Investigation of indoor and outdoor air quality of the classrooms at a school in Serbia

The air inside schools can be more polluted than the air outside. The purpose of this study was to investigate the air quality in primary school placed in town at the east of Serbia. The characterization of air pollution concentration was performed with main goal to determine relationship between indoor and outdoor air pollution within five classrooms. The measurements were conducted continuously in indoor and outdoor environment for period of 10 days. The standard sampling and analytical methods were applied (gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry). This paper presents and analyses concentrations of different physical and chemical pollutants in the indoor and outdoor environment: respirable particulate matter with different diameters (up to 2.5 mu m and 10 mu m), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in particulate matters up to 10 mu m, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, ozone, carbon-dioxide and nitric-dioxide. It was found, in one class, that the concentration of particulate matter with diameter up to 10 and 2.5 microns as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in particulate matters up to 10 mu m were higher in indoor environment than in outdoor. The average value of formaldehyde in all classrooms was significantly higher than recommended value. On the basis of received results, extensive school renovation program can be recommended. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.