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Microbes & Indoor Air Quality An Environmental Project Christine L. Case Student enrolled in BIOL 690, BIOL 240 or BIOL 230 are participating in this research project. Read about How to keep a lab notebook. Sick Building Syndrome | Lab Protocol | References | Data  |
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Sick building syndrome (SBS) is characterized by headache, dizziness, lethargy, tight chest, and fatigue. SBS can be caused by a variety of chemicals and particulates. SBS came to the forefront in the 1980s when Legionella growing in air conditioner reservoirs caused infections in people in closed buildings. Particulates <6 µm in the air can reach the lungs and 1-2 µm particles can be retained in alveoli. Biological particles in the air range from 0.5 to 30 µm. As many as 90% of the microbes are gram-positive bacteria because their cell walls and carotenoid pigments protect them from ultraviolet damage. Airborne microorganisms can come from soil, animals, and indoor sources. A variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as fungi and algae have been found growing on indoor environmental surfaces such as air filters, duct tape, carpets, behind wall paper, and wet walls. |
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Heidelberg, J.F. et al. "Effect of aerosolization on culturability and viability of gram-negative bacteria." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63:3585-3588, Sept. 1997. (Has a good reference list.) Kreiss, K. "The sick building syndrome in office buildings-a breath of fresh air. New England Journal of Medicine 328:877-878, May 25, 1993. McNeel, S. and R. A. Kreutzer. "Fungi & Infoor Air Quality." Health & Environment Digest 10 (2):9-12, May/June 1996. (California Department of Health Services) Menzies, R. et al. "The effects of varying levels of outdoor-air supply on the symptoms of sick building syndrome. New England Journal of Medicine 328:821-827, May 25, 1993. Stetzenbach, L. D. (ed.). "Aerobiology." In Manual of Environmental Microbiology. (C. J. Hurst, ed.), pp. 617-702, Washington, D.C.: American Society for Microbiology, 1997. About the Air Sampler: |
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