Indoor air quality in primary schools

• Author(s): Freitas, Maria do Carmo ; Canha, Nuno ; Martinho, Maria ; Almeida-Silva, Marina ; Almeida, Susana Marta ; Pegas, Priscilla ; Alves, Célia ; Pio, Casimiro ; Trancoso, Maria Ascensão ; Sousa, Rita ; Mouro, Filomena ; Contreiras, Teresa
• Date: 2011
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/1076
• Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
• Subject(s): Saúde ambiental; Poluição do ar; Qualidade do ar interior; Meio escolar; Environmental health; Air pollution; Indoor air quality; Classroom
• Document Type: Part of book or chapter of book
• Language: English

Description

Clean air is a basic requirement of life. The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has been the object of several studies due to an increasing concern within the scientific community on the effects of indoor air quality upon health, especially as people tend to spend more time indoors than outdoors. The quality of air inside homes, offices, schools or other private and public buildings is an essential determinant of healthy life and people’s well-being. People can be exposed to contaminants by inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact. In the past, scientists have paid much attention to the study of exposure to outdoor air contaminants, because they have realised the seriousness of outdoor air pollution problems. However, each indoor microenvironment has unique characteristics, determined by the local outdoor air, specific building characteristics and indoor activities. Indeed, hazardous substances are emitted from buildings, construction materials and indoor equipment or due to human activities indoors.