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Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria

Received: 24 July 2018     Accepted: 7 August 2018     Published: 3 September 2018
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Abstract

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the most urgent top five environmental risks to public health. Numerous studies have documented that sick building syndrome (SBS) is surprisingly common even in buildings without widespread complaints and its relationship with hypersensitivity disease are often associated with exposure to high concentration of airborne microbial organisms. To contribute to knowledge on IAQ, this study evaluates the levels and composition of bacterial and fungal contamination of different offices in a tertiary institution in South-western Nigeria. A cross sectional design was used to compare the indoor airborne microbial load of three categories of offices within the institution premises: the central administrative (CA), academic (AC) and work and maintenance (W&M) offices. Indoor temperature (ºC) and relative humidity (%) of the respective offices were measured using a 5-in-1 multi-tester N21FR made in China and categorized into comfort and high levels. Air samples were collected using a TE-10-890 Andersen single stage microbial air sampler and the total counts per cubic metre were compared with the American Industrial Hygiene Association guideline (AIHA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation and regression analysis. Offices in CA recorded the highest mean indoor Total Bacteria Count (TBC) of 22.6 ± 12.2cfu/m3 as compared to W&M (18.3 ± 10.4cfu/m3) and AC (15.6 ± 8.4cfu/m3) p<0.05. However, AC offices recorded the highest mean Total Fungi Count (TFC) of 3.6 ± 2.3cfu/m3 as compared to CA (3.5 ± 1.7cfu/m3) and W&M (3.3 ± 2.1cfu/m3) p>0.05. The indoor TBC and TFC of the categories of offices were found to be lower than the AIHA guideline limit. The number of persons at the point of sampling was found to significantly predict the level of indoor TBC, p<0.01. The most isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp., whereas Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp. were the most abundant fungi isolates. The present study implicated population as a major source of microbial contamination in the office environment. Adequate knowledge about indoor air quality in terms of microbial contamination and its implication on health should be provided to staff of the institution in the hierarchy of control measures to mitigate the levels of indoor airborne microorganisms.

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 4, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15
Page(s) 113-118
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Indoor Air Quality, Microbial Load, Offices, Tertiary Institution, Nigeria

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Akindele Oluwakemi Omolola, Ana Godson Rowland, Uchendu Obioma Chukwudi, Fakunle Adekunle Gregory, Bello Temilade Basirat. (2018). Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 4(3), 113-118. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15

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    ACS Style

    Akindele Oluwakemi Omolola; Ana Godson Rowland; Uchendu Obioma Chukwudi; Fakunle Adekunle Gregory; Bello Temilade Basirat. Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria. J. Health Environ. Res. 2018, 4(3), 113-118. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15

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    AMA Style

    Akindele Oluwakemi Omolola, Ana Godson Rowland, Uchendu Obioma Chukwudi, Fakunle Adekunle Gregory, Bello Temilade Basirat. Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria. J Health Environ Res. 2018;4(3):113-118. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15,
      author = {Akindele Oluwakemi Omolola and Ana Godson Rowland and Uchendu Obioma Chukwudi and Fakunle Adekunle Gregory and Bello Temilade Basirat},
      title = {Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria},
      journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
      volume = {4},
      number = {3},
      pages = {113-118},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20180403.15},
      abstract = {Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the most urgent top five environmental risks to public health. Numerous studies have documented that sick building syndrome (SBS) is surprisingly common even in buildings without widespread complaints and its relationship with hypersensitivity disease are often associated with exposure to high concentration of airborne microbial organisms. To contribute to knowledge on IAQ, this study evaluates the levels and composition of bacterial and fungal contamination of different offices in a tertiary institution in South-western Nigeria. A cross sectional design was used to compare the indoor airborne microbial load of three categories of offices within the institution premises: the central administrative (CA), academic (AC) and work and maintenance (W&M) offices. Indoor temperature (ºC) and relative humidity (%) of the respective offices were measured using a 5-in-1 multi-tester N21FR made in China and categorized into comfort and high levels. Air samples were collected using a TE-10-890 Andersen single stage microbial air sampler and the total counts per cubic metre were compared with the American Industrial Hygiene Association guideline (AIHA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation and regression analysis. Offices in CA recorded the highest mean indoor Total Bacteria Count (TBC) of 22.6 ± 12.2cfu/m3 as compared to W&M (18.3 ± 10.4cfu/m3) and AC (15.6 ± 8.4cfu/m3) p3 as compared to CA (3.5 ± 1.7cfu/m3) and W&M (3.3 ± 2.1cfu/m3) p>0.05. The indoor TBC and TFC of the categories of offices were found to be lower than the AIHA guideline limit. The number of persons at the point of sampling was found to significantly predict the level of indoor TBC, pspp., Streptococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp., whereas Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp. were the most abundant fungi isolates. The present study implicated population as a major source of microbial contamination in the office environment. Adequate knowledge about indoor air quality in terms of microbial contamination and its implication on health should be provided to staff of the institution in the hierarchy of control measures to mitigate the levels of indoor airborne microorganisms.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Indoor Airborne Microbial Load of Selected Offices in a Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria
    AU  - Akindele Oluwakemi Omolola
    AU  - Ana Godson Rowland
    AU  - Uchendu Obioma Chukwudi
    AU  - Fakunle Adekunle Gregory
    AU  - Bello Temilade Basirat
    Y1  - 2018/09/03
    PY  - 2018
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15
    T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    SP  - 113
    EP  - 118
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2472-3592
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180403.15
    AB  - Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the most urgent top five environmental risks to public health. Numerous studies have documented that sick building syndrome (SBS) is surprisingly common even in buildings without widespread complaints and its relationship with hypersensitivity disease are often associated with exposure to high concentration of airborne microbial organisms. To contribute to knowledge on IAQ, this study evaluates the levels and composition of bacterial and fungal contamination of different offices in a tertiary institution in South-western Nigeria. A cross sectional design was used to compare the indoor airborne microbial load of three categories of offices within the institution premises: the central administrative (CA), academic (AC) and work and maintenance (W&M) offices. Indoor temperature (ºC) and relative humidity (%) of the respective offices were measured using a 5-in-1 multi-tester N21FR made in China and categorized into comfort and high levels. Air samples were collected using a TE-10-890 Andersen single stage microbial air sampler and the total counts per cubic metre were compared with the American Industrial Hygiene Association guideline (AIHA). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation and regression analysis. Offices in CA recorded the highest mean indoor Total Bacteria Count (TBC) of 22.6 ± 12.2cfu/m3 as compared to W&M (18.3 ± 10.4cfu/m3) and AC (15.6 ± 8.4cfu/m3) p3 as compared to CA (3.5 ± 1.7cfu/m3) and W&M (3.3 ± 2.1cfu/m3) p>0.05. The indoor TBC and TFC of the categories of offices were found to be lower than the AIHA guideline limit. The number of persons at the point of sampling was found to significantly predict the level of indoor TBC, pspp., Streptococcus spp. and Micrococcus spp., whereas Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp. were the most abundant fungi isolates. The present study implicated population as a major source of microbial contamination in the office environment. Adequate knowledge about indoor air quality in terms of microbial contamination and its implication on health should be provided to staff of the institution in the hierarchy of control measures to mitigate the levels of indoor airborne microorganisms.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Community Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Community Medicine, Osun State University, Osun, Nigeria

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