Microbiological Air Quality in a Highschool Gym Located in an Urban Area of Southern Poland—Preliminary Research

Abstract

The benefits of regular exercise include improved physical and mental health. The school gym is a particular micro-environment where students perform intensive physical training. The question is if there is an increased risk of microbiological contamination. This preliminary work studied the exposure of students to bacterial aerosol (BA) in a highschool gym located in an urban area of Southern Poland. A sampling of BA was undertaken with an Andersen six-stage impactor (ANDI). BA was identified using API (analytical profile index) tests. The BA concentrations were expressed as Colony Forming Units (CFU) per cubic metre of air. The results showed that before gym classes (BGC), the concentration of BA was 4.20 × 102 ± 49.19 CFU/m3, while during gym classes (DGC), the level of BA more than doubled (8.75 × 102 ± 121.39 CFU/m3). There was also an increase in the respirable fraction of BA (particles less than 3.3 µm). Before the start of the sports activities, respirable fraction accounted for 30% of the BA, while during physical education classes, this share increased to over 80%. Identification of BA species showed that the dominant group of bacteria in the indoor air of the gym BGC was Gram-positive rods (61%) and for DGC it was Gram-positive cocci (81%). We detected that one bacteria strain (Corynebacterium striatum) was classified into risk group 2 (RG2) according to Directive 2000/54/EC. Additionally, multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR) showed that among the isolated airborne bacteria, the highest antibiotic resistance was demonstrated by Staphylococcus epidermis (isolated DGC) and Pseudomonas sp. (isolated BGC). The quantitative and qualitative information on microbiological air quality (MIAQ) in the school gym indicates that the actions to improve indoor physical activity spaces are recommended.

Physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of urban aerosols in Krakow (Poland) and their potential health impact

“…In our study, seven other Bacillus species were identified in various samples, while in the aforementioned study by Brągoszewska and Pastuszka ( 2018 ), only four different species were found. Contrary to another study by Brągoszewska et al ( 2020 ), concerning indoor and outdoor microbiological air quality in a high school gym in Southern Poland, we did not isolate Corynebacterium . The reasons for such results are probably the differences in air sampling and the identification method.…”

“…The reasons for such results are probably the differences in air sampling and the identification method. Brągoszewska et al ( 2020 ) used an Andersen six-stage impactor ANDI for sampling, but in case of identification, the MALDI-TOF method was used in our study, while biochemical API tests were utilized in the cited studies. Among the staphylococci isolated from the aerosol samples collected from air, there were two different species: Staphylococcus warneri and Staphylococcus epidermidis .…”

Diversity of Bioaerosols in Selected Rooms of Two Schools and Antibiotic Resistance of Isolated Staphylococcal Strains (Bydgoszcz, Poland): A Case Study

“…Different results were obtained by Wolny-Koładka et al [1] at the University of Agricultural in Cracow, where three dominant species-i.e., S. xylosus (18%), S. sciuri (17%) and S. hominis (15%)-were distinguished. At the same time, Brągoszewska et al [13] identified four staphylococcal species in three educational buildings in the industrial region of Upper Silesia, Poland, namely S. lentus, S. epidermidis, S. sciuri and S. chromogenes, while Brągoszewska et al [58] confirmed the dominance of S. lentus, S. epidermidis and S. chromogens in the high school gym located in an urban area of Southern Poland.…”

Bioaerosol Contribution to Atmospheric Particulate Matter in Indoor University Environments

“…There is an extensive scientific literature about PM chemical composition, including bioaerosol, in crowded indoor environments, such as residential houses, hospitals, working sites, and aircraft ( [15][16][17][18], among others). However, only a few studies were specifically focused on the air quality of schools or academic environments [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28], and only a few of these considered the bioaerosol and quantified its concentration. These studies were generally limited to some bio-components, such as viable fungi or bacteria, representing a fraction of only about 1% of total bioaerosol mass [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38].…”