Air Problems

In air-conditioned buildings, water or condensation in Ventilation Systems can act as breeding grounds for harmful bacteria which are then dispersed through the Ventilation process. The health effects vary. Where high counts of environmental bacteria such as Staphylococcus, epidermidis, Micrococcus, and Flavobacterium shed from skin flakes can be regarded as indicators of inadequate Ventilation. Investigators suggested that if Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or thermophilic Actinomyce, Streptomyces albus, Bacillus subtilis, are predominant and complex communities of micro-organisms in biofilms are etiologic agents of hypersensitivity lung disease. It should be emphasized, however, that the presence of bacteria in the environment does not necessarily imply that human infections will occur. In indoor environment, bacterial counts are naturally higher in crowded places and it is not meant to be a direct indicator of health risk but serve as screening tests for further investigation.

In addition, several infectious agents, such as Legionella pneumophilia, Mycobacterium tubercolosis, and Corynebacterium diphtheria are of important IAQ concern. Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease in the past have occurred in buildings that had air-conditioning systems with cooling towers or evaporative condensers

Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharide compounds present in the outer cell wall of gram-negative bacteria and blue-green algae. They are associated with byssinosis and with sick building syndrome, both of which are predominately caused by airway inflammation and effect the immune system.

The products at AOM are focused on creating a safe environment, while specializing in products that are geared towards keeping one’s work environment clean and free of harmful bacteria. For more details call on (65) 6286 3333 or email us at sales@aom.sg.