A sick house syndrome, possibly resulting from a landfill geologic effluvia

A novel indoor air quality investigation was associated with carbon dioxide and methane accumulation, presumably from effluvia from geologic sources. Each of 6 workers in an office building complained of respiratory symptoms, and of difficulty with memory and concentration in the workplace, a tightly-sealed structure under negative pressure. No single contaminant was identified to explain the clinical syndromes. No detectable levels of carbon monoxide, methyl ethyl ketone, formaldehyde, ozone, carbon disulfide, nitric oxide, ethylene oxide, ammonia, aldehydes, trichloroethylene or similar chlorinated compounds were found. Carbon dioxide and methane were both present at above ambient outdoor air concentrations. Carbon dioxide was documented to accumulate over a weekend with no occupants in the building, suggesting a geologic source.