The objective of this study is to present and analyse the indoor and outdoor temporal variability of the particulate matters of different sizes (namely: PM10, with diameter less than 10 µm; PM7, with diameter less than 7 µm; PM2.5, with diameter less than 2.5 µm and PM1, with diameter less than 1 µm) found in Athens, Greece. Four detectors were used for indoor and outdoor recordings. More specifically, the indoor recordings were performed in seminar rooms, full of students attending lectures, at the University of Athens and the Technological Education Institute of Piraeus. Findings of this research show that on one hand, the indoor particulate matter concentrations remained at lower levels than the thresholds set by the European Council Directives, but on the other hand, the outdoor particulate matter concentrations exceeded the thresholds many times.
ZhuYHindsWCKimSSioutasC: Concentration and size distribution of ultrafine particles near a major highway: J Air Waste Manage2002;52:1032–1042.
2.
SioutasCDelfinoRJSinghM: Exposure assessment for atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFP) and implications in epidemiological research: Environ Health Perspect2005;113:947–955.
3.
DominiciFMcDermottADanielsMZegerSLSametJM: Revised analyses of the national morbidity, mortality, and air pollution study: Mortality among residents of 90 cities: J Toxicol Env Health Part A2005;68:1071–1092.
4.
SeatonAMacNeeWDonaldsonKGoddenD: Particulate air pollution and acute health effects: Lancet1995;345:176–178.
5.
NagSGuptaAKMukhopadhyayUK: Size distribution of atmospheric aerosols in Kolkata, India and the assessment of pulmonary deposition of particulate mass: Indoor Built Environ2005;14(5):381–389.
6.
SilversAFlorenceBTRourkeDLLorimorRJ: How children spend their time: A sample survey for use of the exposure and risk assessment: Risk Anal1994;14:931–944.
7.
FarrowATaylorHGoldingJ: Time spent in the home by different family members: Environ. Technol1997;18:605–613.
8.
9.
PopeCABurnettRTThunMJCalleEEKrewskiDItoK: Lung cancer, cardiopulmonary mortality, and long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution: J Am Med Assoc2002;287:1132–1141.
10.
FranchiniMMannucciPM: Short-term effects of air pollution on cardiovascular diseases: Outcomes and mechanisms: J Thromb Haemost2007;5:2169–2174.
11.
ChenLMengersenKLTongS: Spatiotemporal relationship between particle air pollution and respiratory emergency hospital admissions in Brisbane, Australia: Sci Total Environ2007;373:57–67.
12.
SamoliENastosPTPaliatsosAGKatsouyanniKPriftisKN: Acute effects of air pollution on pediatric asthma exacerbation: Evidence of association and effect modification: Environ Res2012;111:418–424.
13.
NastosPTPaliatsosAGAnthracopoulosMBRomaESPriftisKN: Outdoor particulate matter and childhood asthma admissions in Athens, Greece: A time-series study: Environ Health2010;9(1):45.
14.
GrigoropoulosKNNastosPTFerentinosGGialourisAVassiliouTMavroidakosJAvgeriDKalabokisVSaratsiotisD: Seasonal spatial distribution of PM1 and health impacts in the greater Athens area: Fres Environ Bull2008;17:1426–1431.
15.
HabilMTanejaA: Children’s exposure to particulate matter in naturally ventilated schools in India: Indoor Built Environ2011;20(4):430–448.
16.
SiskosPABoubaKEStroubouAP: Determination of selected pollutants and measurement of physical parameters for the evaluation of indoor air quality in school buildings in Athens, Greece: Indoor Built Environ2001;10:185–192.
17.
18.
19.
DiapouliEChaloulakouASpyrellisN: Indoor and outdoor particulate matter concentrations at schools in the Athens area: Indoor Built Environ2007;16:55–61.
20.
DiapouliEChaloulakouAMihalopoulosNSpyrellisN: Indoor and outdoor PM mass and number concentrations at schools in the Athens area: Environ Monit Assess2008;136:13–20.
21.
MorawskaLHeCHitchinsJGilbertDParappukkaranS: The relationship between indoor and outdoor airborne particles in the residential environment: Atmos Environ2001;35:3463–3473.
22.
KulmalaMAsmiAPirjolaL: Indoor air aerosol model: The effect of outdoor air, filtration and ventilation on indoor concentrations: Atmos Environ1999;33:2133–2144.
23.
KosmopoulosPGKaskaoutisDGNastosPTKambezidisHD: Seasonal variation of columnar aerosol optical properties over Athens, Greece, based on MODIS data: Remote Sens Environ2008;112:2354–2366.
24.
PapagiannisABalisDAmiridisVChourdakisGTsaknakisGZerefosCCastanhoADANickovicSKazadzisSGrabowskiJ: Measurements of Saharan dust aerosols over the Eastern Mediterranean using elastic backscatter-Raman lidar, spectrophotometric and satellite observations in the frame of the EARLINET project: Atmos Chem Phys Discuss2005;5:2065–2079.
25.
GrigoropoulosKNNastosPTFeredinosG: Spatial distribution of PM1 and PM10 during Saharan dust episodes in Athens, Greece: Adv Sci Res2009;3:59–62.
