Evaluación de la carga microbiana de tres laboratorios de la universidad distrital francisco josé de caldas, sede bosa - ciudadela el porvenir, Bogotá D.C.

Abstract

Analyzing the environmental quality of the laboratories of the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas is highly relevant due to the impact that microbiological conditions may have on the health of professors, students, staff, and other users who frequent these spaces. In this context, the present study was conducted in the Microbiology, Biology, and General Chemistry laboratories of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources at the Bosa Campus – Ciudadela El Porvenir, located in Bogotá D.C., which play a fundamental role in academic training and scientific research. However, the absence of systematic monitoring of the microbiological load in the environment of these laboratories has been observed, which may favor user exposure to potentially pathogenic microorganisms and represent a significant risk to their health. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the microbial load present in the environment of each laboratory, identify the presumed predominant species, and compare the results obtained among the different spaces, in order to propose measures aimed at improving the microbiological quality of the environment and ensuring the integrity of the research activities carried out. To this end, a mixed-methods approach was adopted. First, the quantitative approach focused on the measurement and analysis of microbial load in the laboratories through activities such as systematic sampling, colony counting, and microbiological characterization of the organisms found. On the other hand, the qualitative approach was addressed through the collection of information by means of surveys administered to users of the three laboratories, aimed at identifying perceptions and possible health effects associated with the use of these spaces.