Abu Dhabi, Apr 11 (IANS/WAM): An indoor air quality survey has been conducted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to identify health problems related to environmental pollutants in the country.

The survey was sponsored by Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) and measured indoor air quality in 600 homes covering about 2,200 people living in urban and rural areas of all seven emirates of the country.

Thirteen teams, consisting of 70 field researchers, undertook the survey over a period of more than five months. The researchers assessed indoor and outdoor air quality, using passive and active air quality samplers to measure the exposure of the population to air pollutants.

The survey is one of the programmes under the 10-year National Strategy for Environment and Health, which aims at improving the living environment and health conditions of the UAE population.

"The results of this survey are expected to help us identify air pollutants and health issues of national concern. We will then have critical information at hand for planning future studies. In addition, the survey results will help to contribute to future policies for controlling environmental pollutants," said Majid Al Mansouri, secretary general of EAD.