Surveillance of indoor air quality in ice skating rinks

Indoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations in 19 ice skating rinks in the greater Boston area were monitored for one week each month, over a four-month period. Nitrogen dioxide was selected as an indicator of indoor air quality, and NO2 samplers were placed in two locations within each rink. Rinks with higher NO2 levels (in excess of 200 nL/L), under normal operation, in the first monitoring week were mitigated with changes in ventilation system operation in the subsequent months. After the first monitoring period, only two rinks had NO2 levels above 200 nL/L. It was suspected that high levels in these two rinks may have been related to improper ventilation. While high NO2 concentrations were found in the ice skating rinks with propane-powered ice resurfacers, other studies indicate that combustion fuels can also result in elevated indoor concentrations. In order to achieve healthful air quality in indoor ice rinks, it may be necessary to: 1) monitor indoor pollution on a continuous or routine basis; 2) educate rink managers on proper ventilation procedures; and 3) test ventilation systems to ensure that their design and operation are effective.