ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a discussion of the potential sources of air contaminants other than those arising merely from the occupants. This discussion is included since indoor air quality problems exist when there is an inadequate delivery of sufficient quantities of clean outdoor air for ventilation in comparison with the quantity of air contaminants that are present in occupied areas. Sources of air contaminants can arise in several locations. For air contaminants being drawn into a building at the designated air intake to the air handling unit. In addition to outdoor sources being transported into the building via the obvious, designated air intakes, there is also the possibility that air contaminants are being drawn into the building via unintentional air intakes. Soil gas sucked into a basement due to negative pressures there can introduce such sources of air contaminants as radon, pesticides, or volatile organic chemicals that have been spilled into the ground from previous site uses or nearby industrial activities.
