Health Risk Assessment of PM10 Exposure among School Children and the Proposed API Level for Closing the School during Haze in Malaysia

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to objectively quantify the potential inhaled dose of PM₁₀ associated with exposure at school and home microenvironments during haze. The result of the health risk assessment will be used to propose the API level for closing the school during haze episode.

Methods: To determine the potential inhaled dose, we have considered many factors that include time spent for specific physical intensity at school and home microenvironments, age-specific and physical intensity-specific inhalation rate (m³/min), and the indoor/outdoor ratio of PM₁₀.   A hypothetical haze scenario was created using the breakpoints of PM₁₀ concentration for calculation of respective API levels for advising the public during haze.

Results: When considering the specific exposure at each microenvironment (school and home), the potential inhaled dose of PM₁₀ was substantially lower when school is closed for both primary and secondary school. The calculated risk quotient (RQ) indicates that primary school children are likely to be affected at slightly lower PM₁₀ concentration (equivalent to API of 193) as compared to secondary school children (PM₁₀ concentration equivalent to API of 197).   Short duration of high physical activity intensity during school breaks has contributed to a large proportion of inhaled dose among school children indicating the important to avoid physical activities during haze.

Conclusions: Based on the assessment, taking into account the uncertainty of risk assessment methodology, we proposed school to be closed when API reach 190 for both primary and secondary schools.  These findings and recommendations are only valid for naturally ventilated school and applicable in the context of the current API calculation system and the existing Recommended Air Quality Guideline values in Malaysia.