Assessment of CO(2) and aerosol (PM(2.5), PM(10), UFP) concentrations during the reopening of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of a metropolitan area in Central-Southern Spain

Public health authorities have been paramount in guaranteeing that adequate fresh air ventilation is promoted in classrooms to avoid SARS-CoV-2 transmission in educational environments. In this work it was aimed to assess ventilation conditions (carbon dioxide, CO(2)) and suspended particulate matter (PM(2.5), PM(10) and UFP) levels in 19 classrooms – including preschool, primary and secondary education – located in the metropolitan area of Ciudad Real, Central-Southern Spain, during the school’s reopening (from September 30th until October 27th, 2020) after about 7 months of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. The classrooms that presented the worst indoor environmental conditions, according to the highest peak of concentration obtained, were particularly explored to identify the possible influencing factors and respective opportunities for improvement. Briefly, findings suggested that although ventilation promoted through opening windows and doors according to official recommendations is guaranteeing adequate ventilation conditions in most of the studied classrooms, thus minimizing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission, a total of 5 (26%) surveyed classrooms were found to exceed the recommended CO(2) concentration limit value (700 ppm). In general, preschool rooms were the educational environments that registered better ventilation conditions, while secondary classrooms exhibited the highest peak and average CO(2) concentrations. In turn, for PM(2.5), PM(10) and UFP, the concentrations assessed in preschools were, on average about 2-fold greater than the levels obtained in both primary and secondary classrooms. In fact, the indoor PM(2.5) and PM(10) concentrations substantially exceeded the recommended limits of 8hr-exposure, established by WHO, in 63% and 32% of the surveyed classrooms, respectively. Overall, it is expected that the findings presented in this study will assist the establishment of evidence-based measures (namely based on ensuring proper ventilation rates and air filtration) to mitigate preventable environmental harm in public school buildings, mainly at local and national levels.