Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius

Abstract. Background. The growing public health concern caused by non-communicable diseases in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; therefore a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne aerosol pollution level in primary schools as possib...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nina Prokopciuk, Ulrich Franck, Vadimas Dudoitis, Nikolaj Tarasiuk, Izabele Juskiene, Daiva Cepuraite, Kestutis Staras, Algirdas Valiulis, Vidmantas Ulevicius, Arunas Valiulis, Ning-Ning Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2020-07-01
Series:Chinese Medical Journal
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000000913
id doaj-71846bb54dde4e119c4389bb4e7b67ab
record_format Article
spelling doaj-71846bb54dde4e119c4389bb4e7b67ab2020-12-02T07:59:04ZengWolters KluwerChinese Medical Journal0366-69992542-56412020-07-01133131516152510.1097/CM9.0000000000000913202007050-00002Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of VilniusNina ProkopciukUlrich FranckVadimas DudoitisNikolaj TarasiukIzabele JuskieneDaiva CepuraiteKestutis StarasAlgirdas ValiulisVidmantas UleviciusArunas ValiulisNing-Ning WangAbstract. Background. The growing public health concern caused by non-communicable diseases in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; therefore a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne aerosol pollution level in primary schools as possible factor influencing origin and course of the diseases in children. Methods. Seasonal aerosol particle number concentration (PNC) and mass concentration (PMC) were studied in the randomly selected eleven primary schools in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, as model of a middle-size Eastern European city. Total PNC in the size range from 0.01 to >1.0 μm in diameter was measured using a condensation particle counter. Using an optical particle sizer, PNC was measured and PMC estimated for particles from 0.3 to 10.0 μm. A descriptive statistics was used to estimate the aerosol pollution levels. Results. During all seasons, local cafeterias in the absence of ventilation were the main sources of the elevated levels of indoor PMC and PNC (up to 97,500 particles/cm3). The other sources of airborne particulates were the children's activity during the lesson breaks with PMC up to 586 μg/m3. Soft furniture, carpets in the classrooms and corridors were responsible for PMC up to 200 μg/m3. Outdoor aerosol pollution (up to 18,170 particles/cm3) was higher for schools in city center. Elevated air pollution in classrooms also resulted from intermittent sources, such as construction work during classes (200–1000 μg/m3) and petrol-powered lawn trimmers (up to 66,400 particles/cm3). Conclusion. The results of our survey show that even in a relatively low polluted region of Eastern Europe there are big differences in aerosol pollution within middle-sized city. Additional efforts are needed to improve air quality in schools: more frequent wet cleaning, monitoring the operation of ventilation systems, a ban on construction works during school year, on a use of sandblasting mechanisms in the neighborhood of schools.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000000913
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Nina Prokopciuk
Ulrich Franck
Vadimas Dudoitis
Nikolaj Tarasiuk
Izabele Juskiene
Daiva Cepuraite
Kestutis Staras
Algirdas Valiulis
Vidmantas Ulevicius
Arunas Valiulis
Ning-Ning Wang
spellingShingle Nina Prokopciuk
Ulrich Franck
Vadimas Dudoitis
Nikolaj Tarasiuk
Izabele Juskiene
Daiva Cepuraite
Kestutis Staras
Algirdas Valiulis
Vidmantas Ulevicius
Arunas Valiulis
Ning-Ning Wang
Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
Chinese Medical Journal
author_facet Nina Prokopciuk
Ulrich Franck
Vadimas Dudoitis
Nikolaj Tarasiuk
Izabele Juskiene
Daiva Cepuraite
Kestutis Staras
Algirdas Valiulis
Vidmantas Ulevicius
Arunas Valiulis
Ning-Ning Wang
author_sort Nina Prokopciuk
title Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
title_short Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
title_full Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
title_fullStr Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
title_full_unstemmed Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of Vilnius
title_sort global alliance against chronic respiratory diseases demonstration project: aerosol pollution and its seasonal peculiarities in primary schools of vilnius
publisher Wolters Kluwer
series Chinese Medical Journal
issn 0366-6999
2542-5641
publishDate 2020-07-01
description Abstract. Background. The growing public health concern caused by non-communicable diseases in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; therefore a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. This study aimed to evaluate the airborne aerosol pollution level in primary schools as possible factor influencing origin and course of the diseases in children. Methods. Seasonal aerosol particle number concentration (PNC) and mass concentration (PMC) were studied in the randomly selected eleven primary schools in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, as model of a middle-size Eastern European city. Total PNC in the size range from 0.01 to >1.0 μm in diameter was measured using a condensation particle counter. Using an optical particle sizer, PNC was measured and PMC estimated for particles from 0.3 to 10.0 μm. A descriptive statistics was used to estimate the aerosol pollution levels. Results. During all seasons, local cafeterias in the absence of ventilation were the main sources of the elevated levels of indoor PMC and PNC (up to 97,500 particles/cm3). The other sources of airborne particulates were the children's activity during the lesson breaks with PMC up to 586 μg/m3. Soft furniture, carpets in the classrooms and corridors were responsible for PMC up to 200 μg/m3. Outdoor aerosol pollution (up to 18,170 particles/cm3) was higher for schools in city center. Elevated air pollution in classrooms also resulted from intermittent sources, such as construction work during classes (200–1000 μg/m3) and petrol-powered lawn trimmers (up to 66,400 particles/cm3). Conclusion. The results of our survey show that even in a relatively low polluted region of Eastern Europe there are big differences in aerosol pollution within middle-sized city. Additional efforts are needed to improve air quality in schools: more frequent wet cleaning, monitoring the operation of ventilation systems, a ban on construction works during school year, on a use of sandblasting mechanisms in the neighborhood of schools.
url http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CM9.0000000000000913
work_keys_str_mv AT ninaprokopciuk globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT ulrichfranck globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT vadimasdudoitis globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT nikolajtarasiuk globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT izabelejuskiene globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT daivacepuraite globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT kestutisstaras globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT algirdasvaliulis globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT vidmantasulevicius globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT arunasvaliulis globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
AT ningningwang globalallianceagainstchronicrespiratorydiseasesdemonstrationprojectaerosolpollutionanditsseasonalpeculiaritiesinprimaryschoolsofvilnius
_version_ 1724407899225063424