7 Indoor Air Pollution Dangers

FORMALDEHYDE. RADIOACTIVE CHEMICALS. BUG DROPPINGS. YOU WOULDN'T dare eat food laced with this stuff—heck, you'd probably alert the health department. And yet you may be sucking down these toxins, and a flurry of others, with every breath. "Most people aren't aware of the dangers of the air they breathe. The contaminants are often invisible, and the harmful effects may not be dramatic at first," says Anne Steinemann, Ph.D., a civil and environmental engineer at the University of Washington. "But exposures add up over time, and so does the damage."

In fact, a growing body of research suggests that airborne contaminants may impair your memory, weaken your sperm, and raise your risk of heart disease and cancer. Worse, your body has no internal smoke alarm to signal danger. So we've identified the biggest airborne enemies and outlined strategies to help you protect your lungs—and your life.

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You're not the only one making babies in bed: Dust mites may be multiplying by the millions in your mattress and pillow. If you're allergic to them and their droppings (often found in dust) a noseful can trigger sneezing and watery eyes, says allergist James Sublett, M.D Allergic or not, there's a greater danger: In a University of Cincinnati study, mice that regularly inhaled dust mite debris had narrowed arteries in their lungs, a condition that can lead to heart failure.

Attack from all angles
To beat the bugs for good, you need to launch an all-out offensive. A recent study in Environmental Health Perspectives found that using mite-proof mattress cases, washing bed linens weekly in hot water, and intensively vacuuming and dry steam cleaning carpets and upholstery all helped slash dust mite counts by up to 95 percent. That takes care of the critters. Now tackle their feces and body fragments floating around the room: For an hour a day, run an air purifier with a prefilter and an electrostatic filter, such as the Ken-more Electrostatic Air Cleaner ($300, amazon.com). This can significantly lower levels of airborne mite particles, say Korean scientists.

AIRBORNE THREAT: Mold

You check your bread for mold, but how about your air? Aspergillus and Penicillium—the two most common indoor molds—fling out tiny spores and mycotoxins, which can penetrate deep into your lungs. Even nonallergic folks can experience wheeze-inducing nasal inflammation from inhaling Aspergillus particles, according to a recent study from Finland. Worst case: Fungi can lead to a life-threatening lung infection—made even scarier by the fact that molds are increasingly drug resistant.

Scrub, then supplement
Clorox alone won't cut it. Even dead mold can cause allergic flare-ups, EPA experts warn, so you need to kill and remove the fungal funk. If you spot a patch—check damp, dark areas—grab gloves, an N-95 respirator mask, and a stiff brush. Mix 1 cup of bleach into a gallon of water and scrub the area until no visible mold remains. Rinse with clean water and let the area dry completely. Bolster your internal defenses too: Scientists in South Carolina recently linked nasal mold infections to insufficient vitamin D levels. If you're on the low side (as most people are), a D3 supplement may ease your inflammatory response to mold spores, says Dr. Sublett. To determine your dose, ask your M.D. to perform a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test.

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If you spend hours holed up in your basement watching sports, you may be inhaling dangerous amounts of radon. The gas, formed when uranium in soil breaks down, seeps into your home through cracks in the foundation. "Its radioactive particles are deposited in sensitive areas of your lungs, where they can cause changes in your DNA that lead to lung cancer," says William Field, Ph.D, a professor of environmental health at the University of Iowa. In fact, the EPA estimates that radon is responsible for 21,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths every year.

Put your basement to the test
One in 15 American homes have dangerous levels of radon—and the farther north your latitude, the greater your risk may be. The reason: When the air outside is cold, heated indoor air rises, creating suction that can pull radon into your home. (Find out if you live in a high-risk zone at epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html.) Even if you're not in the Northeast or Midwest (where levels are notoriously high), you should test your home for the gas; there are no warning signs that it's invading your air, says Field. His recommendation: Buy a short-term radon test kit, and if the level is 4 pico-curies per liter (pCi/L) or higher, run a second test, since levels can vary from day to day. If the average of the two readings is 4 pCi/L or higher, call a certified radon reduction specialist.

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