Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-2008

School/College

College of Science, Engineering, and Technology (COSET)

Degree Name

MS in Environmental Toxicology

First Advisor

M. Saleh, PhD

Abstract

Asthma and allergies are considered by many doctors as being triggered by different substances in the air that we breathe. The lung is the most common site of injury by airborne pollutants. Acute effects, however, may also include non-respiratory signs and symptoms, which may depend upon toxicological characteristics of the substances and host-related factors. The studying of indoor air quality can provide us with a method for appropriate remedial action. Research suggests that settled house dust (SHD) may be a significant source for indoor exposure to different substances. The first step in this study was to obtain dust samples from homes were the residents had problems with asthma, allergies or any other respiratory condition. Dust samples were collected from residents with a history of asthma and allergies. There were also samples taken from residents with no history of asthma or allergies or other respiratory ailments. The Dust samples were collected from August 2006 thru March 2007 and analyzed using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy. 2 The purpose of this experiment is to show that the sampling of household dust is a very powerful tool in identifying chemicals that can contribute to poor indoor air quality.

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