Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society
Abstract Children's exposure to air pollution affects both their health and learning skills. Fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM1), notably issued from traffic sources in urban centers, belong to the most potential harmful health hazards. However their monitoring and the society�...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | GeoHealth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000633 |
| _version_ | 1828235837158981632 |
|---|---|
| author | A. d. S. Leite S. Rousse J.‐F. Léon R. I. F. Trindade S. Haoues‐Jouve C. Carvallo M. Dias‐Alves A. Proietti E. Nardin M. Macouin |
| author_facet | A. d. S. Leite S. Rousse J.‐F. Léon R. I. F. Trindade S. Haoues‐Jouve C. Carvallo M. Dias‐Alves A. Proietti E. Nardin M. Macouin |
| author_sort | A. d. S. Leite |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Children's exposure to air pollution affects both their health and learning skills. Fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM1), notably issued from traffic sources in urban centers, belong to the most potential harmful health hazards. However their monitoring and the society's awareness on their dangers need to be consolidated. In this study, raising teacher and pupil involvement for air quality improvement in their schools environment is reached through developing a passive monitoring technique (bio‐sensors made of tree bark). The experiment was implemented in two urban elementary schools situated close to a main traffic road of the city of Toulouse (South of France). Magnetic properties, carbonaceous fraction measurements, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM‐EDX) investigations were realized both on passive bio‐sensors and filters issued from active sampling. We find that traffic is the main PM1 source for both outdoors and indoors at schools. Higher levels of outdoor PM in the school's environments compared to urban background are reached especially in the cold period. The schools proximity to a main traffic source and lack of ventilation are the main causes for observed PM1 accumulation in classrooms. The co‐working experiment with educational teams and pupils shows that the use of bio‐sensors is a driver for children empowerment to air pollution and therefore represents a potential key tool for the teachers though limiting eco‐anxiety. As PM accumulation is observed in many scholar environments across Europe, the proposed methodology is a step toward a better assessment of PM impact on pupil's health and learning skills. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:21:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6621bcfcf830484bb0171c01edbe22d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T20:21:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj.art-6621bcfcf830484bb0171c01edbe22d92022-12-22T03:17:58ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032022-09-0169n/an/a10.1029/2022GH000633Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to SocietyA. d. S. Leite0S. Rousse1J.‐F. Léon2R. I. F. Trindade3S. Haoues‐Jouve4C. Carvallo5M. Dias‐Alves6A. Proietti7E. Nardin8M. Macouin9Géosciences Environnement Toulouse CNRS IRD Université Toulouse 3 CNES Toulouse FranceGéosciences Environnement Toulouse CNRS IRD Université Toulouse 3 CNES Toulouse FranceLaboratoire d’Aérologie CNRS Université Toulouse 3 Toulouse FranceDepartamento de Geofísica Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo BrazilLaboratoire Interdisciplinaire Solidarités Sociétés Territoires CNRS Université Toulouse 2 EHESS ENSFEA Toulouse FranceInstitut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie UMR 7590 Sorbonne Université Paris FranceLaboratoire d’Aérologie CNRS Université Toulouse 3 Toulouse FranceCentre de Microcaractérisation Raimond Castaing Université Toulouse 3 Toulouse FranceGéosciences Environnement Toulouse CNRS IRD Université Toulouse 3 CNES Toulouse FranceGéosciences Environnement Toulouse CNRS IRD Université Toulouse 3 CNES Toulouse FranceAbstract Children's exposure to air pollution affects both their health and learning skills. Fine and ultrafine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM1), notably issued from traffic sources in urban centers, belong to the most potential harmful health hazards. However their monitoring and the society's awareness on their dangers need to be consolidated. In this study, raising teacher and pupil involvement for air quality improvement in their schools environment is reached through developing a passive monitoring technique (bio‐sensors made of tree bark). The experiment was implemented in two urban elementary schools situated close to a main traffic road of the city of Toulouse (South of France). Magnetic properties, carbonaceous fraction measurements, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM‐EDX) investigations were realized both on passive bio‐sensors and filters issued from active sampling. We find that traffic is the main PM1 source for both outdoors and indoors at schools. Higher levels of outdoor PM in the school's environments compared to urban background are reached especially in the cold period. The schools proximity to a main traffic source and lack of ventilation are the main causes for observed PM1 accumulation in classrooms. The co‐working experiment with educational teams and pupils shows that the use of bio‐sensors is a driver for children empowerment to air pollution and therefore represents a potential key tool for the teachers though limiting eco‐anxiety. As PM accumulation is observed in many scholar environments across Europe, the proposed methodology is a step toward a better assessment of PM impact on pupil's health and learning skills.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000633environmental magnetismcitizen scienceschool environmentparticulate mattercarbonaceous speciesair quality |
| spellingShingle | A. d. S. Leite S. Rousse J.‐F. Léon R. I. F. Trindade S. Haoues‐Jouve C. Carvallo M. Dias‐Alves A. Proietti E. Nardin M. Macouin Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society GeoHealth environmental magnetism citizen science school environment particulate matter carbonaceous species air quality |
| title | Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society |
| title_full | Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society |
| title_fullStr | Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society |
| title_short | Barking up the Right Tree: Using Tree Bark to Track Airborne Particles in School Environment and Link Science to Society |
| title_sort | barking up the right tree using tree bark to track airborne particles in school environment and link science to society |
| topic | environmental magnetism citizen science school environment particulate matter carbonaceous species air quality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GH000633 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adsleite barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT srousse barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT jfleon barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT riftrindade barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT shaouesjouve barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT ccarvallo barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT mdiasalves barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT aproietti barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT enardin barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety AT mmacouin barkinguptherighttreeusingtreebarktotrackairborneparticlesinschoolenvironmentandlinksciencetosociety |