A review of microbial and chemical assessment of indoor surfaces

Abstract This review emphasizes the importance of classification of surface reservoirs represented by building and indoor materials. Models developed in the past 45 years to study mainly non-reactive thermodynamic partitioning of air pollutants to surfaces as well as their validation through analytical measurements are discussed. Analytical techniques aiming at surface characterization have been summarized. Applications relevant to surface chemistry performed indoors in the last decade are also given. Finally, techniques for microbiological sampling to characterize the hygienic state of surfaces have also been compiled. Readers will be introduced to the state-of-the-art of analytical techniques that are being used indoors for (physico)chemical and microbiological characterization of surfaces. The focus is on real-time in situ instrumentation used to understand chemical processes rather than air quality monitoring indoors. Our aim was to give an overview of useful instrumentation and a tutorial on analytical approaches and challenges represented by surfaces.