The new approach in indoor air toxicological assessment is to collect a water sample by
condensing it from the air. Dew point is reached by using collectors with cold surfaces.
The hypothesis is that air and airborn moisture are the carriers of possible toxic compounds
and these compounds are then transferred to the condensate. Water samples are analysed
with the Escherichia coli-lux method and toxicity is detected by the decreased bacterial
viability. When the relative humidity and the temperature are recorded during the sample
collection the volume of indoor air represented in toxicity assessment can be defined.
Preliminary laboratory tests are promising and the condensed water enables repeated and
quantitative sampling reflecting the quality and possible toxicity of the tested indoor air
samples.