AERMEC RePuro 100, Technical Manual

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IREPPY - 1404 - 4238051_01
Pollutant Production in external/internal air Correlated symptoms
Benzene
Produced from external traffic or from proximity to pet -
rol stations, chemical industries, and steelworks. With
garages joined to dwellings it can move towards internal
rooms. It can be released from cooking and heating sys -
tems.
Elevated concentrations can cause death in a matter
of hours. Exposure by continuous inhalation at lower
levels mainly affects the blood producing illnesses of
anaemia, lymphopenia and leukemia.
Carbon Monoxide
(CO)
Is found in external air and is produced by the bad
combustion of endothermic engines. In internal
spaces it can be caused by an incorrect installation,
a defect, or poor maintenance of cooking systems or
heating systems burning fossil fuels.
High concentrations (>80%) cause death by cardiac
arrest. Exposure by continuous inhalation at lower
levels can cause memory loss, psycho-emotive al -
terations, asthma, and heart failure.
Formaldehyde
Mainly produced within internal environments. It is
generated by tobacco smoke, heating systems, burn -
ing candles or incense. It is also produced by construc-
tion materials (resins applied on wooden furniture and
insulating materials) and is frequently used in cleaning
products (it is a strong bactericide).
Provokes irritations of the upper respiratory system.
In more serious forms it causes carcinomas.
Nitrogen dioxide
(NO
2
)
Derives from combustion processes (the main pro -
ducer is vehicular traffic). Within internal environ -
ments this substance is produced from tobacco
smoke and combustion (from any combustible);
combustion being the worst and major producer of
this gas.
Can cause eczema, throat and ear infections and
leads to increased allergen sensitivity in children.
In adults it can contribute to the increase of respira-
tory symptoms (such as asthma).
Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbon (PAH)
Produced from combustion at high temperature.
Comes from vehicular traffic in the external air. Inter -
nally it is produced from cigarette smoke, fire places,
cooking systems, smoke from candles and incense.
Is a carcinogenic substance.
Radon
Is naturally produced from the radioactivity of certain
rocks. There can be traces in some construction mate -
rials and in the water.
Is a carcinogenic substance (lung cancer).
Trichloroethylene
Is produced in industrial environments (cooling sys-
tems), dry cleaners, print works (printing ink), paints,
textile printing. In internal environments it comes
from printers, fax and photocopy machines, as well
as cleaning products and furniture paint.
Is a carcinogenic substance (liver and lung tumours);
other symptoms involve deformity of the eyes and
heart.
Tetrachloroethylene
Is a solvent agent used in industrial applications
(steelworks, textile industries, inks and cleaning
products). In internal environments it can be pro-
duced from adhesives, perfumes, stain removers,
fabric finish, water repellents, wood detergents and
detergents for vehicles.
In various concentrations attack eyes, kidneys, liver,
lungs and mucous membranes of the skin, causing
renal, liver and reproductive systems failure. A cor -
relation has also been shown with oesophageal and
cervical cancer.
4. INTRODUCTION TO RESIDENTIAL VENTILATION AND THE AERMEC RePuro TECHNICAL SOLUTION
4.1. INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ)
In terms of preventing health risks deriv-
ing from ambient factors it is only in recent
years that more attention has been paid to
internal air pollution; the quality of the en-
vironments in dwellings or schools, techni-
cally defined as indoor.
When we think about the air that we
breathe in a residence in a traditional ur-
ban centre, compared to that outdoors,
we conclude that the outdoor air quality
is worse.
This is not always the case and the oppo-
site could be true.
On average the internal air of a domestic
environment is more polluted than that
outdoors.
Due to infiltration caused by the opening
of doors and windows the air breathed in-
doors is the same as outdoors.
In practice the result becomes:
air in house
=
external air + internal pollutants
Recently constructed dwellings are de-
signed to minimise the infiltration of air,
and as a consequence the pollutants pro-
duced internally remain there.
Internal and external pollutants are of this
nature:
- chemical
- biological
- physical
The following table shows the main pollut-
ants, where they come from and what ef-
fects they provoke or cause (source: World
Health Organization – (WHO) GUIDELINES
FOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY – 2010).