Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University, P.O. Box. 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University, P.O. Box. 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
Environ Monit Assess. 2024 Nov 25;196(12):1249. doi: 10.1007/s10661-024-13417-0.
The detrimental consequences of air pollution on people, particularly vulnerable groups like children, have drawn a lot of attention globally. Studies on the levels and sources of particulate matter (PM and PM) and inorganic gaseous pollutants (NO, CO, and SO) in primary schools in Africa, including Ethiopia, are scanty. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the levels of particulate matter and inorganic gaseous pollutants in primary schools in Hawassa, Ethiopia, and assess potential health risks. The levels of PM and PM were determined using a portable gas monitor device (HoldPeak Laser PM meter, HP 5800D), whereas NO, CO, and SO levels were determined using the Aeroqual Series 500 Portable Air Quality Monitor (Aeroqual Ltd., New Zealand). The levels of PM, PM, and NO in all sampling sites ranged from 11-66.3, 30.8-399.7, and 60.5-152 µg/m, respectively. The levels of PM and PM were found to be above the World Health Organization recommendations in 55% and 85% of the sampling sites, respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for PM and PM ranged from 0.3 to 3.2 and 0.2 to 1.1, respectively. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at 40% and 30% of the outdoor sampling sites was unhealthy for sensitive groups due to exposure to PM and PM, respectively. The levels of PM and PM, as well as the AQI and HQ values, indicate a poor condition of the air in the schools, especially in the schools near busy traffic roads.
空气污染对人体的有害影响，尤其是对儿童等脆弱群体的影响，在全球范围内引起了广泛关注。然而，关于非洲，包括埃塞俄比亚，小学中颗粒物（PM 和 PM）和无机气态污染物（NO、CO 和 SO）的水平和来源的研究相对较少。因此，本研究旨在确定埃塞俄比亚 Hawassa 小学中颗粒物和无机气态污染物的水平，并评估潜在的健康风险。PM 和 PM 的水平使用便携式气体监测设备（HoldPeak 激光 PM 计，HP 5800D）来确定，而 NO、CO 和 SO 的水平则使用 Aeroqual Series 500 便携式空气质量监测仪（Aeroqual Ltd.，新西兰）来确定。所有采样点的 PM、PM 和 NO 水平分别在 11-66.3、30.8-399.7 和 60.5-152 µg/m 之间。在 55%和 85%的采样点中，PM 和 PM 的水平分别高于世界卫生组织的建议值。PM 和 PM 的危害商（HQ）值分别在 0.3 到 3.2 和 0.2 到 1.1 之间。由于暴露于 PM 和 PM，40%和 30%的室外采样点的空气质量指数（AQI）对敏感群体来说不健康。PM 和 PM 的水平、AQI 和 HQ 值表明，学校，特别是靠近繁忙交通道路的学校，的空气质量较差。
