TY - JOUR
T1 - Indoor air quality in schools of a highly polluted south Mediterranean area
AU - Scaccianoce, Gianluca
AU - Ferrante, Giuliana
AU - Rizzo, Gianfranco
AU - Colombo, Paolo
AU - Rizzo, Gianfranco
AU - Cibella, Fabio
AU - Cuttitta, Giuseppina
AU - Drago, Gaspare
AU - Zammit, Christopher
AU - Ferrante, Giuliana
AU - Bilocca, David
AU - Ruggieri, Silvia
AU - Longo, Valeria
AU - Perrino, Cinzia
AU - Melis, Mario R
AU - Piva, Giuseppe
AU - Borg, Charles
AU - Minardi, Remo
AU - L’Abbate, Luca
AU - Balzan, Martin
AU - Ristagno, Rosaria
AU - Colombo, Paolo
AU - Borg, Charles
AU - Melis, Mario R
AU - Balzan, Martin
AU - Bucchieri, Salvatore
AU - Canepari, Silvia
AU - Montefort, Stephen
AU - Balzan, Martin
AU - La Grutta, Stefania
AU - Viegi, Giovanni
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - This study aimed at surveying lower secondary schools in southern Italy, in a highly polluted area. A community close to an industrial area and three villages in rural areas was investigated. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), gaseous pollutants (CO 2 and NO 2 ), selected biological pollutants in indoor dust, and the indoor/outdoor mass concentration and elemental composition of PM 2.5 were ascertained. Temperature and RH were within, or close to, the comfort range, while CO 2 frequently exceeded the threshold of 1000 ppm, indicating inadequate air exchange rate. In all the classrooms, median NO 2 levels were above the WHO threshold value. Dermatophagoides p. allergen concentration was below the sensitizing threshold, while high endotoxin levels were detected in the classrooms, suggesting schools may produce significant risks of endotoxin exposure. Concentration and solubility of PM 2.5 elements were used to identify the sources of indoor particles. Indoor concentration of most elements was higher than outdoors. Resuspension was responsible for the indoor increase in soil components. For elements from industrial emission (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V), the indoor concentration depended on penetration from the outside. For these elements, differences in rural vs industrial concentrations were found, suggesting industrial sources may influence indoor air quality nearby schools.
AB - This study aimed at surveying lower secondary schools in southern Italy, in a highly polluted area. A community close to an industrial area and three villages in rural areas was investigated. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), gaseous pollutants (CO 2 and NO 2 ), selected biological pollutants in indoor dust, and the indoor/outdoor mass concentration and elemental composition of PM 2.5 were ascertained. Temperature and RH were within, or close to, the comfort range, while CO 2 frequently exceeded the threshold of 1000 ppm, indicating inadequate air exchange rate. In all the classrooms, median NO 2 levels were above the WHO threshold value. Dermatophagoides p. allergen concentration was below the sensitizing threshold, while high endotoxin levels were detected in the classrooms, suggesting schools may produce significant risks of endotoxin exposure. Concentration and solubility of PM 2.5 elements were used to identify the sources of indoor particles. Indoor concentration of most elements was higher than outdoors. Resuspension was responsible for the indoor increase in soil components. For elements from industrial emission (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V), the indoor concentration depended on penetration from the outside. For these elements, differences in rural vs industrial concentrations were found, suggesting industrial sources may influence indoor air quality nearby schools.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/377019
M3 - Article
SN - 0905-6947
VL - 29
SP - 276
EP - 290
JO - Indoor Air
JF - Indoor Air
ER -