Indoor air pollutants in schools: nasal patency and biomarkers in nasal lavage
Abstract
Background There is growing concern about the respiratory health aspects of the indoor air quality in schools. Methods A standardized investigation, including nasal lavage (NAL), measurement of the nasal cavity by acoustic rhinometry, and hygienic measurements of airborne pollutants, was performed in classrooms, outside the pollen season. All 279 school personnel working in the main buildings of 12 randomly selected primary schools in an urban community in central Sweden (Uppsala) were invited to enroll in the study; 234 (84%) participated. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), lysozyme, and albumin were analyzed in NAL fluid. Crude statistical analysis, as well as multiple regression analysis, was performed, controlling for room temperature, age, sex, current smoking, and a history of atopy. Results Most classrooms (83%) did not meet the Swedish ventilation standards. A lower degree of nasal patency was found at higher concentrations of respirable dust, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), formaldehyde, and total molds, and in the presence of Aspergillus spp. in the classroom air. The most consistent findings were observed for formaldehyde, NO2, and Aspergillus spp., related to both decreased nasal patency and increase of ECP and lysozyme in NAL. The presence of yeast was associated with an increase of ECP and lysozyme in NAL, but was not related to nasal patency. Conclusions Ventilation flow was below current hygienic standards in the classrooms. Air pollutants in th…
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Failure to prevent or respond promptly to indoor air quality problems can increase short- and long-term health outcomes.
“Failure to prevent or respond promptly to indoor air quality (IAQ) problems can increase short-and long-term health outcomes (Norbäck et al., 2000;Simoni et al., 2006;Tillet, 2010;Simoni et al., 2010), impact both teacher and student's attendance, comfort and performance (Gilliland et al., 2001;Shaughnessy et al., 2006;Mohai et al., 2011), and accelerate the deterioration of school buildings and”
From Comfort Parameters and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in School Classrooms and Outdoor Air (2013) · cites this paper as Norbäck et al., 2000
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Horner, W. E., Helbling, A., Salvaggio, J. E., & Lehrer, S. B. (1995) · Clinical Microbiology Reviews · doi:10.1128/cmr.8.2.161 · Cited by 492 · see citing works
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Mendell, M. J., & Heath, G. A. (2005) · Indoor Air · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00320.x · Cited by 1,034 · see citing works
Comfort Parameters and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in School Classrooms and Outdoor Air
Alves, C., Nunes, T., Silva, J., & Duarte, M. (2013) · Aerosol and Air Quality Research · doi:10.4209/aaqr.2012.11.0321 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
“Failure to prevent or respond promptly to indoor air quality (IAQ) problems can increase short-and long-term health outcomes (Norbäck et al. , 2000; Simoni et al. , 2006; Tillet, 2010; Simoni et al. , 2010), impact both teacher and student’s attendance, comfort and performance (Gilliland et al. ,…”
- Authors
- Norbäck, D., Wålinder, R., Wieslander, G., Smedje, G., Erwall, C., & Venge, P.
- Affiliations
- Uppsala University (SE)
- Uppsala University Hospital (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Norbäck, D.
- Venue
- Allergy
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2000-02
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 163-170
- ISSN
- 0105-4538 (ISSN-L)
- 1398-9995
- OpenAlex
- W1987468233
- Cited by
- 102
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Allergy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Immunology and Allergy › Allergic Rhinitis and Sensitization
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Keywords
- indoor air quality, school classrooms, nasal patency, eosinophil cationic protein, myeloperoxidase, lysozyme, Aspergillus, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, respirable dust, mold exposure, ventilation standards, nasal mucosa inflammation, school staff
- MeSH terms
- Air Pollutants, Albumins, Blood Proteins, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Middle Aged, Muramidase, Peroxidase, Nasal Cavity, Pulmonary Ventilation, Ribonucleases, Schools, Sweden, Air Pollution, Indoor, Nasal Lavage Fluid, Inflammation Mediators, Eosinophil Granule Proteins
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