An Assessment of Air Pollution Status in High Schools Situated in Coal Mining Areas of South Africa

Globally, coal combustion and mining activities contribute to air pollution problems which could result in various adverse health effects. In South Africa, little is known about these effects, especially among children. This study therefore assessed the levels of certain air pollutants which are commonly linked with coal combustion and mining activities. A cross-sectional study design was adopted. Five schools were purposively selected for this study. Air samples were collected from within and outside the classrooms. Radiello® samplers were used to measure the levels of Sulphur dioxide (SO₂), Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and Ozone (O₃) while filter pumps were employed for Lead (Pb). Standard laboratory analytical methods were employed for the analysis. The results revealed that SO₂, NO₂, and O₃ were detected within and outside the classrooms at various levels. The concentration of SO₂ within the classroom ranged from 3.0 to 38 µg/m³. As expected, the levels of SO₃ found outside the classroom were much higher, ranging from 17 to 84 µg/m³. Incidentally, Lead (Pb) levels were generally < 0.007 mg/m³ and were only determined at one of the schools due to instruments' instability at other sampling sites.