The Impact of Microbiological Pollutants on School Indoor Air Quality

Fsadni, Peter; Frank, Bezzina; Fsadni, Claudia; Montefort, Stephen

doi:10.4236/gep.2017.55004

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…However, the analysis of correlations between the concentrations of total dust in the air and the concentrations of fungi in school rooms did not show statistically significant relationships (p>0.05). The presented relations differ from those observed in other school environments (Fsadni et al 2017, Sheik et al 2015. The analysis of total dust concentrations measured in the outdoor background and indoors the tested objects also showed that they did not differ statistically significantly (Kruskal-Wallis test: p>0.05).…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Assessment of exposure to fungal aerosol in the lecture rooms of schools in the Lesser Poland region

2023

Archives of Environmental Protection

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The paper presents an assessment of the mycological air quality in classrooms of school buildings located in Lesser Poland. In 10 schools, 5 sampling points were designated: 4 indoors and 1 as an "outdoor background". A 6-stage Andersen impactor was used to collect fungal aerosol samples. During sampling, dust measurements were made (using the DustTrak II dust meter) as well as temperature and relative humidity. The predominant genera of fungi were determined by the MALDI-TOF MS method. The results indicated no statistically significant differences in indoor air fungal concentrations among the tested locations (p>0.05). The highest concentrations were observed in large classrooms (max. 2,678 CFU•m-3), however, these differences were not statistically significant across different types of school rooms (Kruskal-Wallis test: p>0.05). All rooms exhibited similar levels of fungal aerosol contamination. Relative air humidity had a significant influence on the number of microorganisms. The most frequently isolated fungi belonged to Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus genera. Fungal aerosol concentrations in the tested classrooms did not exceed proposed limit values for this type of indoor environment. The results suggest that natural ventilation in classrooms is insufficient to ensure adequate microbiological quality of indoor air.

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Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Assessment of exposure to fungal aerosol in the lecture rooms of schools in the Lesser Poland region

2023

Archives of Environmental Protection

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“…Asthma is common in children with allergies. Since children spend most of their time in school, indoor air contamination can affect their pulmonary health [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of Bioaerosols in Selected Rooms of Two Schools and Antibiotic Resistance of Isolated Staphylococcal Strains (Bydgoszcz, Poland): A Case Study

2020

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The present study is aimed at evaluating microbiological air pollution in libraries, cafeterias and selected classrooms of two schools in Bydgoszcz city, northern Poland and determining the antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcal strains isolated from the indoor air. One of the investigated schools (School A) is located in the very center of the city, in the vicinity of a park, among old houses and stone-lined streets, while the other (School B), among modern residential buildings, close to a street with heavy traffic. In each school, air samples were collected in the morning, always from all three sampling sites, using the MAS-100 sampler. Selective growth media were used for bacteria and mold isolation and quantifying analysis. The antibiotic resistance of the isolated mannitol-positive staphylococci was assessed using the disc diffusion method in accordance with EUCAST recommendations. The highest mean concentration of heterotrophic bacteria was recorded in the cafeterias: 884 CFU m−3 in School A and 1906 CFU m−3 in School B. Molds were the most abundant in the library and cafeteria in School B, where their average concentration exceeded 300 CFU m−3. Cladosporium and Penicillium species prevailed, while Fusarium, Acremonium and Aspergillus were less abundant. Airborne mannitol-positive staphylococci were recorded at low concentrations, ranging from 6 to 11 CFU m−3 on average. According to the taxonomic analysis, Staphylococcus aureus isolates were the most abundant in both schools, followed by S. xylosus, S. haemolyticus and S. saprophyticus. The antibiograms indicated that resistance to erythromycin was common in 62.5% of the isolated staphylococcal strains. Levofloxacin and gentamicin were the most effective antibiotics. No multidrug-resistant strains were identified.

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“…The fungal genera predominating various indoor environments are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Stachybotrys, Trichoderma, and yeasts like Candida spp. (137,154,168). They have frequently been related to hospitalacquired infections and exacerbation of respiratory symptoms (20,167).…”

Section: Fungimentioning

confidence: 99%

A comprehensive review of microbial contamination in the indoor environment: sources, sampling, health risks, and mitigation strategies

Chawla,

Anand,

Garg

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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The quality of the indoor environment significantly impacts human health and productivity, especially given the amount of time individuals spend indoors globally. While chemical pollutants have been a focus of indoor air quality research, microbial contaminants also have a significant bearing on indoor air quality. This review provides a comprehensive overview of microbial contamination in built environments, covering sources, sampling strategies, and analysis methods. Microbial contamination has various origins, including human occupants, pets, and the outdoor environment. Sampling strategies for indoor microbial contamination include air, surface, and dust sampling, and various analysis methods are used to assess microbial diversity and complexity in indoor environments. The review also discusses the health risks associated with microbial contaminants, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and their products in indoor air, highlighting the need for evidence-based studies that can relate to specific health conditions. The importance of indoor air quality is emphasized from the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic. A section of the review highlights the knowledge gap related to microbiological burden in indoor environments in developing countries, using India as a representative example. Finally, potential mitigation strategies to improve microbiological indoor air quality are briefly reviewed.

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The Impact of Microbiological Pollutants on School Indoor Air Quality

Cited by 7 publications

References 13 publications

Assessment of exposure to fungal aerosol in the lecture rooms of schools in the Lesser Poland region

Assessment of exposure to fungal aerosol in the lecture rooms of schools in the Lesser Poland region

Diversity of Bioaerosols in Selected Rooms of Two Schools and Antibiotic Resistance of Isolated Staphylococcal Strains (Bydgoszcz, Poland): A Case Study

A comprehensive review of microbial contamination in the indoor environment: sources, sampling, health risks, and mitigation strategies

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