Microbial air pollution
Most of our life is spent indoors. Therefore, indoor air pollution may
present a greater risk to human health than exposure to atmospheric air
contaminants (LIS A. et al., 2001). One kind of indoor air pollutant is
airborne microorganisms – bacteria and fungi (JONES A.P., 1999). They
are factors of potential infectious, allergenic and immunotoxic effects. Indoor
microflora is reported to be responsible for health problems, especially among
children (DI GIORGIO C. et al., 1996). Bioaerosols decrease air quality
and affect human health, also causing some diseases such as tuberculosis,
diphteria, legionellosis, fever, rhinitis, nausea and asthma (MAUS R. Et
al., 2001).
The activity of people
and equipment within enclosed spaces is thought to be the principal factor
contributing to the buildup and spread of airborne microbial contamination (GODDARD
K.R., 1964). Another major emission sources of indoor microbiological
pollutants are animals, plants, air conditioning systems, building materials,
particles of soil and dust. A lot of these come from outdoor air, especially in
summer and autumn (JONES A.P., 1999).
School facilities are
densely populated, so it’s making the problem of maintaining good quality
indoor environments more difficult (BAYER C.W., 2001). Poor indoor air
quality causes in many cases illness requiring absence from school or can cause
acute health symptoms, decreasing performance while at school. Children are
more likely to suffer the consequences of indoor pollutants than adults,
because they are still developing physically (BAYER C.W., 2001 and LIS A. et
al., 2001).
It has been stated that
especially the presence of moulds in indoor air of schools poses a serious risk
to children. All moulds have the potential to cause health effects such as
headaches, breathing difficulties, skin irritation, allergic reaction and
aggravation of asthma symptoms (Mold Remediation, 2001). Epidemiological
data suggest that mould exposure may increase the risk for asthma up to
five-fold at school age (IMMONEN J., 2000). Richards noticed that asthma
is the principal cause of school absences (up to 20% of lost school days in
elementary and high schools) (BAYER C.W., 2001). Taskinen et al.,
(2000), proved that 14% of school children revealed a positive reaction to
fungal allergens in skin prick tests and serum IgE reactions. Elevated
occurrences of wheezing and fever in children was connected with high numbers
of fungi in the air (JONES A.P., 1999).
To estimate a hazard of
microbiological air pollution a number of fungi and various groups of bacteria
indoors should be determined, as precisely as possible. In this study the level
of microbial contamination in some education objects was estimated using a
MAS-100 air sampler.
References
LIS A. Jakość mikroklimatu w salach
przedszkolnych a warunki komfortu cieplnego i potencjał psychofizyczny przebywających
w nich osób. Mat. konf. VI
Ogólnopolskiej Konferencji: Problemy Jakości Powietrza Wewnętrznego w Polsce
„Jakość powietrza w budynkach edukacyjnych”, Warszawa, listopad 2001.
JONES A.P. Indoor air quality and
health. Atmospheric Environment, 33, 1999.
DI GIORGIO C., KREMPFF A., GUIRAUD H., BINDER
P., TIRET C., DUMENIL G. Atmospheric pollution by airborne microorganisms in
the city of Marseilles.
Atmospheric Environment, 30, 1, 1996.
MAUS R., GOPPELSRÖDER A., UMHAUER H. Survival
of bacterial and mold spores in air filter media. Atmospheric Environment, 35,
2001.
GODDARD K.R. Effect of ventilation on
distribution of airborne microbial contamination – field studies. in:
Proceeding of a Symposium „Surface contamination”, ed. B.R. Fish Pergamon
Press, Gattlinburg Tennessee, 1964.
BAYER
C.W.ASHRAE Looks at School IAQ. Western HVACR News, January 2001.
Mold
Remediation in Schools and Commercial buildings. The document of EPA Office of
Air and Radiation, Indoor Environment Division 6609J, EPA 402-K-01-001, March 2001.
IMMONEN
J., MEKLIN T., TASKINEN T., NEVALAINENE A., KORPPI M. Skin Prick Test findings
in students from moisture and mould damaged schools: A three-year follow – up
study. . in: Proceedings of Healthy Buildings, vol 1., ed. Seppänen O., Säteri
J., Finland, 2000.
TASKINEN T.,
LAITINEN S., MEKLIN T., HUSMAN T., NEVALAINEN A., KORPPI M. Skin test and
serum IgE reactions to moulds in relation to exposure in children. . in:
Proceedings of Healthy Buildings, vol 1., ed. Seppänen O.,
Säteri J., Finland, 2000.
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