Microbial Assessment Of Indoor And Outdoor Air Of Microbiological Laboratory In Veritas University

ABSTRACT

In this study, the microbiological quality of indoor air and outdoor air within Veritas university microbiology Laboratory was investigated. The settle plate technique using open Petri dishes containing different culture media was employed to collect sample twice daily for a period of 5 weeks at 7 days interval. Standard microbiological methods were employed for the identification of bacterial and fungal isolates. The results obtained revealed that the concentration of bacteria in the study area ranged from 2.05×10² to 1.53×10³ CFU/m³, while that of fungi was 2.05×10² to 1.79×10³ CFU/m³. A total of 8 bacterial and 10 fungal species were isolated and identified with varying frequencies of occurrence. This include Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Micrococcus spp, Citrobacter spp, Proteus spp and Corynebacterium spp, while the fungal genera isolated include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Rhodotorula harrison, Aspergillus terreus, Candida albicans, Mucor micheli, Cladosporium spp, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lecythophora hoffmannii. The bacterial isolates Bacillus spp (27%) and Micrococcus spp (22.93%) were shown to be the most predominant airborne bacteria while Aspergillus niger (21.72%) and Aspergillus flavus (18.69%) were the most frequently isolated fungal species. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the microbial load of the indoor and outdoor air of microbiology Laboratories at P˂0.05. Data generated underline the usefulness of monitoring the air quality of the Laboratory environment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM OF THE STUDY
• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
• LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• RESEARCH QUESTION
• DEFINITION OF TERMS

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• OVERVIEW OF MICROORGANISM
• HISTORICAL AND DISCOVERY BACKGROUND OF MICROBES
• CLASSIFICATION AND STRUCTURE OF MICROORGANISMS
• ECOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS
• APPLICATIONS OF MICROORGANISMS
• THE IMPACT OF MICROBES ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• STUDY AREA
• SAMPLE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
• ANALYTICAL MEDIA
• ENUMERATION OF MICROBIAL GROWTH AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES
• METEOROLOGICAL DATA ACQUISITION
• DATA ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1      RESULT

4.2      DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION

REFERENCE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                          INTRODUCTION

1.1                            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Microorganisms are found everyway in our environment and impact the whole ecosphere in one way or the other. They influence man in different ways. The diversity of microbial activities varies from causing diseases in human, other animals and plants. Microorganisms are sensitive indicators of environmental quality. Air serves as a very good dispersal medium for microbiota. The type of species and amount of organisms present in the air depends on physicochemical factors like the temperature, viscosity, lighting, suspension of organic and inorganic material and food availability. Human activities are also an important determining factor for the diversity of microbes in an area [1].

The air inhaled by people is abundantly loaded with microorganisms in form of bioaerosols [2]. Karwowska [3] defined bioaerosols as a colloidal suspension, formed by liquid droplets and particles of solid matter in the air, whose components contain or have attached to them viruses, fungal spores and conidia, bacterial endospores, plant pollen and fragments of plant tissues. Basically, bioaerosols are airborne particles that are living or originate from living organisms. Bioaerosols are ubiquitous, highly variable, complex, natural or man-made in origin. Aerosol particles of biological origin (cells, cell fractions or organic matter of animal, plant and microbial origin) form a significant portion of atmospheric aerosols, sometimes reaching close to 50% numerically of all aerosol particles [4]. Pillai and Ricke [5] opines that composition and size of bioaerosol varies from 20 nm to >100µm depending on the source, aerosolization mechanisms, and environmental conditions prevailing at the site. The inhalable fraction (PM 2.5) is of primary concern because it is the most susceptible portion of the bioaerosols to reach the deeper parts of the respiratory system.

Indoor and outdoor air quality is one of the most important factors that influence our general life quality. An average human breathe 10 m³air every day, and spend 80–95% of his or her live indoors, and also spend 95 to 98% [6]. Indoor  and outdoor air pollution can result in health problems and even an increase in human mortality [7]. Indoor and outdoor environments contain a complex mixture of live and dead microorganisms, fragments, toxins, allergens, volatile microbial organic compounds and other chemicals.

Biologically derived materials are natural components of indoor and outdoor environments. But under certain circumstances, biological agents may be considered contaminants of outdoor environment. Among the various sources of outdoor air pollution, microorganisms are considered to be the most complex and the least investigated. A wide variety of microorganisms constitutes the air spora of any region and these are dispersed from the source by various agents. The transport and ultimate settling of bioaerosols are affected by its physical properties and the environmental parameters that it encounters while it is airborne. The size, density and shape of the droplets or particles comprise the most important physical characteristics, while the magnitude of air currents, relative humidity and temperature are the significant environmental parameters [8]. The incidence patterns of airborne particulate matters differ from place to place and season to season.

There is a growing evidence that exposure to biological agents in the indoor and outdoor  environment can have adverse health effects. A review made by World Health Organisation (WHO) on the number of epidemiological studies showed that, there is sufficient evidence for an association between indoor and outdoor dampness-related factors and a wide range of effects on respiratory health, including asthma development, asthma exacerbation, current asthma, respiratory infections, upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, sneeze and dyspnoea [9, 10].

Microbiological air quality is an important criterion that must be taken into account when laboratories are designed to provide a safe environment. The load of microorganisms in the air can be measured by using air sampler method or by using simple settle plate method and by calculating the colony forming units per cubic meter of air (CFU/m³).

The quality of indoor air in terms of microbial contamination in a given space at a given time period is said to be determined by the quality of air entering the space, the umber of occupants in the space, their physical activities and resultant aerosol generation, human traffic and the degree of ventilation[1]–[3]. Dust, which is a good vehicle of airborne contamination, may arise from human activities, such as sweeping, movement, waving of handkerchief and bed making. Sneezing has been described as the most vigorous mechanism. This study aimed at isolating, identifying and counting bacterial and fungal contaminants of indoor and outdoor air in microbiological laboratory in varitas university.

1.2                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

Recent studies have shown that there is an increase in a number of allergic reactions to microbial spores in which the young people do constitute a large number of allergy sufferers [9-11]. Therefore there is need to monitor air regularly in order to determine its quality as it affects the health of humans in the public as they go about their daily activities. In Nigeria, attention is yet to be given to the monitoring of airborne microorganism either indoor or outdoor. This study is focused on this problem at the microbiological Laboratory of Varitas University where students and laboratory scientists spend a great deal of their time inside these laboratories and their immediate surroundings with possible pollutants, which may lead to adverse health effect on them.

1.3                                 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this work is to investigate the quality of indoor and outdoor air of Veritas university microbiology Laboratory to ascertain their contribution to infection rate in the school lab.

At the end of this work, student involved shall be able to:

1. Different types of microorganism observe in indoor and outdoor air are analysed.
2. Grow microorganisms found in indoor and outdoor air.

• Introduction to microorganisms

1. The effect of microorganism on human health
2. How micro- organism can be contacted via indoor and outdoor air.

1.4                                                                        PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of the present study was to carry out the test of micro-organism associated with indoor and outdoor air in Veritas University Microbiology Laboratory.

1.5                                           HYPOTHESIS

HO:   Microbial organisms are not observed in indoor and outdoor air in microbiological laboratory.

Hg     = Microorganisms are observed in indoor and outdoor air in microbiological laboratory

1.6                             SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be useful to students that always stay or visit microbiology laboratory for their practical.  The outcome of this research will guide users of the material and microbiology student to avoid contacting micro-organism mostly in indoor and outdoor air.

1.7                                             LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There are many or different type of microorganism that can be found in public places in the school environment but this particular work focus mainly on the microbiological laboratory of Varitas University.

1.8                                   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

At the end of this work, student involved shall be able to give answers to the following questions:

1. What are the 4 types of microorganisms?
2. What is microorganism?

• What bacteria are found in indoor and outdoor air?

1. What type of bacteria is commonly found in indoor and outdoor air?

1.9                                                            DEFINITION OF TERMS

i. Microorganism or microbe:  is an organism that is so small that it is microscopic (invisible to the naked eye).

ii. Microbiological contamination:  refers to the non-intended or accidental introduction of microbes such as bacteria, yeast, mould, fungi, virus, prions, protozoa or their toxins and by-products.

1.10                                           PROJECT ORGANISATION

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work,   chapter two presents the literature review of the study,  chapter three describes the methods applied,  chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.