Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a result of the interaction between microenvironmental conditions, location, and building characteristics.IAQ directly affects human health, comfort, productivity, and performance.However, very little attention has been paid to the IAQ of nonindustrial workshops.This cross-sectional survey aimed to determine the IAQ of academiarelated workshops based on the factors such as the microbial load (including bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes), particulate matter (PM) content, presence of chemical pollutants (such as ammonia [NH 3 ], volatile organic compounds [VOCs], and formaldehyde [HCHO]), and physical conditions (such as temperature [T°C], relative humidity [RH%], light intensity, noise, dewpoint and air speed).Moreover, the perception weights of IAQ factors affecting the indoor comfort condition were also examined.A two-stage viable, Andersen cascade impactor, was used by suctioning air onto the selective culture media.The PM content was determined by using a preweighted membrane filter.Portable air quality monitors were used to estimate the chemical and physical factors.A questionnaire survey was employed to assess the health complaints and the participants' perception weights on the indoor environmental parameters (such as thermal, acoustic, visual environment, and air quality).The concentrations of mesophilic bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes were found to be higher indoors than outdoors, with indoor/outdoor (I/O) values of 3.13, 1.56, and 1.53, respectively.The Global Index of Microbial Contamination/m 3 exceeded 7,000 colony forming units/m 3 in approximately 46% of the workshop areas.The I/O ratios of PM, VOCs, HCHO, and NH 3 were 1.69, 1.52, 0.65, and 0.6, respectively.T°C and RH% values ranged 18-35°C and 40-56%, respectively.
Authors: Abdel Hameed Awad, Safaa El-Gendy, Yuosra Saeed, Salwa Kamal
Institutions: Trakya University, National Research Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: National Research Centre
OpenAlex ID: W4413311690