Abstract:
This study carried out measurement of ventilation rate together with particulate matter and airborne microbes in hospital patient rooms with natural ventilation, single air conditioning and central air conditioning system. Airborne microbes were sampled by Single Stage Bio-Impactors. Nutrient used for cultivating bacteria was Blood Agar (BA) and that for Fungi was Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). At the time of sampling, TSP, PM10, PM2.5, air velocity, relative humidity, temperature as well as number of people and activities was recorded. The results found that natural ventilated rooms had the highest air change rate (Sig. =0.000). The TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were higher in natural ventilated rooms (Sig. =0.000, Sig. =0.000 and Sig = 0.000) due to outdoor sources while microbes both bacteria and fungi were higher in mechanical ventilated rooms (both single air conditioning and central air conditioning system) (Sig. =0.021 and Sig. =0.004). Population density was found to be correlated to airborne bacteria (R2>0.50), but other parameters found to be uncorrelated.