Airborne Bacterial Evaluation of Indoor and Outdoor Environments of AU School in Visakhapatnam

Author(s): K. Nirmala Kumari, M. Ch. Shravanthi, Prof. T. Byragi Reddy

Publication #: IJIRCT1201071

Date of Publication: 05.12.2015

Country: India

Pages: 349-352

Published In: Volume 1 Issue 3 December-2015

Abstract

The issue of healthy schools is a global concern as the schools are one of the critical social infrastructures in a society, and children are particularly at risk of lung damage and infection caused by poor air quality. Bio aerosols such as bacterial and fungal cells and their spores are along with non-biological particles, airborne particulate matter have been related to long term health issues of human beings as well as flora, and fauna. To identify the different risks and to establish exposure thresholds, microbiology of air samples from a series of indoor environments must be characterized, i.e. the different microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) must be identified and quantified. In this paper, the concept of air hygiene; measuring and assessing the level of bioaerosols in both the indoor & outdoor environments of select schools is proposed to serve as a guide to indicate overall air quality, associated with airborne infections. Current bio aerosol sampling in schools is carried out using Andersons’ 6- stage sampler to indicate the environmental sources of bioaerosols.

Keywords: bioaerosol, bacteria, outdoor environments, sampling, impactors, biochemical tests

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