Exposure from particle and ionic contamination to children in schools of India

The high levels of indoor particulate matter in developing countries and the apparent scale of its impact on the global burden of disease underline the importance of particulate matter as an environmental health risk and the consequent need for monitoring them particularly in indoor school microenvironments. The concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0, were measured along with ionic concentrations K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, SO42–, NO3–, Cl– and F– collected from settled dust in the indoor–outdoor environment of roadside and residentially located schools in Agra City, from January to May 2008–09. Along with PM concentrations at the roadside and residentially located schools meteorological parameters like temperature, humidity, and wind speed and air exchange rate was also calculated during the study period. The enrichment factor was calculated using Ca as a reference to the trace ionic species to identify the sources. Principle component analysis showed three to two factors inside and three factors outside the classrooms of the roadside and residentially located schools. These factors reflected sources like soil dust, road dust, vehicle emissions, anthropogenic sources, industrial emissions, metal processes, and incineration activities and their contributions were estimated using principal component analysis. Symptoms like asthma, dizziness, coughing, itching, eye irritation, shortness of breath, headache, cold and flu were observed. Measurements of such exposure levels would be helpful in the prevention of environmental risks to school children.