INDOOR AIR QUALITY OF LIBRARIES AND LABORATORIES IN A TERTIARY INSTITUTION AND RISK FACTORS FOR RESP

This study evaluated indoor air quality and examined major risk factors for respiratory symptoms among students who used University of Benin libraries and laboratories. The concentrations of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and formaldehyde were measured during the morning and afternoon sampling periods, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic, environmental, and health data. Statistical analyses included paired-samples t tests and chi- square tests, with significance set at p < 0.01. The mean pollutant concentrations range from 14.5 ± 0.6 to 24.1 ± 3.1 µg/m³ (PM₂.₅), 27.0 ± 1.5 to 43.2 ± 6.7 µg/m³ (PM₁₀), 399.5 ± 0.3 to 404.4 ± 4.7 ppm (CO₂), and 0.003 ± 0.000 to 0.026 ± 0.012 mg/m³ (HCOH), 24.6 ± 0.2 °C to 32.6 ± 3.7 °C (Temperature), and 69.1 ± 0.5% RH to 78.3 ± 0.6% RH (Relative Humidity).The mean pollutant concentrations did not differ significantly between the morning and afternoon samples, indicating temporal stability. In contrast, environmental factors were significantly associated with symptom prevalence. Notably, a highly significant but inverse relationship emerged for cleaning frequency: participants reporting daily cleaning reported the highest symptom prevalence compared with those reporting monthly cleaning. Demographic variables such as age and sex were not significant predictors of symptoms. These findings indicate that respiratory health risks in these indoor settings are driven less by short-term fluctuations in measured pollutants and more by shortcomings in building maintenance.