Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study aimed to assess the relationship between indoor and outdoor particulate air pollution at primary schools, and identify the determinants of indoor pollution concentrations. The study was conducted in six classrooms within six primary schools in Sari, Northern Iran. Indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 µm (PM10), 2.5 µm (PM2.5), and 1 µm (PM1.0) were assessed in classrooms, and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 on the school playgrounds were monitored simultaneously by using two real-time and portable dust monitors during autumn, winter, and spring, yielding 26 sampling days for each school in total. The highest outdoor and indoor PM2.5 concentrations were found in winter and spring, respectively. The mean indoor PM2.5 concentration (46.9 ± 32.9 µg m–3) was higher than that measured outdoors (36.8 ± 33.2 µg m–3). Indoor PM2.5 and PM1.0 were moderately correlated with outdoor PM2.5 concentrations, which was the main determinant for all indoor particulate concentrations, however, a distinct pattern was observed for PM10 and PM2.5 compared to PM1.0. While meteorological variables (i.e., ambient temperature, relative humidity) could predict indoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, the total area of the windows and the number of students in a classroom were predictors for PM1.0 levels. The findings of this study could inform policymakers in implementing evidence-based targeted interventions aimed at reducing air pollution in school settings.
Highlights
Air pollution is a major environmental contributor to the global burden of disease and is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes (Lim et al, 2012)
Indoor PM2.5 and PM1.0 were moderately correlated with outdoor PM2.5 concentrations, which was the main determinant for all indoor particulate concentrations, a distinct pattern was observed for PM10 and PM2.5 compared to PM1.0
We observed weak to moderate correlations between outdoor PM2.5 and indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations and moderate to strong correlations between indoor PM
Summary
Air pollution is a major environmental contributor to the global burden of disease and is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes (Lim et al, 2012). An emerging body of evidence has associated. During the school time day, children spend much of their time in indoor classrooms, where the air pollution concentrations can be different from outdoor air pollution concentrations. The association between indoor and outdoor air pollution could, be informative for epidemiological studies that mainly rely on estimates of ambient outdoor air pollution to assess total exposure to air pollution. Characterizing the determinants of indoor concentrations of air pollutants are of importance for policymaking as it can inform policymakers’ effective and targeted interventions. The available body of evidence on these determinants and the relation between indoor and outdoor air pollution in schools is still limited (Rivas et al, 2014)
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