Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals
Environmental Education Outreach Program
How Lungs Work and more…
Indoor Air Quality
August 2010
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Outline
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Normal anatomy and function of lungs
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Common pollutants can injure lungs
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Special considerations for young children
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Ways to protect lungs
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Some suggested priorities
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Funding for IAQ activities
IAQ QAPP
ITEP Services
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Lungs
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Lungs (cont.)
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People breathe a lot, depend on constant gas
exchange in lungs
Oxygen & carbon-dioxide pass through very
thin walls of alveoli
But, any gas (poisonous ones, too) can pass
through alveoli walls
And, very small particles can also pass
through alveoli walls
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Cardiovascular Connection
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Gases distributed widely
after entering bloodstream
If lungs aren’t functioning
properly, heart must work
harder
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Defenses of Lungs
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Air enters body through nose or mouth,
which wets and warms air
Nose hairs, mucus and saliva filter some
particles and germs
Air travels down windpipe (trachea)
Windpipe splits into two bronchi that enter
lungs
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Defenses (cont.)
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Airways have special hairs called
cilia, coated with sticky mucus
Cilia trap germs and other foreign
particles
Cilia then sweep particles up to
nose or mouth where they are
swallowed, coughed, or sneezed
out
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Particles
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PM10 (10 microns and smaller)
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Inhaled into lungs
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Accumulate in respiratory system
PM2.5 (2.5 microns and smaller)
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Fine particles
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Can lodge deep in lungs
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Pose greatest health risks
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Poisonous Gases
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Poisonous gases pass through lungs easily and
quickly, directly to bloodstream
Common pollutants
Ozone
 Carbon monoxide
 Pesticides
 VOCs (gasoline, other)

Outside air
Blood vessel
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Impacts of Air Pollution

Increased levels of air pollution
Emergency hospital admissions for heart attack,
chest pain, congestive heart failure
 Potential death from heart disease, arrhythmias,
heart failure, cardiac arrest
(includes exposure to ETS)
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Elderly, patients with heart disease or
diabetes particularly vulnerable to
cardiovascular effects of air pollution
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Impacts of Air Pollution (cont.)
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Air pollution has both short- and long-term
toxic effects
Injure heart and blood vessels
 Increase hospitalization rates for cardiac illness
 Can cause death
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Scientists once thought air pollution primarily
affected lungs

Also bad for the heart
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Common Diseases of the Lungs
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Asthma
Many triggers
 Inflammation
 Blocking, narrowing airways, mucus
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD)
 Chronic
breathing difficulties
 Airways
and air sacs lose elastic
quality
 Walls between air sacs destroyed
 Walls of airways become thick
and inflamed
 Airways make more mucus than
usual
 Air
pollutants damage airways
and air sacs
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Infections
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Influenza
Pneumonia (bacterial, viral, fungal)
Tuberculosis
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Pertussis
Diphtheria
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Lung Cancer
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Uncontrolled growth of abnormal
cells in lungs
 Smoking
 Radon
 ETS
 Asbestos
 Occupational
exposure
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Keeping Lungs Healthy
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Control exposure to pollutants and particulates
Control humidity in your environment
Drink water, eat vegetables and fruits
Exercise
Wash hands
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Protect the Lungs of
Young Children
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Lungs of young children very sensitive
Air pollution damage can limit
breathing capacity for a lifetime
Exposure to certain pollutants can
cause asthma, which can last a lifetime
Lung infections can cause damage
which can last a lifetime
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Environmental Impact to Lungs
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Lungs are our most intimate connection with
the outside environment
Anything you breathe can affect your lungs
Germs, tobacco smoke, and other harmful
substances can cause damage to your airways
Once airways are damaged your natural
defenses are weakened
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Protecting Your Lungs
 Don’t
smoke
 Avoid exposure to pollutants
 Prevent infection
 Get regular heath care
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Impacts on IAQ (Sources)
•Human metabolism
•Human activities (cooking, smoking,
hobbies, maintenance, household chemicals)
•Off-gassing (Carpets, treated woods,
chemicals under sink, etc)
•Heating appliances
•Co-habitants (roaches, dogs, dust mites)
•Bad stuff from outside (smoke, dust,
radon)
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Suggested Priorities
“I am concerned about the air in my home”
•Do you have a functional CO detector?
•Does anyone in your home smoke?
•Is your house too damp or too dry?
•Is your house adequately ventilated?
•Are your combustion appliances well
maintained?
(Thanks to Leif Albertson, UAF Fairbanks)
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Funding
•I-GAP (Coordinate with Project Officer to put in work-plan.)
•EPA 103 / 105 (Coordinate with Project Officer to put in work-plan.)
• TRIBAL AIR GRANTS FRAMEWORK
•EPA IAQ RFPs
•HUD (Coordinate with Tribal Housing Office to put in work-plan.)
•Other
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IAQ QAPP
•ITEP TAMS Center working with R10 EPA to
develop guidelines for IAQ QAPPs
•Sample IAQ QAPPs available on web-site
•Training session planned for ATCEM
www.nau.edu/eeop/air_quality/AirQlty_akiaq.asp
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ITEP Services
•American Indian Air Quality Training Program
(AIAQTP) (Save the date flier)
•Indoor Air Quality In Tribal Communities (Fact Sheet)
•One day IAQ session at ATCEM
ITEP is looking for partnerships…
www.nau.edu/eeop/air_quality/AirQlty_akiaq.asp
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Mansel A. Nelson
Senior Program Coordinator
Environmental Education Outreach Program (EEOP)
Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP)
Northern Arizona University (NAU)
http://www.nau.edu/eeop/
mansel.nelson@nau.edu
Voice 928 523 1275
FAX 928 523 1280
PO Box 5768, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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