BACTERIOLOGICAL AIR QUALITY OF HALL 2 COMMON ROOM

ABSTRACT

Air consists of tiny organisms such as bacteria, fungi, mycotoxins, and viruses. Despite the fact that microorganisms can be found in both indoor and outdoor habitats, the majority of people spend their lives indoors: in homes, businesses, workplaces, colleges, schools, and hospitals, among other places, where they are exposed to a variety of bioaerosols. The research was carried out to evaluate and identify the bacterial isolates in Hall 2 common rooms in the University of Benin City female hostel residence using standard morphological and biochemical methods. The sampling was conducted in diverse locations, including the minimart located in the common room. Nutrient agar was used to cultivate the airborne bacterial sample. The study's results revealed that the total heterotrophic bacteria count ranged from 4.70 x 102 ± 2.5 cfu/m3 to 8.35 x 102 ± 1.5 cfu/m3 during the first sampling period and 5.55 x 102 ± 1.5 cfu/m3 to 7.3 x 102 ± 3.5 cfu/m3 during the second sampling period. Variations could be attributed to climatic conditions during sampling and the airborne microbiome which contained a wide variety of bacterial species, with differences in composition between various locations. The isolated bacteria were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus sp., and Escherichia coli. While some of the detected bacteria are known pathogens, others could be used in biotechnology and bioremediation. The knowledge of airborne bacterial communities and their possible effects on human health and the environment is improved by the data provided by this study. It also emphasizes the significance of characterizing and monitoring airborne bacteria for a variety of purposes, such as managing public health and industrial processes.