Bioaerosol

About: Bioaerosol is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1347 publications have been published within this topic receiving 34791 citations.

Bioaerosol levels and the indoor air quality of laboratories in Bangkok metropolis

Abstract: Bioaerosols are major air pollutants commonly found both indoors and outdoors. High exposure levels may result in various adverse health outcomes. Laboratories, which are indoor environments carefully designed for specific purposes, may contain high levels of bioaerosols, which may threaten worker’s health, and contaminate experimental results. This study investigated the levels of bioaerosols (i.e., culturable fungi and bacteria, and fungal spores) in laboratories in the Bangkok metropolitan area. Air samples were collected from 14 Class I and one Class II laboratories by using a single-stage impactor and a VersaTrap spore trap cassette. Colonies were counted after 72 h and 48 h of incubation for culturable fungi and bacteria, respectively. Culturable fungi and fungal spores were identified based on their morphological characteristics. Associations between bioaerosols and indoor air parameters and laboratory characteristics were evaluated. The concentrations (mean ± SD) of culturable bacteria, culturable fungi, and fungal spores were 87.0 ± 97.8 CFU/m3, 294.9 ± 376.1 CFU/m3, and 771.8 ± 545.3 spores/m3, respectively. Aspergillus/Penicillium, ascospores, and Cladosporium were common fungal spore taxa in the laboratories. Culturable fungi significantly increased with the number of staff and visible molds, whereas water leaks and culturable fungi significantly increased fungal spore concentrations. Culturable bacteria were positively associated with the numbers of trash bins and − 80 °C freezers. Although bioaerosol concentrations were considerably lower in the studied laboratories, proper indoor air management is still suggested in order to reduce emissions and exposure. This can help workers avoid adverse health outcomes and reduce the chance of experimental contamination.

Recurrence of Stachybotrys chartarum during mycological and toxicological study of bioaerosols collected in a dairy cattle shed

Abstract: Agricultural occupations associated with animal breeding and the processing of animal materials in confinement systems could potentially lead to bioaerosol exposures Moulds and mycotoxins could be constituents of bioaerosols and should be studied because of their possible involvement in respiratory diseases and cancers In order to characterize the fungal contamination of the indoor air in a dairy barn, bioaerosols were collected during 20 days in a cattle farm located in Normandy (France) Mycobiota, mycotoxins and the mutagenicity of bioaerosols were studied The toxigenic ability of Aspergillus flavus group and Aspergillus fumigatus isolates was also evaluated in vitro The prevalent airborne moulds were from the following potentially toxigenic species: Aspergillus flavus group, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Stachybotrys chartarum, and the allergenic species Ulocladium chartarum, Cladosporium cladosporioides In comparison with harvesting, grain handling or broiler breeding, the concentrations of viable moulds were lower in the cattle shed Seasonal variations in levels of several species were also observed This study revealed that aflatoxins were detected in bioaerosols and, for the first time, showed that farmers are possibly exposed to Stachybotrys chartarum during routine barn work Moreover, the finding of mutagenicity from bioaerosols needs further investigations on bioaerosol composition

Microbiological air contamination in university premises and the evaluation of drug resistance of staphylococci occurring in the form of a bioaerosol

Abstract: The aim of this research was to evaluate exposure to microbiological aerosol of persons staying in selected office and teaching areas of the university premises. The number and biodiversity of micr...

Concentrations and Diversity of Microbes from Four Local Bioaerosol Emission Sources in Finland

Abstract: Microbial particles can readily be released into the air from different types of man-made sources such as waste operations. Microbiological emissions from different biological sources and their dispersion may be an issue of concern for area planning and for nearby residents. This study was designed to determine the concentrations and diversity of microbiological emissions from four different man-made source environments: waste center with composting windrows, sewage treatment plant, farming environment, and cattle manure spreading. Samples of airborne particles were collected onto polyvinyl chloride filters at three distances along the prevailing downwind direction, from each source environment during a period of approximately 1 week. These samples were analyzed for 13 species or assay groups of fungi, bacterial genus Streptomyces, and Gram-positive and -negative bacteria using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples for determining the concentrations of viable fungi and bacteria were collected from all environments using a six-stage impactor. The results show that there were variations in the microbial diversity between the source environments. Specifically, composting was a major source for the fungal genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, particularly for Aspergillus fumigatus, and for the bacterial genus Streptomyces. Although the microbial concentrations in the sewage treatment plant area were significantly higher than those at 50 or 200 m distance from the plant area, in the farming environment or cattle manure spreading area, no significant difference was observed between different distances from the source. In summary, elevated concentrations of microbes that differ from background can only be detected within a few hundred meters from the source. This finding, reported earlier for culturable bacteria and fungi, could thus be confirmed using molecular methods that cover both culturable and nonculturable microbial material.