Indoor Air Quality in Naturally Ventilated Italian Classrooms

Atmosphere

Fernanda Carmen Fuoco²  Luca Stabile²  Giorgio Buonanno²  Concepcion Vargas Trassiera²  Angelamaria Massimo²  Aldo Russi²  Mandana Mazaheri³  Lidia Morawska³  Alexandro Andrade¹ 

[1] Center of Health Sciences and Sport, Santa Catarina State University, Florianopolis 88080-350, Brazil; E-Mail:;Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino (FR) 03043, Italy; E-Mails:;International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane (QLD) 4001, Australia; E-Mails:

关键词: classroom;    N_i/N_out ratio;    airing by opening windows;    particle number concentration;   

DOI  :  10.3390/atmos6111652

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Characterization of indoor air quality in school classrooms is crucial to children’s health and performance. The present study was undertaken to characterize the indoor air quality in six naturally ventilated classrooms of three schools in Cassino (Italy). Indoor particle number, mass, black carbon, CO₂ and radon concentrations, as well as outdoor particle number were measured within school hours during the winter and spring season. The study found the concentrations of indoor particle number were influenced by the concentrations in the outdoors; highest BC values were detected in classrooms during peak traffic time. The effect of different seasons’ airing mode on the indoor air quality was also detected. The ratio between indoor and outdoor particles was of 0.85 ± 0.10 in winter, under airing conditions of short opening window periods, and 1.00 ± 0.15 in spring when the windows were opened for longer periods. This was associated to a higher degree of penetration of outdoor particles due to longer period of window opening. Lower CO₂ levels were found in classrooms in spring (908 ppm) than in winter (2206 ppm). Additionally, a greater reduction in radon concentrations was found in spring. In addition, high PM₁₀ levels were found in classrooms during break time due to re-suspension of coarse particles.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.