Indoor air quality in day-care centres: a global review
With children being more vulnerable to the effects of poor IAQ, this review provides a global overview of the predominant indoor chemical pollutant levels in DCCs and proposes strategies for enhancing IAQ.
Full reference of the article: Anake WU, Nnamani EA. Indoor air quality in day-care centres: a global review. Air Qual Atmos Health. 2023 Feb 15:1-26. doi: 10.1007/s11869-023-01320-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36819788; PMCID: PMC9930043.
The article in bullet points : what you need to know
- 37 articles related to indoor air quality (IAQ) that children experience in day care centres (DCCs) were reviewed, with Europe and Asia publishing most studies on this topic.
- Poor IAQ characterizes most of the DCCs, as evident in the high concentrations of the investigated pollutants exceeding the WHO and available regulations.
- Improving source control, educating preschool administrators about indoor air quality management and the appropriate use of low-cost sensors and mobile analytical equipment were among recommendations to improve the situation.
Full Article Summary
A healthy indoor environment is critical for children due to the severe effect of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) on their overall well-being. Day-care centres (DCCs) are important indoor microenvironments for children apart from their homes. Therefore, monitoring IAQ in this microenvironment is vital because of the vulnerability of the occupants.
This review gives a global overview of the predominant indoor chemical pollutant levels monitored in DCCs, compares their concentration with available regulations for IAQ, evaluates the sources and health risk effects of chemical pollutants and proposes strategies for enhancing IAQ in DCCs. Thirty-seven (37) articles were used based on specific stated inclusion and exclusion criteria. Continents like Europe and Asia have the most published studies in indoor DCCs.
The decreasing trend of pollutants examined in most studies include particulate matter > carbon dioxide > formaldehyde > carbon monoxide > total volatile organic compounds > volatile organic compounds > nitrogen dioxide > ozone > benzene > sulphur dioxide = radon. Particulate matter in the size and mass concentration range of PM10(0.116-1920.71 μg/m3) > PM2.5 (0.279.2-260.74 μg/m3) was the most investigated pollutant. While nitrogen dioxide, radon and carbon monoxide were consistent with the existing national and international reference values for IAQ across the continents, exceedances occurred in other pollutants.
The limited number of indoor chemical pollutant studies suggests the need for more comprehensive studies on IAQ in DCC globally. Further studies should highlight the availability of low-cost sensors and mobile analytical equipment that will promote affordable ground-level data accessibility.