In response to concerns regarding air quality and exposures to animal allergens found in production and research animal rooms, extensive evaluation of animal room environmental conditions has been undertaken at a US biomedical research laboratory and mouse production facility. These evaluations include the measurement of routinely regulated parameters such as room air exchange rates and measurements conducted for research purposes. Research parameters have included both area and personal samples of mouse allergen levels (mus m l), total suspended particulates (TSP) and limited inhalable particles 10 microns or less (IP-10), carbon dioxide, real-time size-fractionated particles utilising a laser diode particle counter, mouse density, room air change rates, and employee health symptoms. Preliminary results of the measurement of 24 areas that were selected for analysis are presented.

KEYWORDS: air quality, calculating, animal housing, laboratory animal housing, animals, personnel, health, USA, exposure, allergy, rooms, measuring, air change rate, particles, carbon dioxide