INDOOR AIR-POLLUTION IN SOUTH EAST SANTIA GO

Background: Indoor air pollution could play an important role in the s usceptibility to respiratory diseases of vulnerable individuals, such as elders and infants. Aim: To evaluate indoor air pollution in a low income population of South East Santiago. Subjects and methods: A domi ciliary survey of contaminant sources was carried out in the houses of a cohort of 522 children less than one year old. Using a case-control design, 121 children consulting for respiratory diseases were conside red as cases and 131 healthy infants of the same age and sex were cons idered as controls. In the houses of both groups, active monitors for particulate matter (PM10) and passive monitors for NO2 were installed. Results: Forty two percent of fathers and 30% of mothers were smokers , and in two thirds of the families there was at least one smoker. Eig hty five percent used portable heaters in winter. Of these, 77% used k erosene as fuel. Only 27% had water heating appliances. The rest heate d water on the kitchen stove or on bonfires. Most kitchen stoves used liquid gas as fuel. Twenty four hour PM10 was 109 +/- 3.2 mu g/m(3). M ean indoor and outdoor NO2 in 24 h was 108 +/- 76.3 and 84 +/- 53.6 mu g/m(3) respectively. Indoor NO2 levels were related to the use of hea ting devices and smoking. No differences in PM10 and NO2 levels were o bserved between cases and controls. Conclusions: There is a clear rela tionship between indoor pollution and contaminating sources. Indoor NO 2 levels are higher than outdoors.