A CASE STUDY OF THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS BELONGING TO AN AREA OF THE SICILIAN ISLAND INTERESTED BY THE PRESENCE OF PETROCHEMICAL REFINERIES

Abstract

The indoor environmental quality is a topic particularly relevant for schools; this category of confined environments is, indeed, occupied by subjects (i.e. children), which are thought to be more vulnerable than adults to the negative health effects of poor indoor air quality, and whose learning process has long been recognized to be influenced by the quality of the indoor environment. This paper presents results of a study concerning the inside air quality of schools in four small towns sited in the southern part of Sicily, interested by the presence of a petrochemical refinery in the surrounding territory. The performed analysis made it possible to highlight the main criticalities regarding the recorded concentration levels of the monitored pollutants and to draw some interesting considerations about the link between indoor and outdoor air conditions with particular reference to such category of enclosed environments.