Indoor air quality and the associated health risk in primary school buildings in Central Europe - The InAirQ study
Language English Country England, Great Britain Media print-electronic
Document type Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PubMed
33615561
DOI
10.1111/ina.12802
Knihovny.cz E-resources
- Keywords
- InAirQ, children, environmental health, health risk assessment, indoor air, monitoring campaign,
- MeSH
- Air Pollutants * analysis MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Schools MeSH
- Air Pollution, Indoor * analysis MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
- Names of Substances
- Air Pollutants * MeSH
The indoor air quality (IAQ) was investigated in sixty-four primary school buildings in five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia). The concentration of volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, PM2.5 mass, carbon dioxide, radon, as well as physical parameters were investigated during the heating period of 2017/2018. Significant differences were identified for the majority of the investigated IAQ parameters across the countries. The median indoor/outdoor ratios varied considerably. A comprehensive evaluation of IAQ in terms of potential health effects and comfort perception was performed. Hazard quotient values were below the threshold value of 1 with one exception. In contrast, 31% of the school buildings were characterized by hazard index values higher than 1. The maximum cumulative ratio approach highlighted that the concern for non-carcinogenic health effects was either low or the health risk was driven by more substances. The median excess lifetime cancer risk values exceeded the acceptable value of 1 × 10-6 in the case of radon and formaldehyde. PM2.5 mass concentration values exceeded the 24 h and annual guideline values set by the World Health Organization in 56 and 85% of the cases, respectively. About 80% of the schools could not manage to comply with the recommended concentration value for carbon dioxide (1000 ppm).
National Institute of Public Health Ljubljana Slovenia
National Institute of Public Health Prague Czech Republic
See more in PubMed
WHO (World Health Organization). The right to healthy indoor air. Report on a WHO meeting. The Netherlands, 15-17 May, 2000. Available online at: http://www.euro.who.int/document/e69828.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
WHO (World Health Organization). Children’s environment and health action plan for Europe. Report on the WHO Fourth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Budapest, Hungary, 25 June, 2004. Available online at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/78639/E83338.pdf?ua=1. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Health Effects of School Environment (HESE). Final Scientific Report, Siena, Italy, January, 2006. Available online at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_projects/2002/pollution/fp_pollution_2002_frep_04.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Geiss O, Giannopoulos G, Tirendi S, Barrero-Moreno J, Larsen BR, Kotzias D. The AIRMEX study - VOC measurements in public buildings and schools/kindergartens in eleven European cities: statistical analysis of the data. Atmos Environ. 2011;45(22):3676-3684.
Kotzias D, Geiss O, Tirendi S, et al. Exposure to multiple air contaminants in public buildings, schools and kindergartens - the European indoor air monitoring and exposure assessment (AIRMEX) study. Fresenius Environ. Bull. 2009;18:670-681.
Csobod E, Rudnai P, Vaskövi E. School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children (Search). International research project report within the programme “Indoor air quality in European schools: Preventing and reducing respiratory diseases”. Szentendre, Hungary, February, 2010. Available online at: http://search.rec.org/search1/doc/SEARCH%20publication_EN_final.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Beregszászi T, Burali A, Calzoni J, et al. Making Schools Healthy: Meeting Environment and Health Challenges. Final Publication of the SEARCH II Project. Budapest: Typonova. 2013;62.
Csobod E, Annesi-Maesano I, Carrer P, et al. SINPHONIE: Schools Indoor Pollution & Health Observatory Network in Europe - final report. EUR 26738, Publications Office of the European Union. Luxembourg, 2014.
Baloch RM, Maesano CN, Christoffersen J, et al. Indoor air pollution, physical and comfort parameters related to schoolchildren’s health: data from the European SINPHONIE study. Sci Total Environ. 2020;739:139870.
Annesi-Maesano I, Hulin M, Lavaud F, et al. Poor air quality in classrooms related to asthma and rhinitis in primary schoolchildren of the French 6 Cities Study. Thorax. 2012;67(8):682-688.
Forns J, Dadvand P, Foraster M, et al. Traffic-related air pollution, noise at school, and behavioral problems in Barcelona school children: a cross-sectional study. Environ Health Perspect. 2016;124(4):529-535.
Madureira J, Paciência I, Rufo J, et al. Indoor air quality in schools and its relationship with children’s respiratory symptoms. Atmos. Environ. 2015;118:145-156.
Villanueva F, Tapia A, Lara S, Amo-Salas M. Indoor and outdoor air concentrations of volatile organic compounds and NO2 in schools of urban, industrial and rural areas in Central-Southern Spain. Sci Total Environ. 2018;622:222-235.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund Volume I: Human Health Evaluation Manual (Part F, Supplemental Guidance for Inhalation Risk Assessment) Final. OSWER 9285.7-82. January, 2009. Available online at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/partf_200901_final.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Overall evaluations of carcinogenicity to humans. In: IARC monographs, vol. 71, 73, 77, 106, 100D, 100F, 120, 120). Available online at: https://monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/List-of-Volumes.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2020.
WHO (World Health Organization). WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Selected Pollutants. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2010.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Toxicological Review of Benzene - In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency; 2002. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/0276tr.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
WHO (World Health Organization). Air Quality Guidelines for EUROPE, 2nd ed. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2000.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Committee on sick house syndrome: indoor air pollution, summary on the discussions at the 8th and 9th meetings. Progress Report No. 4, January 2002. Available online at: http://www.nihs.go.jp/mhlw/chemical/situnai/kentoukai/rep-eng4.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). Air Toxics Hot Spots Program Technical Support Document for Cancer Potencies. Appendix A. Chemical-specific summaries of the information used to derive unit risk and cancer potency values. Updated in 2019. Available online at: https://oehha.ca.gov/media/CPFs042909.pdf. Accessed June 26, 2020.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile for Ethylbenzene. Atlanta GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service; 2010. Available online at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp110.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for dimethylbenzene. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2015;58:1378-1389.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Toxicological Review of Xylenes - in Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2003. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/0270tr.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Toxicological Review Trichloroethylene - In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2011. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/0199tr/0199tr.pdf. Accessed: August 13, 2020.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene (Perchloroethylene) - in Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/0106tr.pdf. Accessed June 26, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for tetrachloroethene. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2017;60:1305-1315.
Sagunski H, Heinzow B. Indoor air guideline values for bicyclic terpenes. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2003;46(4):346-352.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for monocyclic monoterpenes (limonene). Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2010;53:1206-1215.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for 2-ethylhexanol. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2013;56:590-599.
Kotzias D, Koistinen K, Kephalopoulos S, et al. The INDEX Project - Critical Appraisal of the Setting and Implementation of Indoor Exposure Limits in the EU. 2005. Available online at: http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC31622. Accessed August 13, 2020.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Chemical Assessment Summary - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1990. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/subst/0419_summary.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide value for formaldehyde. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2016;59:1040-1044.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Chemical Assessment Summary - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC: United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1991. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/subst/0290_summary.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for acetaldehyde. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2013;56:1434-1447.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Toxicological Review of propionaldehyde - in support of summary information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Washington, DC, 2008. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/toxreviews/1011tr.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guide values for benzaldehyde. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2010;53:636-640.
Ad hoc AG. Indoor air guideline values for saturated acyclic aliphatic C4-C11 aldehydes. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2009;52:650-659.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). 2014. Available online at: https://epa-bdcc.ornl.gov/Documents/SlopesandDosesMasterTableFinal.pdf. Accessed March 10, 2020.
Risk Assessment Information System (RAIS). University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge, TN, 2006. Available online at: https://rais.ornl.gov/. Accessed May 2, 2020.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Exposure factors handbook 2011 edition (Final Report). Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-09/052F, 2011. Available online at: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=236252. Accessed May 2, 2020.
De Brouwere K, Cornelis C. Protocol for the Selection of Health-Based Reference Values (RV) - Final Report. Boeretang: VITO NV; 2016.
Meek ME, Boobis AR, Crofton KM, Heinemeyer G, Van Raaij M, Vickers C. Risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals: a WHO/IPCS framework. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011;60(2):S1-S14.
Price PS, Han X. Maximum Cumulative Ratio (MCR) as a tool for assessing the value of performing a cumulative risk assessment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011;8(6):2212-2225.
Price P, Dhein E, Hamer M, et al. A decision tree for assessing effects from exposures to multiple substances. Environ Sci Eur. 2012;24(1):26.
Uhde E, Salthammer T. Impact of reaction products from building materials and furnishings on indoor air quality-a review of recent advances in indoor chemistry. Atmos Environ. 2007;41(15):3111-3128.
Wolkoff P, Nielsen GD. Effects by inhalation of abundant fragrances in indoor air - an overview. Environ Int. 2017;101:96-107.
Morawska L, Afshari A, Bae GN, et al. Indoor aerosols: from personal exposure to risk assessment. Indoor Air. 2013;23(6):462-487.
Ribéron J, Derbez M, Lethrosne M, Kirchner S. Impact of airing behaviour on air stuffiness in schools and daycare centres: development of a specific tool for ventilation management, 12th International conference on indoor air quality and climate, Austin (USA), June 5-10, 2011.
Batterman S. Review and extension of CO2-based methods to determine ventilation rates with application to school classrooms. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017;14(2):145.
IPCHEM. The European Commission's information platform for chemical monitoring data. 2015. Available online at: http://ipchem.jrc.ec.europa.eu/. Accessed April 6, 2020.
Kortenkamp A, Backhaus T, Faust M. State of the art report on mixture toxicity - final report (Study Contract No. 070307/2007/485103/ETU/D.1). Directorate General Environment, European Commission, Brussels. 2009. Available online at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/effects/pdf/report_mixture_toxicity.pdf. Accessed August 13, 2020.
De Brouwere K, Cornelis C, Arvanitis A, et al. Application of the maximum cumulative ratio (MCR) as a screening tool for the evaluation of mixtures in residential indoor air. Sci Total Environ. 2014;479:267-276.
Mishra N, Ayoko GA, Salthammer T, Morawska L. Evaluating the risk of mixtures in the indoor air of primary school classrooms. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2015;22(19):15080-15088.
WHO (World Health Organization). WHO Air Quality Guidelines for Particulate Matter, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide: Global Update 2005: Summary of Risk Assessment. Geneva, Switzerland, 2006.
Kelly FJ, Fussell JC. Size, source and chemical composition as determinants of toxicity attributable to ambient particulate matter. Atmos Environ. 2012;60:504-526.
Salthammer T, Uhde E, Schripp T, et al. Children’s well-being at schools: impact of climatic conditions and air pollution. Environ Int. 2016;94:196-210.
Wolkoff P. Indoor air humidity, air quality, and health - an overview. Int J Hyg Envir Health. 2018;221(3):376-390.
Building bulletin (BB) 101: guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools. 2018. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings. Accessed August 13, 2020.
Ad hoc AG. Health evaluation of carbon dioxide in indoor air. Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforsch. - Gesundheitsschutz. 2008;51:1358-1369.