Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques
In Malaysia, carpets are commonly used as finishing flooring material in the main prayer hall of mosques. In cleaning carpets, hoovering has been the most popular method, but it directly triggers the uplifting of dust that may contain bacteria and fungi. Hoovering activities and ventilation strategi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Enviro Research Publishers
2019
|
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/79598/1/Effects%20of%20hoovering%20activities%20on%20biological%20contaminants%20and%20particulate%20matter%20levels%20in%20main%20prayer%20halls%20of%20Malaysian%20mosques.pdf |
| _version_ | 1825951179773837312 |
|---|---|
| author | Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati Ramli, Nor Azam Ismail, Mohd Rodzi Shith, Syabiha Md Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri Zainordin, Nazatul Syadia El-Bayoumi, Maher Mohamad Nazir, Amni Umirah |
| author_facet | Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati Ramli, Nor Azam Ismail, Mohd Rodzi Shith, Syabiha Md Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri Zainordin, Nazatul Syadia El-Bayoumi, Maher Mohamad Nazir, Amni Umirah |
| author_sort | Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati |
| collection | UPM |
| description | In Malaysia, carpets are commonly used as finishing flooring material in the main prayer hall of mosques. In cleaning carpets, hoovering has been the most popular method, but it directly triggers the uplifting of dust that may contain bacteria and fungi. Hoovering activities and ventilation strategies (air conditioning split units (ACSUs) or by active ventilation (non-ACSUs)) can affect the prevalence of bacterial and fungal growth. This study aimed to establish the total bacterial counts, total fungal counts and also PM10 concentrations under different ventilation strategies (ACSUs and non-ACSUs) in the main prayer halls of mosques. Identification of bacterial and fungal species also took place in this study. Sampling was performed in 25 mosque buildings (17 ACSUs and 8 non-ACSUs) with carpeted flooring on Zohor-Asar and Friday-Asar prayer sessions at Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Results revealed that the total bacterial counts, total fungal counts and mean PM10 concentrations were higher in mosques with ACSUs than in mosques with non-ACSUs at concentrations ranging from 166cfu/m3 to 660 cfu/m3, from 118 cfu/m3 to 660 cfu/m3 and from 11.15 ± 9.32 µg/m3 to 49.30 ± 13.13 µg/m3, respectively. The total bacterial counts exceeded the acceptable guideline limit by the Industrial Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (ICOP), but the total fungal counts and PM10 concentrations did not. In some mosques, the total bacterial and fungal counts did not decrease even after hoovering activities were completed. The dominant types of bacteria found in the mosque buildings were Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp. and Micrococci spp., whilst the dominant fungal species was Aspergillus niger. Although the findings were not alarming, care should be taken by mosques authorities especially while and after hoovering, to ensure that, the indoor air quality in mosques are being maintained within the permissible limit to protect worshippers from being exposed to bacterial and fungal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T10:26:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm.eprints-79598 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T10:26:03Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Enviro Research Publishers |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | upm.eprints-795982021-07-29T00:02:02Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/79598/ Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati Ramli, Nor Azam Ismail, Mohd Rodzi Shith, Syabiha Md Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri Zainordin, Nazatul Syadia El-Bayoumi, Maher Mohamad Nazir, Amni Umirah In Malaysia, carpets are commonly used as finishing flooring material in the main prayer hall of mosques. In cleaning carpets, hoovering has been the most popular method, but it directly triggers the uplifting of dust that may contain bacteria and fungi. Hoovering activities and ventilation strategies (air conditioning split units (ACSUs) or by active ventilation (non-ACSUs)) can affect the prevalence of bacterial and fungal growth. This study aimed to establish the total bacterial counts, total fungal counts and also PM10 concentrations under different ventilation strategies (ACSUs and non-ACSUs) in the main prayer halls of mosques. Identification of bacterial and fungal species also took place in this study. Sampling was performed in 25 mosque buildings (17 ACSUs and 8 non-ACSUs) with carpeted flooring on Zohor-Asar and Friday-Asar prayer sessions at Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Results revealed that the total bacterial counts, total fungal counts and mean PM10 concentrations were higher in mosques with ACSUs than in mosques with non-ACSUs at concentrations ranging from 166cfu/m3 to 660 cfu/m3, from 118 cfu/m3 to 660 cfu/m3 and from 11.15 ± 9.32 µg/m3 to 49.30 ± 13.13 µg/m3, respectively. The total bacterial counts exceeded the acceptable guideline limit by the Industrial Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (ICOP), but the total fungal counts and PM10 concentrations did not. In some mosques, the total bacterial and fungal counts did not decrease even after hoovering activities were completed. The dominant types of bacteria found in the mosque buildings were Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp. and Micrococci spp., whilst the dominant fungal species was Aspergillus niger. Although the findings were not alarming, care should be taken by mosques authorities especially while and after hoovering, to ensure that, the indoor air quality in mosques are being maintained within the permissible limit to protect worshippers from being exposed to bacterial and fungal. Enviro Research Publishers 2019 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/79598/1/Effects%20of%20hoovering%20activities%20on%20biological%20contaminants%20and%20particulate%20matter%20levels%20in%20main%20prayer%20halls%20of%20Malaysian%20mosques.pdf Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati and Ramli, Nor Azam and Ismail, Mohd Rodzi and Shith, Syabiha and Md Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri and Zainordin, Nazatul Syadia and El-Bayoumi, Maher and Mohamad Nazir, Amni Umirah (2019) Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques. Current World Environment, 14 (1). pp. 134-142. ISSN 0973-4929; ESSN: 2320-8031 http://www.cwejournal.org/vol14no1/effects-of-hoovering-activities-on-biological-contaminants-and-particulate-matter-levels-in-main-prayer-halls-of-malaysian-mosques/ 10.12944/CWE.14.1.12 |
| spellingShingle | Rasli, Nur Baitul Izati Ramli, Nor Azam Ismail, Mohd Rodzi Shith, Syabiha Md Yusof, Noor Faizah Fitri Zainordin, Nazatul Syadia El-Bayoumi, Maher Mohamad Nazir, Amni Umirah Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title | Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title_full | Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title_fullStr | Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title_short | Effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of Malaysian mosques |
| title_sort | effects of hoovering activities on biological contaminants and particulate matter levels in main prayer halls of malaysian mosques |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/79598/1/Effects%20of%20hoovering%20activities%20on%20biological%20contaminants%20and%20particulate%20matter%20levels%20in%20main%20prayer%20halls%20of%20Malaysian%20mosques.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raslinurbaitulizati effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT ramlinorazam effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT ismailmohdrodzi effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT shithsyabiha effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT mdyusofnoorfaizahfitri effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT zainordinnazatulsyadia effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT elbayoumimaher effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques AT mohamadnaziramniumirah effectsofhooveringactivitiesonbiologicalcontaminantsandparticulatematterlevelsinmainprayerhallsofmalaysianmosques |