement in roofs, as a coating for automobile brakes, and in pipes.
The use of asbestos has been reduced as it has been found to be carcinogenic to humans. Thin asbestos fibers easily penetrate lung tissues and cause a special type of lung cancer, after years of exposure.
The air in the interior spaces of buildings has been reported to contain microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and mites.
The most common bacteria in indoor environments are those belonging to the genera Staphylococcus, Micrococus, and Bacillus. Among the most common fungal species are those of the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus and Cladosporium..
On the other hand, mites are tiny arachnids (size between 0.1 to 0.5 mm) of house dust, which feed on human skin scales (dermatophages).
Ventilation, interior temperature, degree of humidity, lighting and noise are important physical factors to consider when diagnosing a sick building..
Mixtures of all the aforementioned pollutants, in addition to the existence of adverse physical factors, may have additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects on human health..
Among the possible recommendations to solve the sick building syndrome, we can mention the following:
-Execute architectural designs with optimization of ventilation and minimum air supply between 10 to 20 L / s. per person. In places where the above has not been done, mechanical ventilation is recommended to reinforce natural ventilation, as well as cleaning and maintenance of ventilation equipment, avoiding air recirculation..
-In health care centers and hospitals, the use of HEPA filters is recommended. High Efficiency Particulate Air filters) and laminar air flow.
-Comply with the WHO recommendations to maintain air quality, which establish limit values of concentrations for 28 organic and inorganic chemical compounds.
-Use activated carbon filters, a highly absorptive material, which retains many VOC pollutants on its large active surface..
-Use carbon monoxide detectors, which are inexpensive and easy to install, and comply with environmental regulations of no smoking indoors.
-Use non-polluting building materials and eliminate the use of asbestos, as well as avoid using furniture, insulating foams or upholstery that contain formaldehyde.
-Restrict the use of hazardous household cleaners. In some countries the use of sodium hypochlorite is only allowed in hospitals as a disinfectant.
-Frequently clean indoor environments to remove particles from surfaces and floors, together with the use of natural insecticides, such as extracts of some plants (basil, mint).
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