Assessment of air quality in preschool environments (3-5 years old children) with emphasis on elemental composition of PM10 and PM2.5.
This study evaluated concentrations of main air pollutants in a Portuguese preschool (indoors/outdoors) environment, with emphasis on elemental characterization of different PM fractions, and estimated risks for the pupils (aged 3-5 years). With exception to total volatile organic compounds, levels of PM10, PM2.5, CO, CO2, and formaldehyde were below legislative guidelines. Calcium, sodium, aluminium, and potassium were the most abundant elements in indoor PM (82-84% of the analysed content) resulting mainly from crustal sources. Carcinogenic elements (1-2% of the indoor analysed content) were mostly PM2.5-bound (83-91%). Indoor-to-outdoor ratios of individual elements indicated contributions of indoor origin and from penetration of outdoor emissions indoors; trace metals were associated with ambient anthropogenic emissions (namely traffic). Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from overall preschool exposure were acceptable for children; for adults carcinogenic risks exceeded (4-11 times) the USEPA recommend value of 10(-6), being 8-40 times higher than for children.
REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Marta
M
Oliveira
REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Klara
K
Slezakova
REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
Cristina
C
Delerue-Matos
LEPABE, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: mcsp@fe.up.pt.
Maria Carmo
MC
Pereira
REQUIMTE-LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: sbm@isep.ipp.pt.
Simone
S
Morais
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012578:Schools, Nursery; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014131:Trace Elements; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005557:Formaldehyde; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
Elemental composition; Health risks; Indoor air pollutants; Indoor/outdoor (I/O); Particulate matter; Preschools