The indoor environment that we live and work in has a significant influence on our health. Two sections at the University Hygienic Laboratory focus on monitoring air quality:

• the Industrial Hygiene Section focuses on the work environment
• the Indoor Air Quality Section focuses on the domestic environment

Industrial Hygiene
Industrial Hygiene addresses the control of occupational health hazards of workers and covers a broad range of physical, chemical, and biological concerns. The University Hygienic Laboratory focuses on chemical analyses of samples collected by industrial hygienists from the Iowa Bureau of Labor and private companies.

University Hygienic Laboratory, certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, is capable of analyzing both organic and inorganic compounds. The majority of samples are analyzed using methods recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has established permissible exposure limits for many chemical substances.

Indoor Air Quality
Indoor Air Quality is also recognized as a potential public health concern. Regulations relating to air quality in the private residence do not exist at this time. When a person develops an illness believed to be related to an Indoor Air Quality problem, finding the source and solving the problem is of utmost concern.

In many instances, a physician that has evaluated the symptoms of an ill patient may request assistance from a government or public health agency in seeking to identify the origin of the problem. However, Indoor Air Quality investigations may not lead to an exact determination. Currently, the University Hygienic Laboratory does not provide on-site assessments or sampling, but can provide information and analyses to assist in solving Indoor Air Quality problems.