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SEASONAL VARIATION IN AIRBORNE MICROFLORA IN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS OF MARKETS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN PORT HARCOURT.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The air is an important substance in which microorganisms are scattered about. Bioaerosols are microorganisms suspended in the air such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, pollen and biological fragment which are found both indoors and out-of-doors, and display serious health risks to human population. Airborne microflora are subject to a complex interaction between biological, physical, and meteorological elements such as temperature, the relative humidity of the air, the velocity of the wind, the ultraviolet radiation, the season, and anthropogenic activities (Amato et al., 2023). Residential and markets are two environments that are ecologically significant yet where human-microbial interactions are enhanced especially in cities in sub-Saharan Africa that are developing rapidly.
Port harcourt, the capital of Rivers state in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria is one of the most populated cities in West Africa. It is marked by intense business activity, expansive open markets, residential areas that are highly populated, tropical heat throughout the year and a unique wet-dry seasonal weather pattern (Odum & Okorie, 2022). Novel climatic microclimatic conditions caused by the two major seasons the dry season (November to March) dictated by the dusty Harmattan winds blowing in the Sahara Desert and the wet/rainy season (April to October) directly affect the survival, dispersion, and diversity of the airborne microorganisms (Eze et al., 2021). Under the Harmattan weather, the loads of particulate matter and dust are high and viable microbial cells are transported over extensive long distances. On the other hand, wet season is characterized by high moisture content, rain fall and release of fungal spores due to growth of microorganisms on wet organic materials.
In most urban areas of Nigeria, indoor spaces like market stands, food, and residential rooms are commonly ill-ventilated, forming microhabitats with a high microbial load (Feka et al., 2023). Outdoor Port Harcourt markets such as the Mile 1 Market, Mile 3 Market and the Water Lines Market, with thousands of traders and customers visiting them every day, result in organic wastes, food fermentation gases, and bioaerosols generation through mechanical processes via human movement and vendor operations. In the home environment, cooking, decomposition of garbage, pit latrines and overcrowding contribute again to the increase of indoor microbial load. All these factors cause the public health issues associated with respiratory infections, food contamination, and allergic diseases as important causes of morbidity in Rivers State (RSMOH, 2022).
Previous research has shown that there are seasonal patterns of airborne microbial concentrations across various regions in Nigeria and Africa. According to Nwachukwu et al. (2020), the fungal concentrations were much greater in the dry period of the Harmattan season in Enugu markets than in the wet season. Likewise, Chukwu et al. (2022) reported high one-dimensional bacterial aerosol concentrations out of open markets in Kano in the hot-dry season. Across the world, changes in the immune reactions, respiratory tract infections, and occupational health risks have been associated with seasonal changes in bioaerosol composition affecting the market vendors and residents (Després et al., 2022; Qian et al., 2021). Nonetheless, there is a huge disparity in the more specific microbiological information on the seasonal basis of Port Harcourt markets and home environments, as there is a considerable difference in the environmental and demographic factors between contexts studied in the past.
There is not just an academic need to characterize air microflora in these environments. Knowledge of the seasonal processes of bacteria and fungi in air has a direct bearing on the development of interventions in the health of the population, standards of infection control, standards of building and market design, and occupational health standards. Moreover, the identification of potentially pathogenic and allergenic species in the community of seasonal bioaerosols is important information to be incorporated into clinical and epidemiological surveillance systems in the era of rising antimicrobial resistance and new respiratory infections (Morawska et al., 2021). This research thus attempts to bridge the knowledge gap through a systematic season stratified measurement of airborne microbial diversity, density and community composition in the chosen indoor and outdoor spaces of markets and residence in Port Harcourt.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Although the significance of bioaerosol monitoring in the health management of cities is acknowledged, there are limited scientific data on seasonal differences in air microflora in Port Harcourt markets and homes. Current literature on urban bioaerosols in Nigeria is limited to urban areas of the North (Kano, Zaria, and Kaduna) with relatively few studies on the wet-tropical and industrial ecology of the Niger Delta (Bala et al., 2021). The activity of petroleum industries, artisan waste, and the proximity of market operations in Port Harcourt as well as seasonal changes during the transition between Humid weather period and seasonal change leads to the formation of bioaerosol ecology that cannot be generalized using the literature.
The lack of baseline seasonal data of airborne microflora in these particular environments interferes with evidence-based policymaking on urban public health and occupational safety in Rivers state. A highly exposed occupational group whose risk of bioaerosol exposure has not been adequately quantified is market vendors, spending long hours in tight stalls with poor ventilation. Moreover, the inhabitants living in the vicinity of big markets can be subjected to airborne contamination of different microbes emitted by a market and have no regulating system in place to take care of this. Increasingly high rates of community-acquired respiratory infections and allergic diseases in Port Harcourt testify to the urgency of the creation of strong environmental microbiological data in order to have a clinical and population health-based response.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of this study is to assess the seasonal variation in airborne microflora in indoor and outdoor environments of selected markets and residential areas in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
The specific objectives are to:
- Determine the total viable counts of bacteria and fungi in indoor and outdoor air samples from markets and residential areas across dry and wet seasons.
- Identify and characterize the dominant bacterial and fungal species present in the air samples.
- Compare the microbial load and species diversity between indoor and outdoor environments within each season.
- Correlate airborne microbial concentrations with selected meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and particulate matter levels).
- Assess the public health significance of the isolated microorganisms with respect to known pathogens and allergenic species.
1.4 Research Questions
- What are the total viable bacterial and fungal counts in indoor and outdoor air of markets and residential areas in Port Harcourt during dry and wet seasons?
- Which microbial species constitute the dominant airborne microflora in these environments?
iii. How do indoor and outdoor microbial loads differ across seasons and environment types?
- What is the relationship between meteorological variables and airborne microbial concentrations?
- Do the isolated microorganisms include clinically significant pathogens or allergens?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
Ho1: There is no significant difference in airborne microbial load between the dry and wet seasons in Port Harcourt markets and residential areas.
Ho2: There is no significant difference in airborne microbial load between indoor and outdoor environments across seasons.
Ho3: There is no significant correlation between meteorological parameters and airborne microbial concentrations.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will generate foundational baseline data on seasonal airborne microflora in Port Harcourt, contributing to Nigeria’s environmental microbiology database. The findings will assist urban health planners, market authorities, and public health officials in the development of evidence-based guidelines for microbial air quality management in high-density urban markets and residential settings. The study will also provide occupational health data relevant to the protection of market vendors and residents. Furthermore, the identification of potential respiratory pathogens in seasonal bioaerosol communities will contribute to clinical awareness and infection prevention strategies in the region.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study will be conducted in selected indoor and outdoor locations in two major markets (Mile 1 Market and Mile 3 Market) and two residential areas in Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria. Air sampling will be conducted during the dry (Harmattan) season and the wet (rainy) season over a twelve-month study period. The microbiological analyses will focus on bacterial and fungal components of airborne microflora using culture-based methods, supported by morphological and biochemical identification.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
Bioaerosol: Airborne particles of biological origin, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, pollen, and their metabolic products, suspended in the air.
Airborne microflora: The community of viable microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) detected in air samples from a given environment.
Total Viable Count (TVC): The enumeration of culturable bacterial or fungal colonies from an air sample on a suitable growth medium expressed per cubic metre of air.
Harmattan Season: The dry and dusty season in West Africa typically occurring from November to March, characterized by northeasterly winds from the Sahara Desert.
Indoor environment: Enclosed spaces including market stalls, food storage areas, and rooms within residential buildings.
Outdoor environment: Open-air spaces within market premises and residential areas, excluding enclosed structures.
References
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Bala, J. D., Lalung, J., & Ismail, N. (2021). Bioaerosols in urban environments: An emerging environmental health concern in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Microbiology, 35(1), 5678–5691.
Chukwu, O. O. C., Nwachukwu, S. C. U., & Okonkwo, I. O. (2022). Seasonal variation in microbial aerosol concentrations in open markets of Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Aerobiologia, 38(2), 203–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-022-09721-x
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Feka, N. Z., Nsuwa, L. A., & Amara, E. C. (2023). Indoor air microbiology in sub-Saharan African urban housing: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2847. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032847
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