Bacterial and Chemical Contamination Associated Carpet Dust in the Holy Mosque, Makkah Al-Mukarramah

Carpets are widely used as surface covering in the holy mosque (Almasjed Alharam) settings, and they are prone to contamination with infectious agents and chemical components. This study aims to evaluate the concentrations of bacteria and chemical pollutants associated carpet dust in the holy mosque, as well as bacterial concentrations in the air state. The dust samples were collected from eighty carpets during month of Ramadan 2011, using a cord portable vacuum cleaner. Airborne bacteria were collected using Airport MD8 gelatin filter sampler. Bacterial concentrations varied depending on location of carpets inside the mosque, with no significant differences between locations (P≥0.05). The highest mean bacterial concentrations associated dust (256.42x10 CFU/m) and in the air state (1.12x10 CFU/m) were found at the ground floor of 1st expansion location. The highest re-suspension factor (RF) was found at the ground floor of 1st expansion, and the lowest at ground floor of 2nd expansion. Bacillus (25%), Pseudomonas (13%) and Micrococcus (12%) were the dominated bacterial genera. Chloride and ammonium concentrations associated dust were higher at the basement and the ground floor locations. The results did not indicate the presence of any apparent seriousness of the current situation of the carpets in the holy mosque. The data can be treated as a first step in determining the acceptable levels for microorganisms associated carpets in the common indoor environments.