A Practical Green Infrastructure Intervention to Mitigate Air Pollution in a UK School Playground

María del Carmen Redondo Bermúdez (), Rohit Chakraborty, Ross W. Cameron, Beverley J. Inkson and Maria Val Martin ()
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María del Carmen Redondo Bermúdez: Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
Rohit Chakraborty: Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
Ross W. Cameron: Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
Beverley J. Inkson: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
Maria Val Martin: Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-24

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 (NO 2 ) and particulate matter <2.5 µm in size (PM 2.5 ) 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 NO 2 and of 2% for PM 2.5 in the school playground after two years of plant establishment. Further reductions in NO 2 levels (25%) were observed during an exceptionally low mobility period (first COVID-19 lockdown); this is contrary to PM 2.5 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.

Keywords: air quality; air pollution; green infrastructure; green barrier; nature-based solutions; COVID-19 lockdown (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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