RESUSPENSION OF ALLERGEN-CONTAINING PARTICLES UNDER MECHANICAL AND AERODYNAMIC DISTURBANCES FROM HUMAN WALKING-INTRODUCTION TO AN EXPERIMENTAL CONTROLLED METHODOLOGY

摘要

Epidemiological evidence indicates that common environmental allergens found in building reservoirs are strongly associated with the development of bronchial hyper-reactivity (BHR) or asthma, affecting up to half the population in North America and Europe. Although they are rarely life threatening, these diseases cause much distress and lost time from school and work. These diseases are believed inhalation sensitized and developed, suggesting an aerobiological pathway of allergen-containing carrier particles from reservoir to occupant respiration. This study presents and develops a controlled and characterized method to explore the influence of human walking on the aerosolization of allergen-containing particles. Time resolved particle size distribution and allergen content are measured for particles resuspended from representative samples of flooring materials and for different sets of floor disturbances in an environmentally controlled experimental chamber. Initial results, when placed in the context of previous investigations, indicate the method can be utilized to develop a database for particle resuspension rates.