A case study on the source apportionment of indoor air quality at a kindergarten in eastern Peninsular Malaysia using cluster analysis

Indoor air quality is an important concern for kindergartener because young children are more vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. Poor indoor air quality can cause respiratory problems and other health issues, which can negatively affect a child's ability to learn and grow. Aim of this study is to determine the trend and status of indoor air pollutants in study areas by using descriptive statistics and cluster analysis. Air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), air movement (AM), carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), and particulate matter (PM) are the monitored parameters. Monitoring was carried out in the kindergarten for three consecutive days starting from 8.00am to 12.00pm. Indoor carbon dioxide readings were higher at 0800 when parents drove to kindergarten to drop off their children without turning off the engine. In addition to this, the PM10 reading at 1000 was high but still within the standard range according to ICOP-IAQ 2010. The findings highlight the importance of indoor air quality improvement measures for kindergarten buildings which can be used to improve indoor air quality in kindergarten environments.