CDC Selects AQS to Continue Providing Allergen and Endotoxin Analyses for Nation

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Air Quality Sciences

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=111469

CDC Selects AQS to Continue Providing Allergen and Endotoxin

Analyses for National Health and Nutrition Survey

ATLANTA, GA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/28/2006 -- Air Quality Sciences,

Inc. (AQS) has been selected to continue indoor environmental

analyses in 2006 for the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention's (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

(NHANES).

For more than 40 years, CDC has measured and established detailed

health profiles for the US population, which are used to provide

annual estimates on a range of diseases and their potential causes.

Public health officials, legislators and physicians also use this

information to develop sound health policies, direct and design

health programs and services, and expand health knowledge.

Beginning in 2005, NHANES began collecting indoor dust samples from

approximately 7,000 participants' homes each year for allergen and

endotoxin analyses. Indoor allergens associated with mold, cats,

dogs, rodents, cockroaches and dust mites are being measured using

the latest instrumental techniques developed by AQS. Fungal

allergens for Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria alternata are

measured as well as endotoxin, associated with gram negative

bacteria growth.

Exposure to endotoxins and indoor allergens are among the strongest

risk factors for developing asthma and triggering asthma and allergy

attacks. Since 1980, as US buildings and homes have become tighter

and the use of synthetic materials has remarkably increased, indoor

environmental quality has deteriorated, and not surprisingly the

prevalence of asthma has risen by 150 percent.

According to the CDC, approximately 20 million Americans have

asthma, including nearly 6 million children. In 2002, asthma

accounted for an estimated 14.6 million lost school days and cost

the US economy $14 billion in annual health care expenditure.

" These analyses will help health professionals understand the types

and levels of allergens present in homes. Thus, this important

information will generate a better understanding of the relationship

between household allergens and respiratory illnesses such as

allergies and asthma, " said Marilyn S. Black, PhD, CEO and chief

scientist with AQS.

Air Quality Sciences, Inc. is a fully integrated indoor air quality

(IAQ) company that provides solutions to create healthy indoor

environments and avoid potentially dangerous indoor pollution. As

the only IAQ firm with internal labs that are both ISO 9001:2000

registered and AIHA EMLAP accredited, AQS sets the standard for

effective diagnoses and solutions. AQS is also the technical partner

for the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, which provides an

independent, third party certification for low emitting products

used indoors. To learn more about AQS and GREENGUARD, visit

www.aqs.com and www.greenguard.org, respectively. To learn more

about indoor air quality, visit Aerias-AQS IAQ Resource Center at

www.aerias.org.

Contact:

Kelley Gullison

(770) 933-0638 x 239

Email Contact

www.aqs.com

SOURCE: Air Quality Sciences, Inc.