The way classrooms are being cleaned is having a significant effect on children’s respiratory conditions and a surge in asthma cases has been linked to the indoor air quality in classes, a study has found.

The study, conducted by University lecturers Peter Fsadni and Stephen Montefort, found that the cleaning practices in five State schools did not manage to significantly reduce bacteria and mould in dust.

“The dust picked up had a very high concentration of mould – which is more than what you would expect in any normal environment, but it is a big eye-opener, since it shows cleaning has to be done a bit differently,” Dr Fsadni told The Sunday Times of Malta.

This newspaper reported last week that students in classrooms facing roads had a higher rate of respiratory conditions.

These students had an increased incidence of recurrent wheezing and exhaled carbon monoxide levels, the state of the environment report, quoting the study by Dr Fsadni and Professor Montefort, said.

“We found classes had a lot of mould in the dust we picked up and possibly even high levels of particulate matter,” Dr Fsadni said.

Malta features among the top league of countries having asthma in the European Union, with some 34 per cent of children having had asthma at some point in their lives, he added.

Based on the findings, Dr Fsadni recommended easy interventions that could be done to reduce the respiratory condition in children.

He recommended avoiding sweeping, the use of specialised vacuum cleaners and using cleaning cloths that are damp.

The study, which was conducted in 2011, found a direct correlation between owning a cat at home and allergens in class.

This means classes with students who own cats at home would transport the allergens to school, Dr Fsadni said. Population density was also affecting the high rates of asthma for this reason, he noted, saying more people meant more allergens would be dispersed.

The study also found high levels of ozone in the classrooms, which originates from fuel combustion. High levels of ozone have been found to precipitate asthma and increased nose and eye allergies, Dr Fsadni explained.

“Ozone and particulate matter were high and these were associated with asthma. How can we cut down on this type of pollutant? The most obvious way is to target cars and their emissions,” he said.

He also warned the situation could be getting worse, since the number of vehicles had grown significantly since 2011.

“It’s hard to foresee how bad the situation can get,” Dr Fsadni said. However, mitigating measures were warranted since traffic and urbanisation continue to grow over time, he added.