Abstract
Limited information about exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in primary schools in Vietnam is available. In this study, we aimed to characterize indoor VOCs in four primary schools situated in Ho Chi Minh City, a metropolis in the south of Vietnam and assess health risks linked to the students’ exposure to VOCs. Indoor and outdoor air samples were collected in the schools and analyzed for volatile composition using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Different classes of VOCs, including aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, aldehydes, esters, cyclic terpenes, and chlorinated hydrocarbons, were identified and quantified in classrooms of the schools. The results showed that the concentrations of the VOCs differed significantly among the schools and between ground-floor and first floor classrooms. In addition, VOC profiles differed considerably between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned classrooms. Limonene, a compound associated with fragrance products, was the most abundant VOC, with the median (range) concentration of 26.12 (10.29, 50.08) μg/m3. The concentrations of the compounds examined in the study were in general found to be higher indoors compared with outdoors, signifying indoor emission sources. Potential harmful effects are expected as a result of exposure to benzene, ethylbenzene, naphthalene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene and tetrachloroethylene in the investigated schools. Further research is needed to fully assess the health risks to students, teachers, and staff in these educational environments.
Highlights
There are approximately 8.5 million students in primary education in Vietnam [1]
Poor air quality found in some classrooms of primary schools in France likely accounted for an increased prevalence of asthma and rhinitis among schoolers [4]
The results demonstrated the presence of 41 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the classrooms of the four examine primary schools
Summary
Primary students usually spend 5–9 h per day and five days per week in schools This highlights significant exposure to indoor air in such educational environments. A recent review commenting on children’s health effects linked to ambient air pollution indicated that volatile constituents in gasoline or diesel exhausts are associated with an elevated risk of childhood leukemia [12]. Toxicants in the air have been shown to have negative impacts on performance in reading, math, and science among primary schoolers in the US [13]. At these ages, primary school children are distinctively susceptible to air pollution because their organs are developing and they breath more air per body weight
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