THE PO RIVER DELTA (NORTH ITALY) INDOOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY - HOME CHARACTERISTICS, INDOOR POLLUTANTS, AND SUBJECTS DAILY ACTIVITY PATTERN

A total of 140 homes in the Po River Delta area of North Italy (near V enice) were monitored during summer and winter to measure the concentr ation of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP, < 2.5 mu m). In this paper, the findings on home characte ristics, daily activity pattern of occupants, and residential indoor a ir quality are described. Our study confirms that people spend the gre ater part of their daily lives indoors (84%), especially at home (64%) . The concentration of monitored pollutants was greater in winter than in summer. The highest levels of NO2 were found in the kitchens. Sign ificantly higher indoor NO2 levels were found in the houses with gas-f urnace heating and/or with gas water heater located inside the home. R SP was significantly higher in homes where tobacco smoking took place, and was significantly related to the number of cigarettes smoked. A s ignificant relationship between NO2 indoor concentrations and RSP valu es in both seasons was found. (C) Indoor Air (1998).