On April 12, a seminar entitled “Indoor air quality in school environments” was held at the I.S.S. “Galileo Galilei” in Bolzano. The students of the course the course “Chimica e Biotecnologie Ambientali e Sanitarie” of the Istituto Tecnologico “Galileo Galilei” and the course “Costruzione-Territorio-Ambiente” of the ITCAT “A. and P. Delai” presented the first results of the air quality monitoring carried out in school environments. The study, coordinated by prof. Modenese and Pellizzari, aims at determining the indoor air quality and the variables by which it is influenced.
Eco Research has promoted and collaborated in the project carrying out the student training in class and in its laboratory to perform the air sampling and analysis. The following parameters were determined: the concentration of CO2, TVOC (total volatile organic compounds), aldehydes, PM 10 and PM 2.5 particulate matter, the measurement of temperature and relative humidity, as well as the efficiency of the air purifiers. The results of the monitoring allowed the elaboration of a strategy to improve air quality present inside school environments, with positive effects on the health status of students, teachers, and school staff.
Prof. Settimo of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, host of the event, enriched the seminar by discussing the correct strategies to monitor indoor air in school structures, useful both for the correct measurement, acquisition, verification, and evaluation of biochemical pollutants, and for the development of specific prevention protocols. As clarified by Prof. Settimo, even though reference values to establish indoor air quality are not established at a legislative level, it is important to elaborate technical-scientific documents to support harmonized actions, but mostly to train the technicians of the future on this topic, given the growing importance of health issues related to air quality.
