Protocol for monitoring air quality around schools

High levels of air pollution, including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in urban areas, are linked to increased disease and mortality, particularly impacting children. That’s why, protecting environments where children spend much of their time, like schools, is important. 

This protocol, developed with ISGlobal, outlines a simple method for citizens to monitor NO₂ levels to measure air quality in school environments. It is designed for anyone interested from school or community groups. The protocol establishes a standardised process for monitoring and interpreting NO₂ levels, and can be adapted for other citizen science projects. 

As described in this protocol, there is a consensus that passive diffusion tubes are the best practice method for understanding traffic-related air pollution locally and within school environments. This is a cheap, simple method to assess NO₂ exposure during a defined time period, and it can complement government monitoring sources.