Evaluation of Low-Cost Mitigation Measures Implemented to Improve Air Quality in Nursery and Primary Schools

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Indoor Air Quality Research
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Indoor air pollution poses significant health risks, particularly to children in educational settings.
• Children's prolonged indoor exposure in schools necessitates effective air quality management strategies.
• Existing indoor air quality (IAQ) standards and recommendations often serve as benchmarks for health protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of implemented low-cost mitigation measures in improving school indoor air quality.
• To assess changes in pollutant concentrations before and after the application of air quality interventions.
• To compare measured IAQ parameters against national legislation and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two indoor air quality monitoring campaigns in nursery and primary schools.
• Performed continuous measurements of various pollutants including CO₂, PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CH₂O, VOCs, and radon.
• Measured temperature and relative humidity, comparing pre- and post-mitigation data.

Main Results:

• Exceedances of national and WHO limits were observed for PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CO₂, and CH₂O in both campaigns.
• Temperature and relative humidity levels frequently surpassed ASHRAE recommended ranges.
• Post-mitigation measurements showed significant reductions in pollutant concentrations, especially for CO₂.

Conclusions:

• Low-cost mitigation measures demonstrated a positive impact on indoor air quality, particularly for CO₂.
• Despite improvements, the implemented measures were not consistently sufficient to ensure safe air quality levels.
• Further interventions may be necessary to fully protect children's health from indoor air pollution in schools.