Indoor Pollution: Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Microbiological Respiratory Hazards Associated with Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems

Brief, Richard S.; Bernath, Tibor

doi:10.1080/08828032.1988.10388490

Cited by 33 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In Italy, several legislative decrees, in particular the Legislative Decree 81/2008, impose that employers are responsible for the assessment of risks of biological origin arising from the activities in the workplace; moreover, they must adopt suitable measures so that the air in the workplace be healthy [4]. Therefore, the realization of measuring methods of airborne contamination is a matter of prime importance in the most complex procedure of risk evaluation that must involve, necessarily, different scientific skills [5][6][7][8]. Air contamination, both in confined environments and outdoors, can be caused not only by chemical agents but also by biological sources such as pollen, dust, mites, insects, pet allergens, bacteria, fungi, and viruses [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries

2019

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The determination of microbiological air quality in sporting and working environments requires the quantification of airborne microbial contamination. The number and types of microorganisms, detected in a specific site, offer a useful index for air quality valuation. An assessment of contamination levels was carried out using three evaluation indices for microbiological pollution: the global index of microbiological contamination per cubic meter (GIMC/m3), the index of mesophilic bacterial contamination (IMC), and the amplification index (AI). These indices have the advantage of considering several concomitant factors in the formation of a microbial aerosol. They may also detect the malfunction of an air treatment system due to the increase of microbes in aeraulic ducts, or inside a building compared to the outdoor environment. In addition, they highlight the low efficiency of a ventilation system due to the excessive number of people inside a building or to insufficient air renewal. This study quantified the levels of microorganisms present in the air in different places such as offices, gyms, and libraries. The air contamination was always higher in gyms that in the other places. All examined environments are in Northern Italy.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries

2019

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“…Human exposure to bioaerosols has been documented in a variety of adverse health effects, including aIlergy, hypersensitivity, respiratory problems, toxicological, and infectious disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Various fungal and bacterial bioaerosols have been identified and enumerated using several sampling methodologies, yet the specific effects of many airborne microorganisms on human health is not clearly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring Viable Fungal and Bacterial Bioaerosol Concentrations to Identify Acceptable Levels for Common Indoor Environments

Robertson¹

1997

Indoor and Built Environment

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Bioaerosol concentrations between 200-450 CFU/m3 have remained largely uncharacterized with respect to potential indoor air quality concerns. This research provides for further description of indoor bioaerosol concentrations and concludes that 3 0 0 CFUlm3 of non-toxigenic or non-pathogenic organisms should be typical for normal, nonimmunocompromised environments. With the exception of Cladosporium, no organism should individually contribute more than 150 CFUfm3. Furthermore, it is concluded that > 300 CFU's/m3 and/or not meeting the above criteria should incite some additional level of investigation with respect to; the bias of prominent outdoor bioaerosol(s), adequate filtration, indoor humidity and microhumidity environments, andlor potential indigenous contamination source(s). The author cautions that the >300 CFUfm3 threshold is not intended to represent any threshold having medical or health significance and/or necessarily representative of an unacceptable indoor environment. The >300 CFUlm3 is intended to be a "reactionary threshold" to incite further investigation as to the cause(s) of what is perceived to be an above average viable concentration for indoor bioaerosols. The author further concludes that outdoor sampling should only be utilized in the relative comparisons to individual indoor components and that indoor/outdoor ratios involving total CFUIm3 concentrations should not be utilized as a specific mechanism to evaluate acceptable indoor bioaerosol concentrations.

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“…The microbiology of building air-handling systems (AHSs) first came to attention in the 1970s because of health problems, such as humidifier fever and legionellosis, arising from microbial contamination of components of the AHSs, particularly humidification systems and cooling water (3,8,30). The problem was exacerbated in the 1980s by the tightening up of buildings to conserve energy, which coincided with increased reports of a range of building-related health problems collectively known as sick-building syndrome (12).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterotrophic bacteria in an air-handling system

Hugenholtz

Fuerst

1992

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Heterotrophic bacteria from structural surfaces, drain pan water, and the airstream of a well-maintained air-handling system with no reported building-related illness were enumerated. Visually the system appeared clean, but large populations of bacteria were found on the fin surface of the shpply-side cooling coils (10 to 106 CFU cm-2), in drain pan water (10' to 107 CFU ml-'), and in the sump water of the evaporative condenser (10S CFU ml-). Representative bacterial colony types recovered from heterotrophic plate count cultures on R2A medium were identified to the genus level. Budding bacteria belonging to the genus Blastobacter dominated the supply surface of the coil fins, the drain pan water, and the postcoil air. These data and independent scanning electron microscopy indicated that a resident population of predominantly Blastobacter bacteria was present as a biofilm on the supply-side cooling coil fins.

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Indoor Pollution: Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Microbiological Respiratory Hazards Associated with Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems

Cited by 33 publications

References 12 publications

Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries

Application of Airborne Microorganism Indexes in Offices, Gyms, and Libraries

Monitoring Viable Fungal and Bacterial Bioaerosol Concentrations to Identify Acceptable Levels for Common Indoor Environments

Heterotrophic bacteria in an air-handling system

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