Student Research Reports

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Air quality and the level of air pollution are important factors and have significant impacts on the health and well-being of humans. It is now considered that any level of air pollution is not acceptable and poses a risk (World Health Organisation 2021 9789240034228-eng.pdf (who.int)). Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a pollutant commonly found in the air and is produced by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. High levels of nitrogen dioxide can have negative impacts on human health, including respiratory problems and an increased risk of heart disease. It can also contribute to the formation of other air pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter, which can also harm human health and the environment. There are often wide variations in local air quality that go undetected and so we started to investigate the quality of the air around our school. This was done using a specialised monitoring device, a diffusion tube, to detect the concentration of NO₂ in the air. The data collected from the diffusion tube was analysed to determine the average levels of NO₂ in front of our school. The NO₂ level was compared with other localities in Gozo and with a school in Ireland. Ireland and Malta are two countries that have different levels of NO₂ and air quality, based on several factors such as population density, industrial activity, transportation, and energy production. Through this investigation, some strategies have been developed to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions and improve air quality.