Development of French Indoor Air Quality Guidelines

• Published in: Clean (Weinheim. Print) 2009-06, Vol.37 (6), p.494-499
• Main Authors: Mandin, Corinne, Bonvallot, Nathalie, Kirchner, Séverine, Keirsbulck, Marion, Alary, René, Cabanes, Pierre-André, Dor, Frédéric, Le Moullec, Yvon, Mullot, Jean-Ulrich, Peel, Anne-Elisabeth, Rousselle, Christophe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air quality guideline; Benzene; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecology, environment; Exact sciences and technology; Formaldehyde; Health; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Indoor air; Indoor pollutant; Life Sciences; Prioritization
• ISSN: 1863-0650; 1863-0669
• DOI: 10.1002/clen.200900042

Indoor air quality guidelines (IAQGs) provide safe levels of indoor pollutant concentrations below which adverse health effects are not expected to occur in the general population, including susceptible subgroups. The French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety and the French Scientific and Technical Centre for Building have been leading a national working group to develop IAQGs based on health criteria. Firstly, a list of substances of concern was established for which IAQGs should be provided, and priority substances were identified. For each substance, toxicological and epidemiological data was reported and discussed. A critical effect and, if possible, a mode of action explaining the toxicity was described. Existing health based IAQGs already established and recommended by international groups or by some countries are collected, together with available toxicity reference values from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Health Canada and the Dutch Agency for Environmental Health. After an in‐depth analysis of these values, IAQGs are proposed. The production of an IAQG for a threshold pollutant (formaldehyde) and for a non‐threshold carcinogenic compound (benzene) are presented as examples. Research Article: Indoor air quality guidelines (IAQGs) provide safe levels for indoor pollutants. For each substance of concern, toxicological and epidemiological data was reported and discussed, and existing health based guidelines were collected from agencies worldwide. After analysis of this data, IAQGs were proposed. Formaldehyde and benzene are presented as examples here.