ABSTRACT

This study investigated the presence and concentrations of VOCs, SO₂, Particulate Matter, O_3, NO₂, and CO, as well as airborne bacteria and fungi in the indoor environment of Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia using the following sampling sites: Accident and emergency ward (A and E), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Main Operating Theatre (MT), Microbiology Laboratory (ML), Surgical Ward (SW), and Administrative Department (AD), which was the control. The results were then compared with indoor air quality (IAQ) standards for hospital environments. Among the indoor air pollutants assessed, O₃ and SO₂ were not found in any of the locations at any time but the other contaminants were present in varying concentrations across all six sites with only VOCs exceeding accepted guidelines. This exceedance occurred in all the sampled sites both during the morning period (A and E: 1.0 ppm, AD: 1.0 ppm, ICU: 4.0 ppm, MT: 146 ppm, ML: 1.0 ppm and SW: 1.0 ppm) and in 4 sites during the afternoon period (A and E: 1.0 ppm, ICU: 4.0 ppm, MT: 43 ppm and ML: 1.0 ppm). Exceedance may be attributed to the use of chemical cleaning agents, and surgical smoke generated by surgical energy devices. Mean bacterial TVCs exceeded accepted limits in all the sampled sites both during the morning (A and E: 747 CFUs, AD: 388 CFUs, ICU: 388 CFUs, MT: 546 CFUs, ML: 905 CFUs, and SW: 603 CFUs) and afternoon periods (A and E: 618 CFUs, AD: 661 CFUs, ICU: 259 CFUs, MT: 216 CFUs, ML: 661 CFUs, and SW: 503 CFUs) while Mean fungal TVCs exceeded accepted limits in four of the six sampled locations both during the morning (A and E: 259 CFUs, AD: 402 CFUs, ML: 445 CFUs, and SW: 216 CFUs) and afternoon periods (A and E; 172 CFUs, AD: 302 CFUs, ML: 503 CFUs and SW: 273 CFUs). This may be as a result of overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and high temperatures prevalent in those locations throughout the sampling period as well as the inadequacy of the cleaning agents in terms of their bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic activity. Thus, the IAQ levels of FMC, Umuahia were not satisfactory enough. Therefore, it is recommended that conscious and concerted efforts be made to greatly minimize indoor air pollution and microbial air contamination and ensure that good IAQ is maintained within the environment of FMC Umuahia.