Bioaerosols at Syowa Station, Antarctica

Abstract

Airborne bacterial and fungal numbers in the buildings of Syowa Station in Antarctica were examined for 9 months in 2001. The number concentrations of bacteria and fungi were less than 20 and 70 CFU/m^3, respectively, in the dining room and washroom. The average number concentrations of bacteria and fungi were less than 1/50 or 1/5 of those in Japan and Europe, respectively, and remained constant regardless of season. The number concentrations of airborne microorganisms appeared to depend on drying of the indoor environment by the use of heaters.