Characterization of Indoor-Air Bioaerosols in Southern Taiwan

Abstract

This study investigated indoor air quality (IAQ) at 39 public sites in southern Taiwan including hospitals, schools, office buildings, hypermarkets, libraries, railway stations, theaters, etc. Indoor air quality was preliminarily assessed using handy digital apparatus. Items detected include carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), total bacteria counts (TBC), total fungi counts (TFC), PM 10 , PM 2.5 , ozone (O 3 ) and temperature. Based on the results of walk-through detection, the spatial distribution of indoor air contaminants was further measured over a 24 hour period using the EPA standard method. Major indoor air pollutants were found to include CO 2 , TBC, and TFC. The measured CO 2 concentrations ranged between 438 and 1527 ppm, and only 38.9% of them met the Taiwan EPA suggested threshold of 600 ppm. In the schools and hospitals (Category 1), the measured TFC and TBC concentrations ranged from 62 to TNTC CFU/m 3 and from 196 to 4875 CFU/m 3 , respectively. 33% TFC and 83% TBC concentrations exceeded the suggested threshold, and CO 2 concentrations were moderately correlated with TBC levels. In a case study of hospital bioaerosols, high TBC and TFC levels were effectively lowered through disinfectant housekeeping as well as ClO 2 spray. Three filamentous fungus genera were identified as Cladosporium perangustum, Cladosporium tenuissimum, and Fusarium incarnatum from outdoor samples with high TFC concentrations.

Prevalence of Sick Building Syndrome-Related Symptoms among Hospital Workers in Confined and Open Working Spaces

“…The indoor air quality in the hospital in this study is similar to one previous study included 8 hospitals in Taiwan (Hsu et al, 2012). We documented significant associations between questionnaire-reported SBS-related symptoms among medical workers and indoor air quality.…”

Trace metals in size-fractionated particulate matter in a Portuguese hospital: exposure risks assessment and comparisons with other countries

“…More information on both PM10 and PM2.5 comes from Asian countries ( Table 2). Two studies performed in Taiwan reported similar concentration ranges of PM10 (Wan et al 2011) and PM2.5 (Hsu et al 2012) to those in Portugal. In India and China, observed PM2.5 and PM10 in hospital environments were much higher than in Portugal (three to four times; Verma and Taneja 2011;Wang et al 2006a, b).…”

“…In the studied hospital, more than 50 % of PM2.5 measured concentrations surpassed the 24-h guideline for ambient air which indicates the potential health risks of the exposed individuals. In addition, indoor particles can act as carrier for infectious microbes and microbial metabolites that may accumulate in the hospital environments (Hsu et al 2012), thus representing additional health risks (i.e., transmissions of airborne infectious diseases; Eames et al 2009;Tang et al 2011;Hsu et al 2012). …”

Innovation of a New Virus-Like Nanoparticle Vaccine System for the Specific Aerosol Relative Disease

“…Many chemical and biological aerosol contaminants influence indoor air quality as well as the quality of health (Hsu et al, 2012;Lee et al, 2012;Kram and Dmowska, 2013;Chen et al, 2015;Sidra et al, 2015). Bioaerosol contain many human pathogens including virus which is one of the biggest threats for human health.…”

“…Currently, the IAQ parameters including total bacteria counts, total fungi counts, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, ozone, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) in workplaces, hospitals, transportation stations, department stores, supermarkets, and public buildings shall be met to the national standards in Taiwan (Hsu et al, 2012;Hsu et al, 2015), but airborne virus is not regulated yet. Airborne viruses and their vaccine are of particular interest due to their potentially adverse impact on human or animal health in the indoor environment.…”