Microbial characterisation of bioaerosols from indoor environments using molecular techniques.

Nowadays, the quality of air in the indoor environment is of increasing concern as it is estimated that the majority of people in developed countries spend about 85% of their time in various indoor micro-environments. The biological fraction of airborne particulate matter has become of increasing interest owing to the potential allergenic and pathogenic nature of airborne micro-organisms. Biological aerosols are ubiquitous and abundant in the air we breathe in the built environment and despite the recognition of the importance of bioaerosol exposure on human health, relatively little is known about the microbial agents in indoor air and there are still critical gaps in our understanding of the airborne microbial communities. Molecular biology methods demonstrate a great potential for improving our comprehension of the significance of the indoor aerosol microbial load in the context of human exposure, providing in-depth characterisation of microbial communities. However, the number of bioaerosol studies which have applied culture-independent techniques is still limited and the data on the airborne microbial particles in indoor environments remain scant and need to be further examined. The aim of the present study is to investigate the microbial abundance and diversity of bioaerosols in various different types of indoor environments using molecular techniques. Several research questions are being addressed by application of high throughput next generation sequencing technology, providing insights into the aerosol microbiome in micro-environments where people spend considerable amount of their time on a daily basis, including educational, residential and transportation settings. The results of this project provide novel information on a previously largely unexplored microbiome which could improve and expand our comprehension of the specific characteristics of bioaerosols in the indoor environment. Moreover, the data generated by this study could make a significant contribution to improving air quality by facilitating the development of methods for bioaerosol exposure monitoring.