IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i4p749-d140998.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Indoor Radon Exposure in Italian Schools

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Azara

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Marco Dettori

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Paolo Castiglia

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Andrea Piana

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Paolo Durando

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Genova, Piazza Manin, 16122 Genova, Italy)

  • Valentina Parodi

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Genova, Piazza Manin, 16122 Genova, Italy)

  • Giovanni Salis

    (ASSL Nuoro, ATS Sardegna, Via Monsignor Cogoni, 08100 Nuoro, Italy)

  • Laura Saderi

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Giovanni Sotgiu

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via P. Manzella, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to assess radon concentration in schoolrooms in a city located in the midwest of Italy. Methods: A two-phase environmental study was carried out in 19 school buildings of 16 primary, secondary, and tertiary schools. Results: Median (interquartile range—IQR) indoor radon concentration in schoolrooms was 91.6 (45.0–140.3) Bq/m 3 . The highest (median 952.8 Bq/m 3 ) radon concentration was found in one (3.6%) classroom, located in a building of a primary school whose median concentration was 185 Bq/m 3 . Radon concentration was significantly correlated with the number of students and teachers, foundation wall construction material, and with the absence of underground floors. A geopedological survey was performed close to the building with highest radon level, showing the presence of granite and tonalithic granodiorite in the soil. Conclusions: Radon levels should be routinely assessed where individuals live or work. Schools are susceptible targets, because of childhood stay and the long daily stay of occupants. Low-cost interventions, such as implementation of natural air ventilation and school maintenance, can reduce radon levels, limiting individual exposure.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Azara & Marco Dettori & Paolo Castiglia & Andrea Piana & Paolo Durando & Valentina Parodi & Giovanni Salis & Laura Saderi & Giovanni Sotgiu, 2018. "Indoor Radon Exposure in Italian Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:4:p:749-:d:140998
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/4/749/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/4/749/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pedro T. B. S. Branco & Rafael A. O. Nunes & Maria C. M. Alvim-Ferraz & Fernando G. Martins & Sofia I. V. Sousa, 2016. "Children’s Exposure to Radon in Nursery and Primary Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Juliana P. Sá & Pedro T. B. S. Branco & Maria C. M. Alvim-Ferraz & Fernando G. Martins & Sofia I. V. Sousa, 2017. "Evaluation of Low-Cost Mitigation Measures Implemented to Improve Air Quality in Nursery and Primary Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Stephanie Foster & Sherry Everett Jones, 2016. "Association of School District Policies for Radon Testing and Radon-Resistant New Construction Practices with Indoor Radon Zones," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-5, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Marco Gola & Gaetano Settimo & Stefano Capolongo, 2020. "How Can Design Features and Other Factors Affect the Indoor Air Quality in Inpatient Rooms? Check-Lists for the Design Phase, Daily Procedures and Maintenance Activities for Reducing the Air Concentra," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Antonella Arghittu & Marco Dettori & Antonio Azara & Davide Gentili & Antonello Serra & Bruno Contu & Paolo Castiglia, 2020. "Flu Vaccination Attitudes, Behaviours, and Knowledge among Health Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, May.
    3. Kelsey Gordon & Paul D. Terry & Xingxing Liu & Tiffany Harris & Don Vowell & Bud Yard & Jiangang Chen, 2018. "Radon in Schools: A Brief Review of State Laws and Regulations in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-9, September.
    4. Stefano Capolongo & Andrea Rebecchi & Marco Dettori & Letizia Appolloni & Antonio Azara & Maddalena Buffoli & Lorenzo Capasso & Alessandra Casuccio & Gea Oliveri Conti & Alessandro D’Amico & Margherit, 2018. "Healthy Design and Urban Planning Strategies, Actions, and Policy to Achieve Salutogenic Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Katja Kojo & Päivi Kurttio, 2020. "Indoor Radon Measurements in Finnish Daycare Centers and Schools—Enforcement of the Radiation Act," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-9, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alesia Ferguson & Rosalind Penney & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2017. "A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Katja Kojo & Päivi Kurttio, 2020. "Indoor Radon Measurements in Finnish Daycare Centers and Schools—Enforcement of the Radiation Act," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-9, April.
    3. Kelsey Gordon & Paul D. Terry & Xingxing Liu & Tiffany Harris & Don Vowell & Bud Yard & Jiangang Chen, 2018. "Radon in Schools: A Brief Review of State Laws and Regulations in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-9, September.
    4. Juliana P. Sá & Pedro T. B. S. Branco & Maria C. M. Alvim-Ferraz & Fernando G. Martins & Sofia I. V. Sousa, 2017. "Evaluation of Low-Cost Mitigation Measures Implemented to Improve Air Quality in Nursery and Primary Schools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, May.
    5. Alesia Ferguson & Helena Solo-Gabriele, 2016. "Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: An Editorial Reflection of Articles in the IJERPH Special Issue Entitled, “Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-10, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:4:p:749-:d:140998. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.