Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/499827
Title: Source apportionment and health risk assessment of suspended particulate matter (PM10) in school environment
Authors: Noorlin Mohamad (P59653)
Supervisor: Mohd Talib Latif, Prof. Dr.
Keywords: Health risk assessment
School environment
Health hazard
Air quality
Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia
Issue Date: 29-Feb-2016
Description: Indoor air quality is crucial in the school environment since children spend nearly one-third of their time in school buildings. Particulate matter is of special concern as it found ubiquitous in this environment and is particularly harmful to young children. This study aims to determine the chemical characterisation of particulate matter in schools, with special emphasis on source identification of indoor and outdoor particulates with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal 10 μm (PM10) using multivariate statistical analyses. The potential health hazard to school children was also evaluated using health risk assessment method. PM10 samples were collected from classrooms at a school of Jalan Raja Muda Primary School (KL) in Kuala Lumpur's city centre and Putrajaya Precint 14 Primary School (PJ) in the suburban city of Putrajaya over a period of 8-h for a period of January to November 2012 with a total of 88 samples. The PM10 samples were collected on Teflon filter papers using a portable low volume air sampler at a flow rate of 5 L/min. Outdoor PM10 samples were also collected from area outside of the school classrooms. Settled dust samples were also collected using small paint brush by gently sweeping from different surfaces in indoor classrooms and road surface. The composition of water-soluble ionic species (WSIS) and trace metals were analysed using ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), respectively. The results showed that the average PM10 concentration inside the classroom at the city centre school, KL (82 μg/m3) was higher than that from the suburban school, PJ (77 μg/m3). Most WSIS and trace metals were found higher indoors compared to the outdoors. The indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratio values for PM10 and elements which greater than one, indicating the presence of indoor sources. Results for the enrichment factor (EF) showed that Al, Zn and Cr were highly enriched (EF > 100) at both sites, suggesting the sources of these metals are related to local anthropogenic sources. Principal component analysis-absolute principal component scores (PCA-APCS) revealed that road dust (36%) and vehicle emissions (42%), respectively were the major sources of indoor and outdoor PM10 at school in the city centre (KL), while, indoor and outdoor PM10 collected at the suburban location (PJ) were dominated by road dust (55%) and biomass burning along with sea spray (43%), respectively. The hazard index (HI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) calculated based on the formula suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was found to be slightly higher than the acceptable level of 1 and 10-6- 0-4, respectively. Health risk estimates suggest that exposure to PM10 emissions in the school environment poses potential health threats to the children and adults. Therefore, closer attention is needed towards ensuring that the school environment is in safe and healthy condition so that the children's exposure to the pollutants can be reduce.,Certification of Master's/Doctoral Thesis" is not available
Pages: 148
Publisher: UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:Faculty of Science and Technology / Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi

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