scholarly journals Investigation and Disinfection of Environmental Microbes in Sports Fitness Center

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nonglak Boonrattanakij ◽  
Sirikorn Yomchinda ◽  
Fang-Jia Lin ◽  
Luzvisminda M. Bellotindos ◽  
Ming-Chun Lu
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Chlorine Dioxide ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Weak Acid ◽  
Fitness Center ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic shows that indoor air disinfection is extremely important. As early as 2012, Taiwan has released indoor air quality standards, and in 2017 announced the second batch of places that should meet indoor air quality standards including sports and fitness places. In this study, the indoor air quality was monitored in the indoor exercise and fitness center under normal operating conditions of air conditioning and ventilation as well as user flow. Chlorine dioxide and weak acid hypochlorite solutions, and water scrubbing were used to improve the quality of the indoor environment under different operating modes. This study investigated the air quality improvement in terms of bacteria and fungi contamination of the indoor exercise and fitness center under normal operating conditions including air conditioning, ventilation, and user flow. In addition, bacteria contamination and disinfection on sports equipment surface were also examined. Background bacteria and fungi densities in bioaerosols were in the range of 249 ± 65 to 812 ± 111 CFU/m3 and 226 ± 39 to 837 ± 838 CFU/m3 in the indoor air of the fitness center and 370 ± 86 to 953 ± 136 CFU/m3 and 465 ± 108 to 1,734 ± 580 CFU/m3 in the outdoor air, respectively. Chlorine dioxide and weak acid hypochlorous water aerosols could remove both bacteria and fungi much better than water scrubbing. Contact time of 15 minutes was sufficient to control both bacteria and fungi to comply with the official air quality standards. User density and carbon dioxide deteriorated both bacteria and fungi disinfection performance whereas temperature was only statistically significant on fungi disinfection. Other factors including relative humidity, airflow velocity, and particulate matters did not have any statistically significant effect on microbial inactivation. Handle of bicycle, dumbbell, and sit-up bench were found to be contaminated with bacteria and E. coli. Detected densities for bacteria and E. coli on the surface of these sport equipment were in the range of 390 ± 2 to 3,720 ± 736 CFU/cm2 and 550 ± 70 to 1,080 ± 114 CFU/cm2, respectively. Microbial densities detected largely depended on the number of users for each specific equipment. Chlorine dioxide and zinc oxide were noticeably better than weak acid hypochlorous water and commercial disinfectant in term of bacteria inactivation whereas all tested disinfectants had comparable effectiveness on E. coli disinfection. Targeted microorganisms were sufficiently inactivated within 2 minutes after the application of disinfectant.

Assessment of the indoor air quality based on airborne bacteria and fungi measurements in a public school of Istanbul

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuket Sivri ◽  
Ahmet Ozgur Dogru ◽  
Arzu Funda Bagcigil ◽  
Kemal Metiner ◽  
Dursun Zafer Seker
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Public School ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Airborne Bacteria ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Investigation on Indoor Air Quality of Public Sites in Tainan Area

2011 ◽  
Vol 255-260 ◽  
pp. 1413-1417
Author(s):  
Yi Tun Wang ◽  
Jui Chi Chiu ◽  
Yi Chyun Hsu ◽  
Ting Nien Wu ◽  
Yun Hwei Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Direct Detection ◽  
Air Contaminants ◽  
Fitness Center ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Crowd Control ◽  
Hospital School

This study selected 21 representative public sites for the survey of indoor air quality in Tainan area, including hospital, school, fitness center, government office, library, theater, transport station, and supermarket. Indoor air quality was first assessed by direct detection apparatus, including CO2, CO, HCHO, TVOCs, bacteria, fungi, PM10, PM2.5, O3 and temperature. Based on the results of walk-through detection, the spatial distribution of indoor air contaminants was further measured in a 24 hour period by the EPA standard method. The detailed measurements illustrated HCHO, O3, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations are lower than the suggested threshold levels in all public sites. CO2 concentrations at hospitals and school are all exceeding category 1 threshold of 600 ppm. Bacteria exceeding the suggested threshold of 500 CFU/m3 for category 1 and 1000 CFU/m3 for category 2 is popular at most public sites. One fitness center was found exceeding the TVOCs threshold of 3 ppm, and outdoor air can be a potential source. The high levels of CO2 and bacteria were a common indoor air quality problem, and the regulated strategy of crowd control and air conditioning management was required for a healthy indoor environment.

Indoor Air Quality Investigation of Public Sites in Isolated Islands within Taiwan Strait

2012 ◽  
Vol 209-211 ◽  
pp. 1576-1579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo Jung Hsien ◽  
Yi Tun Wang ◽  
Yi Chyun Hsu ◽  
Ting Nien Wu ◽  
Yun Hwei Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Taiwan Strait ◽  
High Co2 ◽  
Threshold Levels ◽  
Crowd Control ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

The selected 21 public sites for indoor air quality (IAQ) investigation located at Penghu and Kinmen Islands (Taiwan). IAQ measurements include CO2, CO, HCHO, TVOCs, bacteria, fungi, PM10, PM2.5, O3 and temperature, which were conducted during year 2010 and 2011. The results showed that the concentrations of CO, HCHO, PM10 and PM2.5 were below Taiwan EPA’s suggested IAQ threshold levels at all public sites. CO2 concentrations at hospitals and school are all exceeding category 1 threshold of 600 ppm. Besides, the levels of O3 and bacteria for hospitals and fungi for schools were all higher than the suggested IAQ threshold levels. One supermarket was found exceeding the suggested IAQ threshold levels on TVOCs and CO2. The theater was found exceeding the suggested bacteria threshold. This study discovered that the high CO2, bacteria and fungi levels occurred at various public sites. Accordingly, the regulated strategy of crowd control and air conditioning management was required for a healthy indoor environment.

Indoor air particulate matter exposure of commuter bus passengers in Istanbul, Turkey

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sinan Keskin ◽  
Elif Dilmac
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Traffic Density ◽  
Air Quality Standards ◽  
Limit Value ◽  
Passenger Transportation ◽  
Target Values

Commuter buses are in very common use in Istanbul, the most crowded city in Turkey, for inner city passenger transportation. People in commuter buses are prone to substances mainly originated from traffic related activities on streets. Scientific studies indicate that air pollutants create problems on respiratory and cardiovascular health. The objective of this study was to determine particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations and their elemental compositions in indoor air environments of commuter buses serving in Istanbul. In this context, two commuter bus lines that can represent the general traffic density in Istanbul were selected as study location. Indoor air PM10 and PM2.5 samplings were performed in the buses serving on these lines under routine traffic conditions and while passengers were in the buses. Measurements indicated that the concentrations were well above the guidelines values given by the WHO and European air quality standards while they were below the short term and above the long term guidelines values of Air Quality Directives of Turkey at the time of the measurements. The measured elemental concentrations were below the limit value for Pb and target values for As, Cd, and Ni given by the European Air Quality Standards for Total Suspended Particulates (TSP). Results obtained for old technology commuter buses emphasize the benefits of air conditioned and tightly isolated new buses for better indoor air quality on PM concentrations.

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