Research project This project will help to increase knowledge about the mechanisms of building related illness and its relation to stress. It will also increase our understanding of stress-related reactions associated with exposure and can thus help to improve the tools used to investigate suspected building related illness.
The goal is to find new, more objective tools (biomarkers) that can be used in the investigation of suspected indoor environmental problems and the treatment of people who have become sick of the indoor environment they live in.
A good built environment is one of Sweden's 16 environmental quality objectives. According to a report published by the Public Health Agency (2009) about 18% people in Sweden report health problems that are associated to the indoor environment. The overall objective of this project is to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress, perceived stress, air pollution and building related illness (BRI). The goal is to find new, more objective tools (biomarkers) that can be used in the investigation of suspected indoor environmental problems and the treatment of people who have become sick of the indoor environment they live in.Reaction products of chemical compounds found in indoor air can cause oxidative stress, an imbalance between production / exposure of reactive oxygen species and the body's ability to counteract or detoxify its harmful effects. The damage caused by oxidative stress has been associated with chronic inflammation. Perceived stress can also cause increased oxidative stress. We intend to perform a field survey and a controlled human exposure chamber study. Data on symptoms, metabolites in plasma and saliva, as well as heart rate variability and skin conductance will be collected.
This project will help to increase knowledge about the mechanisms of BRI and its relation to stress. It will also increase our understanding of stress-related reactions associated with exposure and can thus help to improve the tools used to investigate suspected BRI.
