BIOLOGICAL PARTICLES IN INDOOR ENVIRONMEN T

The most common biological particles in indoor environments are house dust and storage mites, dander from furred animals, bacteria and fungi . Mites can grow on mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture, mic ro-organisms on wet surfaces and in humidifiers. Possible health effec ts are allergic reactions like irritations of the eyes and nose, cough s, dyspnoea and asthma. Other factors such as the indoor climate, toba cco smoke, chemical pollutants and individual sensitivity can influenc e these effects. Source control is the most effective measure for avoi ding biological contaminations; most important is control of the relat ive humidity (lower than 55-60%).