Bioaerosol concentration and health implication for children in daycare centers

IF 2.1 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 BIOLOGY

Aerobiologia Pub Date : 2025-07-29 DOI:10.1007/s10453-025-09872-y

Siti Khairunnisa Yusof, Norhidayah Abdull, Nurud Suria Suhaimi, Afiza Abdullah Suhaimi, Nurliyana Moh Hussin

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Indoor air quality in daycare center (DCCs) is a significant concern due to its potential impact on child health. Exposure to bioaerosols, including bacteria and fungi, can lead to respiratory infections, allergies, and other health issues. This study aims to assess the concentration of bioaerosol in DCCs, identify factors influencing their concentrations and I/O ratio. The bioaerosol sample was collected using bio stage impactor and Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) agar as a collection media. The highest indoor bacteria and fungi concentration was recorded in Kotasas DCC (1668 CFU/m³) and Balok DCC (1706 CFU/m³), respectively. Both concentrations have exceeded the ICOP recommended limit which are 500 CFU/m³ and 1000 CFU/m³ for both bacteria and fungi. The I/O ratio for bioaerosols varied across daycare centers, indicating differences in ventilation efficiency and indoor contamination sources. Pekan and Kotasas DCCs showed high bacterial I/O ratios (5.88 and 3.07), suggesting poor ventilation, while Bukit Ubi DCC had nearly equal indoor and outdoor concentrations (I/O ≈ 1), reflecting effective air exchange. Relative humidity (RH) measured in the indoor and outdoor air ranged approximately from 60 to 83% while the temperature ranged from 26 °C to 32 °C. The statistical analyses were performed using Rstudio 4.4.1. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between indoor fungal concentrations and RH (p < 0.01, r = 0.71) but a negative correlation with temperature (p < 0.01, r = − 0.46) and occupancy (p < 0.01, r = − 0.52), while indoor bacterial levels showed a moderate positive correlation with occupancy (p < 0.01, r = 0.55). These findings highlight the significant impact of environmental factors and occupancy on indoor air quality in DCCs. By understanding these relationships, effective strategies can be implemented to improve ventilation systems, reduce bioaerosol levels, and create healthier indoor environments for children.

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日托中心儿童的生物气溶胶浓度及其健康影响

日托中心的室内空气质量因其对儿童健康的潜在影响而备受关注。接触生物气溶胶，包括细菌和真菌，会导致呼吸道感染、过敏和其他健康问题。本研究旨在评估dcs中生物气溶胶的浓度，确定影响其浓度和I/O比的因素。采用生物阶段冲击器和胰蛋白酶琼脂（TSA）和沙伯罗德葡萄糖琼脂（SDA）琼脂作为收集介质采集生物气溶胶样品。室内细菌和真菌浓度最高的是Kotasas DCC （1668 CFU/m3）和Balok DCC （1706 CFU/m3）。这两种浓度都超过了ICOP建议的上限，即细菌和真菌的浓度分别为500 CFU/m3和1000 CFU/m3。生物气溶胶的I/O比率在不同的日托中心有所不同，这表明通风效率和室内污染源的差异。Pekan和Kotasas DCC的细菌I/O比较高（分别为5.88和3.07），表明通风较差，而Bukit Ubi DCC的室内和室外浓度基本相等（I/O≈1），表明空气交换有效。室内外空气相对湿度（RH）测量范围约为60% ~ 83%，温度测量范围为26℃~ 32℃。采用Rstudio 4.4.1进行统计分析。Spearman相关分析显示，室内真菌浓度与相对湿度（RH）呈极显著正相关（p < 0.01, r = 0.71），与温度（p < 0.01, r = - 0.46）和占用率呈极显著负相关（p < 0.01, r = - 0.52），室内细菌水平与占用率呈中度正相关（p < 0.01, r = 0.55）。这些发现强调了环境因素和占用率对dcs室内空气质量的显著影响。通过了解这些关系，可以实施有效的策略来改善通风系统，减少生物气溶胶水平，并为儿童创造更健康的室内环境。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Aerobiologia 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

15.00%

发文量

审稿时长

18-36 weeks

期刊介绍： Associated with the International Association for Aerobiology, Aerobiologia is an international medium for original research and review articles in the interdisciplinary fields of aerobiology and interaction of human, plant and animal systems on the biosphere. Coverage includes bioaerosols, transport mechanisms, biometeorology, climatology, air-sea interaction, land-surface/atmosphere interaction, biological pollution, biological input to global change, microbiology, aeromycology, aeropalynology, arthropod dispersal and environmental policy. Emphasis is placed on respiratory allergology, plant pathology, pest management, biological weathering and biodeterioration, indoor air quality, air-conditioning technology, industrial aerobiology and more. Aerobiologia serves aerobiologists, and other professionals in medicine, public health, industrial and environmental hygiene, biological sciences, agriculture, atmospheric physics, botany, environmental science and cultural heritage.