Comparing particulate matter - Looking at pollution in Europe

Volker Smit, teacher at the “Heinemann Schule” in Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany), recently visited his colleague Marco Nicolini, teacher at the Liceo Scientifico Statale “A.Tassoni”, Modena (Italy), to present and test the project “Comparing particulate matter”, with the help of some students of the German school. The project, presented last August during the Science on Stage 2024 Festival in Turku, Finland, started as a Joint Project by teachers from Germany and the Netherlands. Following the festival, Marco invited Volker to visit Liceo Tassoni as Modena is in one of the most polluted areas in Europe – being in a heavily industrialized region – and particulate matter represents a big issue for Modena. Around 40 students of Liceo Tassoni were involved in this activity. The German students from the Heinemann Schule helped their Italian peers to set up the Arduino-based devices they brought with them. One thing was sure after the measurements: on those days the particulate matter concentration in Modena was beyond the accepted legal limits!