Question: What will you spend the 500 pounds on

Sarah Naylor answered on 6 Mar 2018:

When I worked at Doncaster Council I undertook some diffusion tube projects with interested schools in the area (follow this link for a nice description of what a diffusion tube is: http://lovecleanair.org/about-air-quality/how-pollutants-measured/diffusion-tubes/#.Wp6Wu2dLH4g).
With the £500 I propose to conduct a similar project using diffusion tubes to measure nitrogen dioxide concentrations around the grounds at a couple of schools located in areas of poor air quality. I would propose to use diffusion tubes to monitor at least three different outdoor areas around the school to see what the air is like for the students to breathe. I would like to conduct it as an experience with the students hypothesising where they believe the air quality will be the worst and where it will be the best and why. We may even try and guess what the levels are likely to be. I would like to be involved to explain what air quality is, why it is important, what we can do about it and finally to present the final results and what these really mean.
You can’t see or smell air pollution so it tends not to be at the forefront of the our minds. As such, I want to conduct these experiments to ensure the students at the schools, their parents and the teachers are aware of what the air that they breathe contains and also the impact that their day to day actions (for instance driving to school), could have on pollutant levels and ultimately their health.