4. Air contamination

Microbiological contamination of the air originates in the formation of a complex bioaerosol which may contain several biological contaminants: living micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, yeasts, molds), antigenic microbial fragments, toxins and/or other substances of microbial origin.

Air contamination depends on three essential conditions (presence of sources of contamination, microbial amplification by active multiplication and dissemination by disruption of the reservoir) which lead to either permanent or, more often, transient contamination of the ambient air, or airborne microbial flora.