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Notes: This article contains a summary discussion of human health effects linked to indoor air pollution (UP) in homes and other non-industrial environments. Rather than discussing the health effects of the many different pollutants which can be found in indoor air, the approach has been to group broad categories of adverse health effects in separate chapters, and describe the relevant indoor exposures which may give rise to these health effects.The following groups of effects have been comdered: effects on the respiratory system; allergy and other effects on the immune system; cancer and effects on reproduction: effects on the skin and mucous membranes in the eyes, nose and throat; sensory effects and other effects on the nervous system; effects on the cardiovascular system; systemic effects on the liver, kidney and gastro-intestinal system. For each of these groups, effects associated with IAP the principal agents and sources, evidence linking IAP to the effects, susceptible groups, the public health relevance, methods for assessment, and major research needs are briefly discussed.For some groups of effects, clear relationships with exposure to IAP have been reported in the world literature. Among these are respiratory disease (particularly among children), allergy (particularly to house dust mites) and mucous membrane irritation (particularly due to formaldehyde). Large numbers of people have been, and are still being affected.Many chemicals encountered in indoor air are known or suspected to cause sensory irritation or stimulation. These, in turn, may give rise to a sense of discomfort and other symptums cummonly reported in so-called “sick” buildings. Camplex mixtures of organic chemicals in indoor air also have the potential to invoke subtle effects on the central and peripheral nervous system, leading to changes in behaviour and performance.An increased risk of developing lung cancer has been linked to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and to radon decay products. Lung cancer is a very serious disease with a high fatality rate; however, the number of people affected is much lower than the number of people contracting resparatory disease or alhgies, or experiencing irritative effects due to exposure to indoor pollution.The effects of IAP on reproduction, cardiovascular disease and on other systems and organs have not been well documented to date. To a certain extent, this may mean that no serious effects occur, but there has been little by way of research to clearly document the absence of these tvpes of effects.

Notes: Abstract Acephate is a water-soluble organophosphate insecticide whose action on insects has been related to its conversion to methamidophos, a very potent anticholinesterase agent which has caused delayed neuropathy in man. Inhalation and skin exposure to acephate was evaluated in four workers engaged in 8-day campaigns with the formulation of the 97%-pure technical product. Before, during, and after exposure, the workers were monitored for the urine content of acephate and methamidophos, and for erythrocyte (AChE) and plasma (PChE) cholinesterase levels. Median air concentrations (8-hr TWA) ranged from 0.278 to 2.170 mg/m3; median total-body skin deposition ranged from 26.1 to 41.9 mg/day. Based on these values, daily workers' absorption of acephate was estimated to be in the order of 10–20 mg. Urinary excretion of unchanged acephate followed a pattern consistent with exposure, showing peak values of excretion during the workshift or in the eight hr after the end of the workshift. The urine levels of unchanged acephate were found to vary from 1 to 10 mg/L. Methamidophos was not detected in any urine sample (detection limit: 30 u.g/L). High correlation (r=0.78) was found between skin exposure level and urine acephate elimination. No changes in AChE or PChE were observed for the workers whose urinary concentrations of acephate were 1 or 2 mg/L. One subject who had urinary acephate excretion between 3 and 8 mg/L, showed slightly decreased values of PChE during exposure and of AChE after exposure.