Indoor airborne bacteria and fungi contamination in classrooms and staffs rooms / Darawisa Laliah

Indoor air quality is influenced by various factors including microbiological contaminants. Microbiological contamination in indoor air environment becomes a vital issue recently, as microorganisms including bacteria and fungi act as form of biological pollutant. Indoor airborne bacteria and fungi are two parameters in determining the level of microbiological contamination in indoor buildings. As exposure to certain species of airborne bacteria and fungi may cause certain diseases and also allergy symptoms to human, therefore it is significant to determine the level of microbiological contamination in classrooms and staffs room of university's building. Data collection was carried out at classrooms and staffs rooms. Air sampling had taken using open-plate method in determining total bacteria count and total fungal count (cfu/m³) together with physical measurement. Sampling procedure is based on AIHA (2008) and Sayuti et., al (2003). Health symptoms data was collected by using Checklist Health Survey. Data was recorded in Microsoft excel 2207 and SPSS Ver.18.0 for data analysis. Mean ofrelative humidity (%), temperature (°C), total bacteria count (cfu/m³) and total fungal count (cfu/m³) in classrooms are 61.54%, 20.12 °C, 249.38 cfu/m³ and 885.02 cfu/m3 respectively while in staffs rooms are 69.95%, 24.14 °C, 318.26 cfu/m³ and 1099.55 cfu/m³ respectively. High level of bacteria contamination occur at 7 classrooms and 8 staffs rooms while high level of fungi contamination occur at 20 classrooms and 26 staffs. Type of bacteria and fungi which mostly colonized in classrooms and staffs rooms is Staphylococcus sp (gram-positive cocci), Neisseria sp (gram-negative cocci), Bacilli sp (gram positive rod) and gram negative rod bacteria, Aspergillus sp, Penicilium sp, Alternaria sp, Cladosporium sp., Stachybotrys sp. and Botrytis sp. There is significant difference between total fungal count (cfu/m³) in staffs rooms and classrooms at p-value 0.029. There is also significant positive linear relationship between health symptoms and total fungal count (cfu/m³) among staffs. In conclusion, bacteria and fungi contamination occurs at both staffs rooms and classrooms. High level of contamination of fungi had obviously affected toward occupant's health, so that this condition should be prevented before become worse in future.