AIRBORNE BACTERIA CONTAMINATION OF SHUTTLE BUSES

ABSTRACT

Airborne bacteria can impact human health and the environment in various ways, depending on factors such as the type of bacteria, their concentration, and the conditions of exposure. The evaluation of microbiological quality in indoor air represents a critical investigation aimed at identifying microbial contaminants. In this study, the assessment of airborne bacteria in the shuttle buses was evaluated. Standard bacteriological methods were used to determine the total bacterial count of the air sample. The bacterial isolates were characterized and identified using morphological and biochemical methods. The percentage distribution and frequency of the isolates were evaluated using statistical method. The result obtained showed the bacterial population ranging from 5.66 X 104 ± 7.78 to 9.44 X 104 ±9.41 cfu/m3 . There was a decrease in bacteria colonies for week two analysis ranging from 1.39 X 104 ± 9.41 to 1.60 X 104 ± 3.26 cfu/m3 . The heterotrophic bacteria count for week three was less compared to week one with the range of 1.42 X 104 ± 8.98 to 1.67 X 104 ± 9.39 cfu/m3 . The isolates obtained in this study were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus sp, Streptococcus sp, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus cereus. The antibiotic profiling in this study showed that all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and perfloxacin, however they were resistant to erythromycin, rifampicin and azithromycin. Assessing indoor air quality and identifying airborne bacteria are crucial for understanding potential health risks associated with indoor environments. Factors such as occupant density, ventilation conditions, and sampling duration influence indoor bacterial concentrations.