10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Managing Indoor Air Quality in ClimACT Schools
Susana Marta Almeida, Patrice Blondeau, Vitor Manteigas, Joana Lage, Ana D’Espiney, Marina Almeida-Silva, Nuno Canha, VÂNIA MARTINS, Tiago Faria, Karla Gonçalves, José Luís Alexandre, Ricardo Chacartegui, Jesus Lizana, José António Becera, Ana Gamarra, Yolanda Lechon Perez, Amaia Fernandes, C2TN, IST, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Abstract Number: 1602 Working Group: Indoor Aerosols
Abstract The indoor environment of schools where students stay for long periods of time is a matter of primary concern due to the vulnerability and sensibility of children to air pollutant exposure. This work aims to assess the Indoor Air Quality in 38 ClimACT schools located in the Sudoe region of Europe and generate guidelines for a proper management of the schools.
Within the scope of the Interreg Sudoe ClimACT project, Indoor Air Quality audits were performed in 2 classrooms of 38 schools from Portugal, France, Spain and Gibraltar. Levels of PM10, PM2.5, CO2, CO and TVOC were measured with portable direct reading instruments. Passive sampling of volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, p-xylene, 1-4 dichlorobenzene, α-pinene) and aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, propanal, butanal, pentanal, isopentanal, hexanal, benzaldehyde) were carried out with Radiello® diffuse tubes. Measurements were performed during one week from Monday to Friday.
PM10, PM2.5, CO2, TVOC and formaldehyde frequently exceed the guidelines of 20 µg/m3, 10 µg/m3, 2250 mg/m3, 600 µg/m3 and 30 µg/m3, respectively. The mean indoor levels of these pollutants ranged as follows: PM10 - 0.04-99 µg/m3; PM2.5 - 0.03-41 µg/m3; CO2 - 882-4381 mg/m3; TVOC - 0-854 µg/m3; formaldehyde - 0.10-91 µg/m3.
The PM10 concentrations measured during the occupied periods were higher than in non-occupied showing that occupancy, through re-suspension of previously deposited particles and possible particle generation, influences the indoor levels of airborne particles. Concentration peaks for TVOC were identified during cleaning activities and during occupied periods due to VOC emissions by occupants (biogenic VOCs, body lotions, etc) and students’ activities. Higher CO2 levels were observed during students’ activities inside the classrooms. Even causing negative effects on the students' performance, CO2 is not classified as a pollutant by the World Health Organization. However, it can be considered a good proxy of insufficient ventilation in classrooms. Therefore, CO2 can be used to alert teachers to open windows due to the poor air quality or to adjust the amount of outdoor ventilation in Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems.
In order to reduce student's exposure to pollutants in classrooms a proper ventilation strategy need to be adopted. Such strategy is even more important in naturally ventilated schools where the air exchange rate is only based on the manual airing of classrooms.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg Sudoe project ClimACT – Acting for the transition to a low carbon economy in schools – development of support tools (SOE1/P3/P0429). C2TN/IST authors gratefully acknowledge the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia support to the UID/Multi/04349/2013 project.