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Environ Res

Title:		Air quality around schools: Part I - A comprehensive literature review across high-income countries
Author(s):		Osborne S; Uche O; Mitsakou C; Exley K; Dimitroulopoulou S;
Address:		"Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK. Air Quality & Public Health Group, Environmental Hazards and Emergencies Department, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Oxon, OX11 0RQ, UK. Electronic address: Sani.Dimitroulopoulou@phe.gov.uk"
Journal Title:		Environ Res
Year:		2021
Volume:		20210130
Issue:
Page Number:		110817 -
DOI:		10.1016/j.envres.2021.110817
ISSN/ISBN:		1096-0953 (Electronic) 0013-9351 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Children are particularly vulnerable to the detrimental health impacts of poor air quality. In the UK, recent initiatives at local council level have focussed on mitigating children's air pollution exposure at school. However, an overview of the available evidence on concentration and exposure in school environments - and a summary of key knowledge gaps - has so far been lacking. To address this, we conducted a review bringing together recent academic and grey literature, relating to air quality in outdoor school environments - including playgrounds, drop-off zones, and the school commute - across high-income countries. We aimed to critically assess, synthesise, and categorise the available literature, to produce recommendations on future research and mitigating actions. Our searches initially identified 883 articles of interest, which were filtered down in screening and appraisal to a final total of 100 for inclusion. Many of the included studies focussed on nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), and particulate matter (PM) in both the coarse and fine fractions, around schools across a range of countries. Some studies also observed ozone (O(3)) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) outside schools. Our review identified evidence that children can encounter pollution peaks on the school journey, at school gates, and in school playgrounds; that nearby traffic is a key determinant of concentrations outside schools; and that factors relating to planning and urban design - such as the type of playground paving, and amount of surrounding green space - can influence school site concentrations. The review also outlines evidence gaps that can be targeted in future research. These include the need for more personal monitoring studies that distinguish between the exposure that takes place indoors and outdoors at school, and a need for a greater number of studies that conduct before-after evaluation of local interventions designed to mitigate children's exposure, such as green barriers and road closures. Finally, our review also proposes some tangible recommendations for policymakers and local leaders. The creation of clean air zones around schools; greening of school grounds; careful selection of new school sites; promotion of active travel to and from school; avoidance of major roads on the school commute; and scheduling of outdoor learning and play away from peak traffic hours, are all advocated by the evidence collated in this review"
Keywords:		"*Air Pollutants/analysis *Air Pollution/analysis *Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis Child Developed Countries Environmental Monitoring Humans Particulate Matter/analysis Schools Children Commuting Exposure Outdoor air pollution School;"
Notes:		"MedlineOsborne, Stephanie Uche, Onyekachi Mitsakou, Christina Exley, Karen Dimitroulopoulou, Sani eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review Netherlands 2021/02/02 Environ Res. 2021 May; 196:110817. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110817. Epub 2021 Jan 30"