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Survey of Airborne Bacterial Genus at a University Campus

Department of Building Service Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China, bedaniel{at}polyu.edu.hk

Polly H.M. Leung

Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

Cinnie S.Y. Tam

Department of Building Service Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China

A.P. Jones

School of Architecture, Bute Building, King Edward V Ave. Cardiff University, Cardiff Wales, U.K. CF10 3NB

Indoor airborne bacterial concentrations were measured at different locations in a university campus in Hong Kong where there was a Mechanical Ventilation and Air-conditioning (MVAC) system. Total bacterial counts were enumerated for both indoor and outdoor areas at specific time intervals. Information on temperature, relative humidity, number of occupants, and carbon dioxide levels were recorded simultaneously. Those parameters were correlated with total bacterial counts and each identifiable genus. Although, the number of genera for Gram-negative bacteria was higher than Gram-positive bacteria, the most abundant airborne genera found were Gram-positive bacteria especially Micrococcus and Staphylococcus. The indoor-to-outdoor ratios for the two predominant Gram-positive genera were greater than one, indicating that the source of the bacteria was indoors. There was a correlation between total bacterial counts with temperature, but the correlation was not significant. Pseudomonas had a correlation with relative humidity, but the correlation was not significant. The study also found that the total bacterial counts and a few genera including Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas, had a strong correlation with ventilation.

Key Words: Gram-positive bacteria • Gram-negative bacteria • Staphylococcus • Micrococcus • Indoor air quality • Airborne bacteria

Indoor and Built Environment, Vol. 17, No. 5, 460-466 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1420326X08097148


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