Redondo Bermúdez, M.D.C., Chakraborty, R. orcid.org/0000-0002-1063-2330, Cameron, R.W. et al. (2 more authors) (2023) A practical green infrastructure intervention to mitigate air pollution in a UK school playground. Sustainability, 15 (2). 1075. ISSN 2071-1050
Abstract
Air pollution severely compromises children’s health and development, causing physical and mental implications. We have explored the use of site-specific green infrastructure (green barriers) in a school playground in Sheffield, UK, as an air-pollution-mitigation measure to improve children’s environment. The study assessed air quality pre-post intervention and compared it with two control sites. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter <2.5 µm in size (PM2.5) concentration change was assessed via three methods: (1) continuous monitoring with fixed devices (de-seasonalised); (2) monthly monitoring with diffusion tubes (spatial analysis); (3) intermittent monitoring with a mobile device at children’s height (spatial analysis). De-seasonalised results indicate a reduction of 13% for NO2 and of 2% for PM2.5 in the school playground after two years of plant establishment. Further reductions in NO2 levels (25%) were observed during an exceptionally low mobility period (first COVID-19 lockdown); this is contrary to PM2.5 levels, which increased. Additionally, particles captured by a green barrier plant, Hedera helix ‘Woerner’, were observed and analysed using SEM/EDX techniques. Particle elemental analysis suggested natural and potential anthropogenic origins, potentially signalling vehicle traffic. Overall, green barriers are a valid complementary tool to improve school air quality, with quantifiable and significant air pollution changes even in our space-constrained site.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 by the authors. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | air quality; air pollution; green infrastructure; green barrier; nature-based solutions; COVID-19 lockdown |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 09 Feb 2023 16:29 |
Last Modified: | 09 Feb 2023 16:29 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | MDPI AG |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3390/su15021075 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:196142 |