Investigation of intramural environmental Aeromicrobiota in Bharati Printing Press Pune, Maharashtra, India

Air sampling was carried out by using continuous Tilak air sampler from 1stJanuary 2013 to 31stMay2013 in the intramural environment of Bharati printing press having a tropical wet and dry climate with average temperature ranging between 19oC to 41oC and RH 49% to 87% to analyze the aerobiodeteriogens causing biodetrioration of papers, books and their relevance to health problems like allergy, sometime skin diseases, respiratory disorders, etc., among the press workers. Qualitative analysis revealed incidence of 64 fungal spore types and 09 other types. Quantitative analysis revealed daily and monthly variation in the percentage contribution of dominant spore types such as Cladosporium (23.186%), Aspergillus (21.302%), Nigrospora (21.03%), Smut spores (19.86%), and minor type like Torula (1.043%). Diurnal periodicity curve of Nigrospora (from 11th January to 20th January 2013)revealed peak point at 04 to 06hrs (11.64%) exhibiting early morning aerospora pattern and minimum at 14 to 16 hrs (10.34%), at average temperature (21 0C) accompanied by rise in average RH (67.8%) have been found responsible for the increase in aerospora. While diurnal periodicity curve of Chaetomium (From 8th April to 20th April 2013) exhibited peak at 02 to 04 hrs. i.e. post midnight aerospora pattern at average temperature 220C and average RH 62%. Prominent biodeterioration of papers and health disorders in press workers have been reported during the study period.