An assessment of air quality in the vicinity of a selected school has been carried out by monitoring the concentrations of primary pollutants. The results has shown that during the school hours, the measured pollutants emitted from the cars next to the selected school, such as CO and NO(2), are always under the allowable limits for Kuwaiti air quality standards. On the other hand, the concentrations of non methane hydrocarbon pollutant (nm-HC), some of which are considered to be cancergenic, are found to be above the Kuwaiti standard most of the times. A traffic counter is used to record the number of cars in the main road next to the school in 15 min intervals for 10 days during the monitoring period for air quality. Statistical analysis is performed to develop a relation for prediction of the necessary reduction in traffic, based on CO concentrations, during morning and afternoon periods on working days. A computer dispersion model (CALINE4) is also used to assess the CO concentrations based on recorded flow of traffic and emission inventory with the prevailing meteorological conditions existed at the specified time. After the validation of model, different scenarios have been evaluated to provide an acceptable solution to resolve the traffic congestion problem near the schools in the early morning hours with substantial reduction in pollution levels. The optimal solution for CO concentration reduction by managing smooth traffic flow is to reduce the traffic intensity by half in early morning and afternoon rush hours. The results of the predicted CO concentration in the vicinity of the school for the model and the statistical analysis has shown reduction of 30% and 42% respectively, for approximately 50% decrease in the car use. On the other hand the predicted CO concentration for the model and the statistics reached 24% and 33% respectively when 50% of students opted for buses instead of using private cars.
The surrounding outdoor environment for new development has a big effect on the indoor quality of life. The main aim of this work was to determine the suitability of the area for building new schools with reference to electromagnetic field (EMF) effects. The specific objective of this study was to detect the safe distance from the EMF posed by the high-tension overhead power lines in the vicinity of the specified area. The measurements were taken for both the electric and magnetic fields in different months in order to detect the highest EMF levels during the peak power load season. EMDEX II with E-probe and EMDEX II with Linda were used for the measurements. These instruments were all calibrated by ENERTECH Company in USA. The EMF associated with high tension transmission lines that surrounded the proposed site has to be below 0.2 μT (Italian EMF regulations are the most suitable regulations for the establishment of schools in Kuwait). The safety clearance distance from the existing 300-kV high-tension power line has been assigned as 200 m and from other existing 132-kV high-tension power line was 50 m. The proposed site with its predefined boundaries has a magnetic field below the Italian EMF regulations for the establishment of new schools.
There is a growing concern in Kuwait for the air quality in the vicinity of schools. The problem exacerbates due to the peak time congestions, which adversely affect the traffic flow, and air quality. Several exceedances of certain primary pollutants have been observed during the peak periods in the country. Air quality in the vicinity of a governmental school was assessed in March 2006 for a period of two weeks using air pollution monitoring station which recorded continuously various pollutants' concentrations and meteorological variables in five minute intervals. The results show that during the weekdays, the measured pollutants emitted from the road traffic next to the selected school, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), were always under the allowable limits for Kuwaiti air quality standards except for a single exceedance of NO 2 concentration at morning hours. On the other hand, the values of non-methane hydrocarbon pollutants were found to be several times above the Kuwaiti air quality standards throughout the investigated period. The suspended particulates (PM 10) concentrations have exceeded twice the limits of Kuwaiti air quality standards. A traffic counter was used to record the number of cars in the main road next to the school in fifteen minute intervals for ten days during the monitoring period for air quality. Statistical analysis was used in order to test whether there is any correlation between variations in the CO concentrations and the traffic frequency during working days' morning and afternoon periods. A relation was developed for predicting the necessary reduction in traffic based on the necessary reduction in CO concentrations.
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