1. Tri-County Health Department
Case Histories
John W. Martyny, Ph.D., CIH
Tri-County Health Department

2. Case History #1

3. Building Characteristics
Community college occupied in October, 1986.
1 Building with 3 floors and about 1,000,000 sq.ft.
Has had IAQ complaints since it was occupied.
Odors, stuffiness, upper respiratory complaints.
Complaints have increased as of late.

4. Complaints are primarily from staff. Building has the following areas:
Registration area
Teaching areas
Automotive and diesel repair areas
Veterinary Technician area
Print shop area
Chemistry laboratories
Farm equipment repair area
Building layout is a 3 story main building with three 1 story wings.

5. See large drawing

6. What steps would you initially take?

7. Ventilation System Evaluation
Visual Inspection
Cleanliness
Filter Replacement
Moisture
Damper Functioning

8. Ventilation Evaluation Results
Generally good condition
Clean
Good filters (return and outside)
Fiberglass lining in good condition
Moisture Problems
Moisture in drain pans
Biocide use

9. What are your conclusions?

10. Carbon Dioxide Sampling
Actually a tracer gas method.
Acceptable levels depend upon:
population density
Outside levels
Contamination (CO)
Generally accepted levels
1000 ppm
800 ppm

11. Carbon Dioxide Results
Ranged from 340 ppm to 637 ppm in all areas tested.
Outside levels were approximately 300 ppm.

12. Is there a problem?

13. Complaints Distributed to all staff in the staff room. Concerns:
Take home questionnaire
90% return rate
Concerns:
Congestion and stuffiness - 37%
Too hot or cold - 35%
Dryness - 44%
Eye irritation - 30%
Headache - 24%

14. Comparison Complaint Levels
NIOSH
HEDGE
School
Headache
25%
44%
24%
Congest.
22%
45%
37%
Eye
Irrit.
33%
42%
30%
Fatigue
26%
46%
28%

15. Is there a problem? Would you conduct sampling?

16. Tests Conducted at Building
Tracer Gas Testing
Bioaerosol Testing
Particulate Sampling
Comfort Factors

17. Bioaerosol Results Outside Levels Inside Levels 1200 - 1500 CFU/m3
Mostly Cladosporium
Inside Levels
ND - 59 CFU/m3
Some Penicillium but low.

18. Particulate Levels Standards Measurements Meaning of elevated levels
None
Measurements
Outside vs. inside
Particle size - PM 2.5 and PM 10
Meaning of elevated levels
Poor filtration
Bioaerosols
Particulate Source

19. Particulate Results Highest levels in Rm 159 Other Areas Meaning
PM 2.5 = 9ug/m3
PM 10 = 14 ug/m3
Other Areas
PM 2.5 = ug/m3
PM 10 = ug/m3
Meaning
Activity and Processes

20. Temperature and Relative Humidity
Comfort Levels
Stale air
Poor air movement
Humidity and microbes

21. Temperature and Humidity Results
Temperatures ranged from a mean of 70 degrees to a mean of 76 degrees.
Highest levels ranged from 70 to 78
Highest levels in 214 and 159
Chiller operation a problem
Humidity levels ranged from 47% to 79%.
High humidity can cause microbial problems and comfort problems.

22. Tracer Gas Sampling Uses of Tracer gas Methodology Decay Studies
Migration Studies
Methodology
Sulfur hexafluoride
Injection
Results

23. Tracer Gas Results Rm. 159 air exchange rates. Other Areas Standards
0.76 to 1.1 ACH
Lowest in morning
Other Areas
1.27 to 1.9 ACH
Standards
ASHRAE cfm/person
Actual unknown

24. Tracer Gas Results Migration Studies vet area studies print shop areas
diesel areas

25. Conclusions
Need to clean air handlers, improve drainage, and take out biocides.
Improve outside air in some areas.
Stop migration of odors.
Control temperature and humidity.

26. Case History #2

27. Case History #2 The Government Building.
Broken water lines due to freezing of Air handlers.
Extensive water damage
Hot temperatures
Moldy odors
Visible mold
Question: Sample or Not Sample???

28. Case #2 Airborne Sampling Results
Room
Total
Penicil.
Clad.
Fungi
Sp.
Sp.
Outside
495 18
272
B 147 36 12 18
A 107 77 41 12
B 122 89 24 30
C 113
2915
2037 7
D 107
259 41 42

29. Case #2: Bulk Sample Results
Bulk sample from one room contained Stachybotrys chartarum.
Bulk samples indicated Penicillium and Aspergillus sp. with fungal hyphae.

30. Questions Was there a bioaerosol problem? Why?
Was sampling beneficial?

31. Lesson Learned Sampling may or may not correctly answer the question.
Sampling may not support visual observations.
The more samples the better.
The variability between samples may be great.

32. Case #3: Same Place, Different Time
What were the results of the remediation?
All water damage was repaired.
All water damaged material was removed.
Ventilation system was repaired and observed.
People were moved out of the facility.
Should sampling be conducted?

33. Case #3 Airborne Sampling Results
Location
Tot.
Aspergil.
Cladosp.
Fungi
Sp.
Sp.
Outside
251 3
150
A127
356
238 53
A113
131 78 36
A117
148
106
A106 18 12 6

34. Question
Was there a bioaerosol problem?
Why?

35. Blank Results
148 Aspergillus sp.
36 Penicillium sp.

36. Lessons Learned Take lots of blanks. Be sure of media source.
Take lots of samples.

37. Case #4 Institution
Prison where workers had hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Workers worked in several areas.
Old barn with sever pigeon use.
Old slaughter house
Potato storage area
Sample or not sample?

38. Case #4 Airborne Sampling Results
Location
Tot.
Penicil.
Aspergil.
Fungi
Sp.
Sp.
Outside
813 80
Old Barn
1095
100
500
Slaughter
85,760
85,760
House

39. Question
Is there a bioaerosol problem?
Where is the problem?

40. Lessons Learned What you see is not always what is there.
Ask lots of questions.