Final answer:
Indoor air pollutants include a variety of substances such as combustion byproducts, building materials, household chemicals, biological contaminants, and chemicals like radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can originate from both indoor activities and outdoor sources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indoor air pollutants can significantly affect health and are sourced from various activities and materials inside buildings. Some common pollutants that degrade indoor air quality include:
- Combustion pollutants from oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products
- Building materials and furnishings, such as asbestos-containing insulation, damp carpet, and pressed wood products
- Household cleaning and maintenance products
- Personal care items or hobby-associated chemicals
- Central heating and cooling systems, along with humidification devices
- Biological contaminants like mold, pollen, and pet dander
- Chemical pollutants such as radon, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Exterior sources like pesticides and outdoor air pollution infiltrating the indoors
Particularly, radon, a radioactive gas from the decay of uranium in the soil, can seep into buildings posing a serious cancer risk. Moreover, contaminants like soot and carbon monoxide are significant indoor pollutants in less industrialized nations due to commonly used fuel sources like wood and crop waste for cooking and heating with inadequate ventilation. In contrast, industrialized nations face prominent indoor pollution from cigarette smoke and radon.