1. Air Pollution in
Fitness Centres
Air Sampling & Monitoring – Jake Unger

2. Problems with Fitness
Centres Air Quality

3. Poor Ventilation
• Vent Placement
• Vent Air Flow
• Number of Vents

4. • C6H12O6 + O2  Energy H2O + CO2
• The Amount of Carbon Dioxide is a suitable indicator of
air quality
• Regular Carbon Dioxide levels – 500 – 700 ppm
• Short-term exposure limits – 3000 ppm
• Long-term exposure limits – 5000 ppm
• Symptoms:
o Nausea, Fatigue
Carbon Dioxide

5. • C6H12O6 + O2  Energy H2O + CO2
• Airborne Moulds and Fungus Spores
• @105 spores/m3 Negative Symptoms Appeared
• Symptoms:
o Lung function declining, difficulty breathing, inflammation etc.
• 70% humidity and greater results in Microbial growth
o (1997, Persily)
Relative Humidity

6. • Dust
• Chemicals from:
o Cleaning products
o Carpeting
o Paint
o New equipment
Other Airborne Particulates

7. Parameter Relationships
• CO2 Concentration vs. Number of People
• Intensity of Workout

8. CO2 Consumption/Production
vs. Physical Activity

9. Parameter Relationships
• Relative Humidity vs. Number of People
• Temperature vs. Number of People

10. Methods to Control Contaminates
• Temperature
• Number of Vents
• Location of Vents
• Flow Rate of Vents

11. Air Sampling of CO2
• Air Bag Collection
• Gas Chromatograph
o Response characteristics and retention time
• Advantage
o Quick, Portable, reusable
• Disadvantage
o Carbon dioxide levels depends on parameters such as amount of people/activity
intensity/location of sampling
o Short-term
o Other pollutants might be sampled as well
o Sample is only stable for generally 2 weeks in air bag

12. Conclusion
• Fitness Centre can be a place of airborne pollutants
• Air Quality can be easily maintained by ventilation
• Parameters conditions are all related
• Don’t stop going to fitness centres!

13. References
• Airborne microorganisms. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2015, from
http://archive.bio.ed.ac.uk/jdeacon/microbes/airborne.htm
• ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007. Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.(2007). Print.
• Baxter DM, Perkins JL, McGhee CR, Seltzer JM (2005). A regional comparison of mold spore
concentrations outdoors and inside “clean” and “mold contaminated” Southern California buildings. J
Occup Environ Hyg 2:8–18.
• Carbon Dioxide and Exercise.www.saskschools.ca/~greenall/scienceprojects/co2_and_exercise.htm.
(2003) Web.
• Current Occupational Exposure Limits for Ontario Workplaces Required under Regulation 833. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 23, 2015, from http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/oel_table.php
• Eduard W (2009). Fungal spores: A critical review of the toxicological and epidemiological evidence as a
basis for occupational exposure limit setting. Crit Rev Toxicol. 39(10):799-864.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Criteria for a Recommended Standard --
Occupational Exposure to Carbon Dioxide (DHEW/NIOSH Pub. No. 76-194). Cincinnati, OH: National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1976. pp. 14-114.
• Peter Raven, George Johnson, Kenneth Mason, Jonathan Losos, Susan Singer (2007). "The capture of
oxygen: Respiration". Biology (8 ed.). McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math;. ISBN 0-07-322739-0.
• Persily, Andrew. "Evaluating Building IAQ and Ventilation with Indoor Carbon Dioxide” ASHRAE (1997).
Web.