Children are more sensitive to air pollution than adults and they spend large amounts of their time in school buildings where they may be exposed to unknown levels of indoor pollutants (Rivas et al 2014). The present study focuses on the city of Galatina (Apulia Region, Italy) ( Figure 1). The area hosts a large cementery and other small industries. Since several decades, elevated male mortality rates for lung cancer in the Lecce province compared with the national values are reported. Recently, a cluster analysis of lung cancer incidence was detected in the hinterland of the province including the area of Galatina. Another study (Idoli et al. 2018) showed that children aged 6-8 years living in such area had a higher frequency micronucleated cells in oral mucosa than children living in other areas of lecce Province not included in the cluster area. Aim of the work is to assess indoor air quality in a school building located in Galatina (Lecce). The study carried out indoor and outdoor PM10, PM2.5, simultaneous monitoring indoor and outdoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Preliminary study of VOC and determination of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX), sampled with Radiello® diffusive samplers, were carried out in two classrooms, in the bathroom, and in the yard of the school building for three weeks. Simultaneously, Total VOC (TVOC) concentration was measured by means of real-time monitoring to individuate the activation of sources during the monitored days. In addition, data from monitoring station located close to the school was analysed. Results evidence that when the site is upwind the industrial site some classrooms are found to have very low PM and VOC levels and poor outdoor contribution. In some rooms, as for example the bathrooms on the opposite Figure 1 Area of Study Figure 2 Comparison PM10 PM2.5 at different site in the school References Rivas, Ioar, et al. "Child exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants in schools in Barcelona, Spain." Environment international 69 (2014): 200-212. Idolo, Adele, et al. "Micronuclei in Exfoliated Buccal Cells of Children Living in a Cluster Area of Salento (Southern Italy) with a High Incidence of Lung Cancer: The IMP. AIR Study." International journal of environmental research and public health 15.8 (2018): 1659.
INDOOR /OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY WITHIN A SCHOOL IN AN INDUSTRIALISED AREA OF SOUTHERN ITALY
2019
Abstract
Children are more sensitive to air pollution than adults and they spend large amounts of their time in school buildings where they may be exposed to unknown levels of indoor pollutants (Rivas et al 2014). The present study focuses on the city of Galatina (Apulia Region, Italy) ( Figure 1). The area hosts a large cementery and other small industries. Since several decades, elevated male mortality rates for lung cancer in the Lecce province compared with the national values are reported. Recently, a cluster analysis of lung cancer incidence was detected in the hinterland of the province including the area of Galatina. Another study (Idoli et al. 2018) showed that children aged 6-8 years living in such area had a higher frequency micronucleated cells in oral mucosa than children living in other areas of lecce Province not included in the cluster area. Aim of the work is to assess indoor air quality in a school building located in Galatina (Lecce). The study carried out indoor and outdoor PM10, PM2.5, simultaneous monitoring indoor and outdoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Preliminary study of VOC and determination of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes (BTEX), sampled with Radiello® diffusive samplers, were carried out in two classrooms, in the bathroom, and in the yard of the school building for three weeks. Simultaneously, Total VOC (TVOC) concentration was measured by means of real-time monitoring to individuate the activation of sources during the monitored days. In addition, data from monitoring station located close to the school was analysed. Results evidence that when the site is upwind the industrial site some classrooms are found to have very low PM and VOC levels and poor outdoor contribution. In some rooms, as for example the bathrooms on the opposite Figure 1 Area of Study Figure 2 Comparison PM10 PM2.5 at different site in the school References Rivas, Ioar, et al. "Child exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollutants in schools in Barcelona, Spain." Environment international 69 (2014): 200-212. Idolo, Adele, et al. "Micronuclei in Exfoliated Buccal Cells of Children Living in a Cluster Area of Salento (Southern Italy) with a High Incidence of Lung Cancer: The IMP. AIR Study." International journal of environmental research and public health 15.8 (2018): 1659.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
