Objectives: This study was undertaken in order to evaluate by work space zoning and structure the concentrations of biological contaminants in the indoor air of domestic office buildings. Methods: Air samples were collected in the office spaces of 15 office buildings in Seoul from June 28 to July 28, 2011. Prior to the sampling, each office was classified into open-plan office , cellular office and mixed office according to the work space zoning. To evaluate the biological contamination of indoor air, total suspended bacteria (TSB), Gram positive bacteria (GPB), Staphylococcus aureus (S.A), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Gram negative bacteria (GNB) and fungi were investigated. During the sampling, temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured. Results: The TSB concentrations (GM±GSD) were 452 (±1.3) cfu/m3 in open-plan offices, 366 (±1.3) cfu/m3 in cellular offices and 287 (±1.5) cfu/m3 in mixed offices, and there were significant differences between the three groups (p<0.05). The highest concentrations (GM ± GSD) of fungi were found in the indoor air of cellular offices 128(±1.0) cfu/m3, which was at least three times higher than the concentrations in mixed offices 43 (±1.0) cfu/m3 (p<0.05). Conclusions: Microbiological contamination in the indoor air of office buildings by work space structure was the highest with the open-plan office layout which includes no high walls or doors separating the occupants
(0)
(0)