Abstract
Dissatisfaction with indoor air quality is common even in relatively new or renovated Polish school buildings. To improve air quality in educational buildings, portable devices have seen increased use, for which manufacturers guarantee a high level of indoor air purification. However, their optimized operation largely depends on their correct use. The aim of this article was to determine the effectiveness of air purification in a primary school using an air purification device with an analysis of the classroom indoor air quality (IAQ). Two criteria were used, microbiological and particulate matter concentration. Measurements were made before device installation and during its continuous operation, and before and after lessons on chosen days. Measurements related to IAQ did not detect clear differences in the analyzed measurement periods. For microbiological contamination, in the morning before lessons, the total count for all bacteria and microscopic fungi was definitely lower than after lessons. Comparing the periods before and after device installation, no clear tendency for reducing the bacteria count or microscopic fungi occurred during air purifier operation, nor was there any noticeable trend in the reduction of particulate matter. There was no improvement in air quality in the classrooms during the operation of the purification devices.
Highlights
Indoor air quality plays an important role in human life, as we spend 16–20 h/day inside buildings [1,2]
Air purification devices do not change the concentration of carbon dioxide, the article presents the concentrations recorded in the classrooms, because this parameter, apart from temperature and relative air humidity, is one of the basic measures of physical air quality parameters [21,22] and it can be used to assess the air exchange in the room
All measurements were carried out during the continuous operation of devices for the indoor air purification installed on 15 April
Summary
Indoor air quality plays an important role in human life, as we spend 16–20 h/day inside buildings [1,2]. Most people staying in closed rooms breathe very polluted indoor air, often rich in carbon dioxide, and do not realize that the lack of ventilation and air exchange causes malaise, pain and dizziness, recurring allergies, nausea, drowsiness, or fatigue. Depending on the age of a building, the people inside are exposed to various physical, chemical, and microbiological pollutants. Chemical impurities include compounds such as carbon dioxide (CO2 ) or nitrogen oxides (NOx). The microbiological pollutants comprise dust, bacteria, and fungi. Mean standard deviation min mean standard deviation min between.
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