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Hwang S, Kim SY, Choi S, Lee S, Park DU. Correlation between levels of airborne endotoxin and heavy metals in subway environments in South Korea. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17086. [PMID: 34429439 PMCID: PMC8385047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95860-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the exposure levels and variation in airborne endotoxin and heavy metals such as aluminum, chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc, and lead (Pb) in the three different South Korean subway environments (driver room, station office, and underground tunnel) and identify subway characteristics influencing endotoxin and heavy metals levels. Air samples were collected and analyzed using the kinetic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate assay and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers. The geometric mean was determined for endotoxin levels (0.693 EU/m3). It was also found that Fe (5.070 µg/m3) had the highest levels in subway environments while Pb (0.008 µg/m3) had the lowest levels. Endotoxin levels were higher in the underground tunnel and lower in the station office; the total heavy metal levels showed the same pattern with endotoxin levels. Endotoxins and total heavy metal levels were higher in the morning than at night. Positive correlations were found between endotoxin and Cr, Fe, Mn, and Ni levels. Given the correlation between airborne endotoxins and heavy metals, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to identify the correlation between levels of airborne endotoxin and heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungho Hwang
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Ilsan, 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Yeon Kim
- Changwon Fatima Hospital, Changwon, 51394, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangjun Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwon Lee
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Ilsan, 10408, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Uk Park
- Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, 86 Daehak-ro, Seoul, 03087, Republic of Korea.
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Vijayakumar R, Abdulaziz Alfaiz F, Al-Malki ES, Sandle T. Assessment of airborne endotoxin in sandstorm dust and indoor environments using a novel passive sampling device in Al Zulfi city, Saudi Arabia - Establishing threshold exposure levels. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:1257-1266. [PMID: 33613055 PMCID: PMC7878821 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of sandstorm dust events affects local air quality and public health. These issues are becoming of greater concern in Saudi Arabia. There is a significant lack of research on airborne endotoxin exposure and analysis in the Middle East countries and no coherent body of research exists focusing on sandstorm dust in worldwide. In this study, we used a novel design of an aluminum foil plate (AFP) electrostatic dust cloth (EDC) for the passive air sampling of sandstorm dust. A total of 38 sandstorm dust samples were collected during sandstorm episodes occurring between January and April 2020 in both indoor (7 days, n = 20) and outdoor environments (24 h, n = 18). After exposure, and following an extraction procedure, bacterial endotoxin levels were measured using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) gel clot method. The study highlights that the airborne endotoxin level observed was between 10 and 200 EU/m2 in both indoor and outdoor environments, during a sandstorm event. Agricultural activities and farmhouses observed higher airborne endotoxin levels. In general, increased endotoxin levels were related to the severity of the sandstorms. Given that the observed values were high as per existing guidelines for respiratory health, we recommend the setting an occupational airborne exposure limit for bacterial endotoxin. This is the first report and further studies across various sandstorm-hit regions will need to be undertaken, together with various sampling methods, in order to assess for seasonal and geographic trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendran Vijayakumar
- Department of Biology, College of Science in Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
- Corresponding author at: Department of Biology, College of Science in Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Faiz Abdulaziz Alfaiz
- Department of Biology, College of Science in Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Esam S. Al-Malki
- Department of Biology, College of Science in Zulfi, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tim Sandle
- Head of Microbiology, Risk Management and Sterility Assurance, Bio Products Laboratory, Elstree, United Kingdom
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Niu M, Shen F, Zhou F, Zhu T, Zheng Y, Yang Y, Sun Y, Li X, Wu Y, Fu P, Tao S. Indoor air filtration could lead to increased airborne endotoxin levels. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 142:105878. [PMID: 32580116 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Stand-alone portable air purifiers (APs) have become an increasingly popular method of controlling individual inhalation exposure. Exposure to bacterial endotoxins has a causative role in respiratory inhalation health. Here, we studied the changes in endotoxin levels in indoor air before and after purification by a portable AP equipped with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters. An increase in endotoxins was observed when a previously used AP was turned on to clean the air. Replacing the HEPA filters in the AP helped to mitigate the increase in endotoxins of larger sizes but not endotoxins of smaller sizes. Consequently, the use of APs could lead to increased endotoxin deposition in airways, especially in the alveolar region. The endotoxin concentrations on the HEPA filters were well correlated with the free DNA concentrations on the HEPA filters. This correlation indicates that the disrupted bacteria, which released free DNA, could also release endotoxins, thus making HEPA filters a source of indoor airborne endotoxins. Our results illustrate a potential endotoxin inhalation risk associated with HEPA-APs as an air cleaning strategy and highlight the importance of composition-specific air cleaning while reducing the particle number/mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutong Niu
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fangxia Shen
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Feng Zhou
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Tianle Zhu
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yunhao Zheng
- Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yi Yang
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ye Sun
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xinghua Li
- School of Space and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Energy Materials and Devices, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yan Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Pingqing Fu
- Institute of Surface-Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Shu Tao
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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How Working Tasks Influence Biocontamination in an Animal Facility. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9112216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The exposure to biocontaminants in animal facilities represents a risk for developing infectious, allergic and toxic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine what factors could be associated with a high level of exposure to biological agents through the measure and characterization of airborne fungi, bacteria, endotoxin, (1,3)-β-d-glucan and animal allergens. Airborne microorganisms were collected with an air sampler and identified by microscopic and biochemical methods. Endotoxin, (1,3)-β-d-glucan, Mus m 1, Rat n 1, Can f 1, Fel d 1, Equ c 4 allergens were detected on inhalable dust samples by Kinetic LAL, Glucatell, and ELISA assays, respectively. Our data evidenced that changing cages is a determinant factor in increasing the concentration of the airborne biocontaminants; the preparation of bedding and distribution of feed, performed in the storage area, is another critical working task in terms of exposure to endotoxins (210.7 EU/m3) and (1,3)-β-d-glucans (4.3 ng/m3). The highest concentration of Mus m 1 allergen (61.5 ng/m3) was observed in the dirty washing area. The detection of expositive peaks at risk of sensitization (>2 μg/g) by Fel d 1 in animal rooms shows passive transport by operators themselves, highlighting their role as vehicle between occupational and living environments.
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Mahapatra PS, Jain S, Shrestha S, Senapati S, Puppala SP. Ambient endotoxin in PM 10 and association with inflammatory activity, air pollutants, and meteorology, in Chitwan, Nepal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:1331-1342. [PMID: 29033055 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 09/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endotoxin associated with ambient PM (particulate matter) has been linked to adverse respiratory symptoms, but there have been few studies of ambient endotoxin and its association with co-pollutants and inflammation. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to measure endotoxin associated with ambient PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter<10μm) in summer 2016 at four locations in Chitwan, Nepal, and investigate its association with meteorology, co-pollutants, and inflammatory activity. METHODS PM10 concentrations were recorded and filter paper samples were collected using E-samplers; PM1, PM2.5, black carbon (BC), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) were also measured. The Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay was used for endotoxin quantification and the nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activation assay to assess inflammatory activity. RESULTS The mean concentration of PM10 at the different locations ranged from 136 to 189μg/m3, and of endotoxin from 0.29 to 0.53EU/m3. Pollutant presence was positively correlated with endotoxin. Apart from relative humidity, meteorological variations had no significant impact on endotoxin concentration. NF-κB activity was negatively correlated with endotoxin concentration. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first measurements of ambient endotoxin associated with PM10 in Nepal. Endotoxin and co-pollutants were positively associated indicating a similar source. Endotoxin was negatively correlated with inflammatory activity as a result of a time-limited forest fire event during the sampling period. Studies of co-pollutants suggested that the higher levels of endotoxin related to biomass burning were accompanied by increased levels of anti-inflammatory agents, which suppressed the endotoxin inflammatory effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parth Sarathi Mahapatra
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Sumeet Jain
- Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India; Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Sujan Shrestha
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | - Siva Praveen Puppala
- International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), G.P.O. Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal.
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