Hygienic monitoring results in eight types of public places in Ma'anshan, China, 2016—2021

Objective To understand the hygienic status of public places in Ma'anshan, objectively evaluate their hygienic condition so as to provide a scientific basis for the health supervision of public places.

Methods According to the relevant standards of the Examination Method for Public Places (GB/T 18204) and monitoring plans for health hazard factors in public places in Ma'anshan from 2016 to 2021, the health hazard factors in 165 public places of 8 types in Ma'anshan were monitored. Indoor air, public articles, and water environment samples were collected to detect indicators such as fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), particulate matter 10, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene, total bacterial count, pH, coliform bacteria, and Legionella pneumophila.

Results A total of 165 public places and 39 858 health hazard factors were monitored in Ma'anshan from 2016 to 2021, with an overall qualified rate of 91.90% (36 305/39 858). The qualified rate in hotels, bathing places, swimming places, shopping malls (supermarkets), and beauty shops showed significant differences across different years (P < 0.05). The qualified rates of indoor air, public articles, and water environment samples were 77.51%, 94.56%, and 74.36%, respectively. There were significant differences in the qualified rates of the three types of samples in different places (P < 0.05). The lowest qualified rate was determined in PM_2.5 in gymnasiums (0.00%) among indoor air indicators. Among the monitoring indicators of public articles, the lower qualified rates were determined in the pH value of sheets in hotels (38.25%) and the total bacterial count on fitness equipment in gymnasiums (35.00%). The lowest qualified rate was determined in the residual chlorine in the bath water in bathing places (15.00%) among the monitoring indicators of water environment samples.

Conclusion The overall hygienic condition of public places in Ma'anshan is relatively good from 2016 to 2021, but the overall qualified rate of monitored items has a downward trend. It is suggested that operators should improve the awareness of health management and strengthen self-management. Meanwhile, the health supervision department should strengthen hygienic supervision on public places.