Improvement of the air quality in student health centers with chlorine dioxide.
This study aims to monitor bioaerosol levels of a local campus of a student health center in Taiwan and then to perform disinfection by applying chlorine dioxide. First, air samples were taken and evaluated in the six areas of the center. The average background bioaerosol levels were 714 +/- 1706 CFU/m(3) for bacterium and 802 +/- 633 CFU/m(3) for fungi. Then, chlorine dioxide was applied through three different procedures: single, multiple and regular disinfections. The results indicated that both multiple and regular disinfections can achieve efficiency levels higher than 59.0%. The regression analysis on bioaerosol levels showed that the number of people present correlating to the number of persons entering the room per door-opening, had a correlation of p < 0.05. Utilizing this analysis result, an empirical model was developed to predict indoor bioaerosol concentrations. It can be inferred that for indoor human activity of health centers, regular disinfection is a very effective process.
Hsu
Ching-Shan
CS
Department of Environmental Resource Management, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
Huang
Da-Ji
DJ
Lu
Ming-Chun
MC
D000336:Aerosols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017606:Chlorine Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002947:Cities; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013333:Student Health Services; D013624:Taiwan; D013696:Temperature
D000336:Aerosols; D017606:Chlorine Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D010087:Oxides; C025109:chlorine dioxide