This study investigated the presence of allergens such as dust and molds in heat recovery ventilation systems and the duct work. It also looks at two different types of cleaning equipment and their ability to clean these pollutants from the rigid and flexible ductwork and heat recovery ventilator (HRV) cores in dedicated balanced supply and exhaust ventilation systems. Samples from the ductwork and cores of ten ventilation systems were tested for levels of dust and mold.
Three different techniques for reducing exposure to microorganisms were tested during remediation of moldy buildings. Concentrations of spores (fungi and actinomycetes) were determined by filter sampling before, during, and after remediation. The local exhaust method used for asbestos dismantling was the most effective control method. In the construction zone, concentrations of microorganisms were 4-25 times higher during remediation than before it. In the adjacent area no increase in concentrations was seen.
Birch and grass pollen grains as well as pollen-derived small particles appear as potent allergens in the outdoor air during spring and summer. The occurrence of pollen allergens in indoor air, however, has not been studied in depth due to lack of suitable sampling and analytical methods. Herein; a recently reported "direct on sampling filter estimation" (DOSAFE) technique (Acevedo et al., 1998) has been validated for quantification of pollen allergens in indoor air using two school rooms and two office rooms as experimental models.
To investigate the physical process of particle deposition on and resuspension from surfaces in animal buildings, a test facility and a sampling method is established. The influences of surface orientation and air turbulence and velocity just as other parameters on the dust load on a surface are analysed. It is found that the surface orientation is the parameter which influences the dust load most. The dust load is highest on the floor but some dust is also sampled on the walls and the ceiling.
Five classrooms, air-conditioned or naturally ventilated, at five different schools were chosen for comparison of indoorand outdoor air quality. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (C02), sulphur dioxide (S02), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (N02), particulate matter with diameter less than 10 μm (PM10), formaldehyde (HCHO), and total bacteria counts were monitored at indoor and outdoor locations simultaneously. Respirable particulate matter was found to be the worst among parameters measured in this study.