Indoor environment factor

Bioaerosols

Part of: Particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀)

Also: airborne microbes, bioaerosol

Airborne particles of biological origin — mould spores and fragments, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust-mite and pet allergens. They are a subset of particulate matter with their own health effects: infection, allergy and inflammation.

G-0083 · Updated 5 September 2026 · Coridum Research

Why it matters indoors

Bioaerosols range from viruses below 0.1 micrometre to pollen above 10; most indoor bioaerosols are shed by occupants, resuspended from dust, or released from damp materials. They are measured by culturing, by DNA methods, or increasingly inferred from particle counts and humidity. Ventilation and filtration remove them like any particle; humidity control prevents the mould and mite sources.

In the literature

  1. Marcovecchio et al. Bioaerosol Contribution to Atmospheric Particulate Matter in Indoor University Environments. Sustainability. doi:10.3390/su13031149 CKB 0496
  2. Seasonal evaluation of culturable bioaerosols and airborne particulate matter in Iranian… (2025). Sci Rep. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-04182-2 CKB 1092
  3. Tangestani Development application of FMEA risk assessment model for indoor air pollutants in healthcare organizations: Focus on suspended particles and bioaerosols in hospitals (2025). MethodsX. doi:10.1016/j.mex.2025.103342 CKB 1091

Studies in the Coridum Knowledge Base in which this term is used. The definition follows standard usage in WHO, ISO and textbook sources; it is not quoted from these papers.

CKB = document number in the Coridum Knowledge Base, our curated library of peer-reviewed studies. Follow the DOI for the original paper.