Indoor air pollution is related to the house typology, in the South of Vietnam

Abstract Background: Besides tobacco smoke, indoor air pollution can contribute to the risk of chronic respiratory diseases. Numerous indoor pollutants are measurable in the air (including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOC), particles <2.5μm (PM2.5)) and in the settled dust (like endotoxin). The objective was to associate pollutants levels with a house typology proposal, in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Methods: In HCMC, the following house types were identified as typical: apartment, tube, rental, rural, and slum. A total of 100 dwellings, including 20 of each type, underwent investigation with a 3M-Quest for 36 hours, measuring temperature/humidity and chemical pollutants. Endotoxin concentration was measured in the house dust, based on a chromogenic Limulus assay. Results: The results are as follow: In the sample of 100 houses, the mean concentrations measured were 2.37 ppm for CO, 485.10 ppm for CO2, 23.20 µg/m3 for PM2.5, 70.40 ppb for VOC while the indoor temperature and relative humidity were 300C and 60.5%, respectively. The mean dust concentrations of endotoxin were 107.80 EU/mg in the living room, 124.50 EU/mg in the bedroom and 149.10 EU/mg in the kitchen. It was found that endotoxin concentrations, as well as temperature, VOC, CO, and CO2, varied significantly among the dwellings. The rural and slums displayed a higher concentration of endotoxin and PM2.5, indicating a higher risk of airway inflammation. Rural type had reduced levels of CO and VOC. The rent type exhibited higher levels of CO2, suggesting inadequate ventilation. The endotoxin and VOC were low in apartment, suggesting better air quality. Conclusion: Five typical house types in HCMC featured different levels of air pollutants. In future research, an assessment will be conducted to determine potential health hazards, such as chronic respiratory diseases, associated with inhabiting each type of housing.