Assessment of indoor air quality in health clubs: insights into (ultra)fine and coarse particles and gaseous pollutants

Front Public Health. 2023 Nov 28:11:1310215. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1310215. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Exercising on regular basis provides countless health benefits. To ensure the health, well-being and performance of athletes, optimal indoor air quality, regular maintenance and ventilation in sport facilities are essential.

Methods: This study assessed the levels of particulate, down to the ultrafine range (PM10, PM2.5, and particle number concentration in size range of 20-1,000 nm, i.e., - PNC20-1000 nm), gaseous pollutants (total volatile organic compounds - TVOCs, CO2, and O3) and comfort parameters (temperature - T, relative humidity - RH) in different functional spaces of health clubs (n = 8), under specific occupancy and ventilation restrictions.

Results and discussion: In all HCs human occupancy resulted in elevated particles (up to 2-3 times than those previously reported), considering mass concentrations (PM10: 1.9-988.5 μg/m3 PM2.5: 1.6-479.3 μg/m3) and number (PNC 1.23 × 103 - 9.14 × 104 #/cm3). Coarse and fine PM indicated a common origin (rs = 0.888-0.909), while PNC showed low-moderate associations with particle mass (rs = 0.264-0.629). In addition, up to twice-higher PM and PNC were detected in cardiofitness & bodybuilding (C&B) areas as these spaces were the most frequented, reinforcing the impacts of occupational activities. In all HCs, TVOCs (0.01-39.67 mg/m3) highly exceeded the existent protection thresholds (1.6-8.9 times) due to the frequent use of cleaning products and disinfectants (2-28 times higher than in previous works). On contrary to PM and PNC, TVOCs were higher (1.1-4.2 times) in studios than in C&B areas, due to the limited ventilations combined with the smaller room areas/volumes. The occupancy restrictions also led to reduced CO2 (122-6,914 mg/m3) than previously observed, with the lowest values in HCs with natural airing. Finally, the specific recommendations for RH and T in sport facilities were largely unmet thus emphasizing the need of proper ventilation procedures in these spaces.

Keywords: comfort parameters; gaseous pollutants; health clubs; indoor air; particle number concentration; particulate matter; physical exercise.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Air Pollution, Indoor* / analysis
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Environmental Pollutants*
  • Fitness Centers*
  • Gases
  • Humans
  • Particulate Matter / analysis

Substances

  • Particulate Matter
  • Air Pollutants
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Gases
  • Carbon Dioxide

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was financially supported through projects LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDP/00511/2020–UIDB/00511/2020 (LEPABE), UIDB/50006/2020–UIDP/50006/2020 and LA/P/0008/2020 (REQUIMTE) from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES). Additional funding was provided by PCIF/SSO/0017/2018 FCT through national funds. CP would like to acknowledge FCT for her fellowship SFRH/BD/147185/2019.