Microbiological pollution of intramural air in a school in the city of La Plata and its impact on respiratory conditions

Abstract

The effects of indoor air pollution have received increased attention worldwide. Schools are places with a high level of activity and population density of children, where different pollutants from both indoor and outdoor sources may be introduced and persist for a long time. Indoor air quality in school buildings is characterized by various pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), fungi and bacteria. In this context, the objective of this study was to describe and characterize the microbial contamination present in the indoor atmosphere of a public school in our city in relation to its impact with the respiratory disorders of those who come to that establishment. The predominant genera of airborne fungi isolated in indoor air of the college were Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Ulocladium, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium. The predominant bacteria in this work were some species belonging to the genus Pseudomonas and Bacillus, added to Micrococcus luteus, which persisted in the different sampled seasons. Mold and bacteria monitoring shows differences in the found genera/species in the assayed seasons of the year, which is correlated with the variation in environmental conditions. This fact does not seem to be affecting the respiratory physiological parameters of the evaluated children since they are within normal values, according to the international literature. When compared with the international bibliography, they show to be slightly smaller, highlighting the importance of having specific equations to the region under study. In future studies, an attempt will be made to correlate the found microorganisms with the profiles of volatile metabolites organic compounds (MVOC´s) and their effects on the respiratory health of a group of adolescents from La Plata city.