INDOOR POLLUTION

The population spends most of its time in closed environments. Studies, made in industrial countries such as the USA, have shown that the population spends its time (up to 90%)(U.S.EPA, 1989) in closed environments such as apartments, public and private buildings and public transport.

In Italy, a research made in 1998 on the population of Milan showed, that who works in an office spends 59% of his time at home, 35% in the office and 6% on the road between his home and workplace. (Carreret al.,2000)

Children, elderly and ill people spend even more time at home. Another study (Simoni et al., 1998) showed that people spend 84% of their day in closed environments (of which 64% at home), 3,6% moving and only 12% outside.

The chemical pollutants contain various natural and artificial substances that are present in the air in liquid, solid or gas form, such as emission gases (NOx, SOx and CO2), ozone, benzene and aerosol particles, making air quality worse.

The major chemical pollutants of the closed environments are the volatile organic compounds (VOC), formaldehyde, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, substances of the tobacco smoke, asbestos, pesticide and emission gases.

CHEMICAL AGENTS

The major chemical pollutants are the following:

• carbon monoxide (CO)
• nitrogene dioxide (NO2)
• sulphur dioxide (SO2)
• volatile organic compounds (VOC)
• formaldehyde (CH2O)
• benzene(C6H6)
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (IPA)
• ozone (O3)
• particulate matter (PM10, PM 2.5)
• substances from the smoke of tobacco
• pesticide
• asbestos

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

Biological pollutants are various substances that have negative effect on the indoor and outdoor air quality.

Most of the microbiological pollutants are originated from people, animals and plants, from the dust (perfect breeding-ground for germs), from the structure and services of the buildings. Humidifiers and air conditioning can be added, as the humidity and the lack of maintenance help the multiplication of the biological pollutant, which will be diffused in the various environments.

The most common indoor biological pollutants are:

• All the bacteria that people and animals transfer, and for which breeding the temperature and the humidity help.
• All the viruses spread by sick people and animals.
• Pollens, transferred from outdoors.
• Fungus and mould, that tend to appear in humid and closed spaces.
• Mites, which are the main cause of allergy and asthma, through their excrement produce allergens that can be inhaled easily.
• The allergens of domestic animals that once are dehydrated and fragmented remain in the air. Animals with fur are the major source of them (cats, dogs, rodents), but also birds, roaches and insects.

Airlite is able to clean the air from the pollutants, transforming the walls to air-purifiers that use only the energy of light. Thanks to its patented active property, Airlite works similar to the photosynthesis of plants, generating an oxidizing reaction that captures and destroys air pollutants. It is 100% natural and multifunctional. Laboratory tests have shown that Airlite eliminates 99.9% of moulds and bacteria and permanently prevents their development. It eliminates all kind of bacteria even the ones that are resistant to antibiotics, such as Staphylococcus Aureus, or the ones that are hazardous to human health like Escherichia Coli, which is responsible for food poisoning, meningitis, peritonitis and blood poisoning and the Klebisella Pneumoniae, which is responsible for the dangerous pneumonia.