As part of the 'Let's Help Kids Breathe Better' campaign, launched by Otrivin Breathe Clean, a one-of-a-kind AirBubble playground has been created to show how natural, innovative solutions can help clean the air. The world's first biotech playground using air-purifying algae empowers children to play clean.
Air pollution has been identified by the WHO as the greatest environmental threat to our health[1]. In 2018, 36 of the 50 most polluted cities in Europe in terms of PM2.5 concentrations were located in Poland[2]. According to experts, pollution levels in line with WHO guidelines would extend the lives of Warsaw residents by 1.2 years[3]. Children are the smallest contributors to air pollution, but they are much more vulnerable than adults. This is why the campaign "Let's help children breathe better" initiated by Otrivin Breathe Clean was born.
Algae to the rescue of urban air
The oceans occupy about 70% of the globe and have been home to countless organisms for billions of years, including the tiniest of organisms - microalgae or cyanobacteria. During photosynthesis, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen[4]. Microalgae can capture solar energy up to 50 times more efficiently than land plants. They are extremely diverse. They come in many shapes, colours and exhibit different properties.
They were used in an urban experiment in the centre of Warsaw at the Copernicus Science Centre. - AirBubble is the first biotech playground where the air is cleaned by algae. It combines architecture, science and nature. The installation consists of 52 bioreactors. Each contains 10 litres of live Chlorella cultures. Under ideal conditions, these algae can actively filter and re-metabolise pollutants and carbon dioxide. They are able to use carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide molecules as food and increase their biomass. Like all plants, they also release oxygen - explains Dr Marco Poletto of ecoLogicStudio, the studio that designed the playground.
Laboratory results indicate that the AirBubble can contribute to the adsorption and re-metabolisation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) at 97% and the filtration of particulate matter (PM) at 75%. As a result, a correct Air Quality Index (AQI), in line with WHO recommendations, should be achieved in the playground area.
Pure fun
The AirBubble is designed to engage children in the air purification process. - A playground needs two sources of power. One is solar energy and the other is movement. Children's play stimulates the bioreactors and directly contributes to air purification. - says Claudia Pasquero, co-founder of ecoLogicStudio.
The initiators of the campaign emphasise that the problem of air pollution needs to be looked at on a micro scale. We need to look at pollution in the street where we live, in the area where children play, including in the playgrounds where they spend a lot of time. Children love to play and through play they discover the world around them. Unfortunately, just like in any other space in the city, concentrations of harmful dust can reach alarming levels in playgrounds. As many as three quarters of parents surveyed are concerned about the air quality in areas where their children play[5]. Meanwhile, almost a quarter (23%) unreasonably believe that backyards and playgrounds are the places with the least polluted air. Therefore, the aim of the campaign and the installation itself is to raise awareness of the impact of air pollution on children's health throughout the year, and to identify simple ways to help reduce this impact in their immediate environment.
Sensitive airways
At the same time, the campaign organisers remind the public of the role of the nose in the proper functioning of the respiratory tract, drawing attention to the risks it is exposed to due to air pollution.
- Every day an adult takes in more than 20 000 litres of air, often heavily polluted, hence the exposure of the mucous membranes is enormous. Unfortunately, the natural pathways of protection against larger pollutants, such as the nasal hairs and the action of the mucus covering our respiratory system, prove inefficient in the face of high exposure to air pollution. They then often fall victim to damage themselves, becoming the centre of the disease process. We have recently shown that Polish children suffer from upper respiratory diseases during the smog season, precisely as a result of constant inhalation of such air. High levels of pollution overload the natural nasal mucosa and lead to long-term health problems. For this reason, taking care of the respiratory tract is becoming a priority of modern environmental medicine, explains Wojciech Feleszko, MD, PhD, paediatrician, immunologist at the Medical University of Warsaw.
Airbubble has been open since 19 May at the Copernicus Science Centre. Also visit the exhibition dedicated to the installation and find out more about the unique playground.
[1] https://unece.org/air-pollution-and-health
[2] https://www.who.int/airpollution/data/en/
[3] EuropeFactSheetv2.pdf (uchicago.edu)
[4] PhotoSynthetica Whitepaper
[5] Public opinion survey conducted by SW Research for GSK, 2021
AirBubble is the first biotechnology playground using air-purifying algae, which has been designed to allow children to play in clean air. The installation is hosted by the Copernicus Science Centre.
ecoLogicStudio is an internationally renowned design firm specialising in innovative biotechnological architecture. EcoLogicStudio is part of the PhotoSynthetica project, which also includes academic partners such as the Synthetic Landscape Lab at the University of Innsbruck and the Urban Morphogenesis Lab at UCL London.
Otrivin Breathe Clean is an isotonic seawater solution that facilitates nasal cleansing. Each use gently and naturally cleanses the inside of the nose. The gentle cleansing of the nasal cavity during a cold or allergy washes away excess harmful microparticles such as dust and pollen. The product is suitable for daily use and can be used from the age of 2 weeks or, in the version with aloe vera, from the age of 6 years. The product is available in a 100 ml spray.
Initiative website: https://www.otrivin.pl/airbubble.html