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Handbook of Indoor Air Quality pp 1–12Cite as

Effects from Exposures to Human Bioeffluents and Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

This chapter summarizes information published to date on the effects of human bioeffluents and carbon dioxide (CO2) on cognitive performance. Few studies have been carried out in this domain. They used simulated office tasks such as mathematical calculation and proof-reading and highly demanding cognitive tasks such as decision-making tests and simulated flights to examine the effects on cognitive performance. Concerning the effects of bioeffluents, the literature shows that the performance of simulated office work was reduced at CO2 levels above 3000 ppm; at CO2 levels between 1600 ppm and 3000 ppm, the effects have been observed; below 1600 ppm, no effects were observed. For highly demanding tasks, the effects were seen at the CO2 level of 950 ppm and over. Concerning the effects of pure CO2, it was shown that highly demanding tasks were affected at the levels at and over 1000 ppm; however, the results were inconsistent in the published studies, some showing no effects above 1000 ppm; for the tasks simulating office work, incidental effects were seen at CO2 level of 1200 ppm and 3000 ppm and no effects until 20,000 ppm, and even higher concentrations. These results require validation in future experiments, and mechanisms underlying the observed effects need to be delineated, especially since studies with human cells, ex vivo, indicate physiological impacts at the levels of 1000 ppm and higher, above the background level of CO2. Potential confounders also need careful examination, and they include, among others, an accurate exposure control, quality of cognitive performance measures, population diversities, and the length of exposure.

Keywords

  • Human bioeffluents
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Cognitive performance
  • Physiological impacts

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Built Environment and Energy Efficient Technology, College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China

    Xiaojing Zhang

  2. SinBerBEST, Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Asit Mishra

  3. International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark

    Pawel Wargocki

Authors
  1. Xiaojing Zhang
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  2. Asit Mishra
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  3. Pawel Wargocki
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Correspondence to Xiaojing Zhang .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University Department of Building Science, Beijing, Beijing, China

    Prof. Dr. Yinping Zhang

  2. Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, USA

    Prof. Dr. Philip K. Hopke

  3. Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB), Marne-La-Vallée, France

    Dr. Corinne Mandin

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Zhang, X., Mishra, A., Wargocki, P. (2022). Effects from Exposures to Human Bioeffluents and Carbon Dioxide. In: Zhang, Y., Hopke, P.K., Mandin, C. (eds) Handbook of Indoor Air Quality. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5155-5_63-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5155-5_63-1

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