1
|
Chen Z, Liang Z, Li G, Das R, Chen P, An T. Online monitoring system for qualitative and quantitative analysis of bioaerosols by combined ATP bioluminescence assay with loop-mediated isothermal amplification. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 937:173404. [PMID: 38797419 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Rapid detection of airborne pathogens is crucial in preventing respiratory infections and allergies. However, technologies aiming to real-time analysis of microorganisms in air remain limited due to the sparse and complex nature of bioaerosols. Here, we introduced an online bioaerosol monitoring system (OBMS) comprised of integrated units including a rotatable stainless-steel sintered filter-based sampler, a lysis unit for extracting adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and a single photon detector-based fluorescence unit. Through optimization of the ATP bioluminescence method and establishment of standard curves between relative luminescence units (RLUs) and ATP as well as microbial concentration, we achieved simultaneous detection of bioaerosols' concentration and activity. Testing OBMS with four bacterial and two fungal aerosols at a sampling flow rate of 10 to 50 L/min revealed an outstanding collection efficiency of 95 % at 30 L/min. A single OBMS measurement takes only 8 min (sampling: 5 min; lysis and detection: 3 min) with detection limits of 3 Pcs/ms photons (2.9 × 103 and 292 CFU/m3 for Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans aerosol). In both laboratory and field tests, OBMS detected higher concentrations of bioaerosol compared to the traditional Andersen impactor and liquid biosampler. When combined OBMS with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), the bioaerosol can be qualitative and quantitative analyzed within 40 min without the cumbersome procedures of sample pretreatment and DNA extraction. These results offer a high compressive and humidity resistance membrane filtration sampler and validate the potential of OBMS for online measurement of bioaerosol concentration and composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhishu Liang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Photocatalytic Technology Integration and Equipment, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Guiying Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Photocatalytic Technology Integration and Equipment, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ranjit Das
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Kalyani, West Bengal 741245, India
| | - Pingan Chen
- Guangzhou Xiuming Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 511450, China
| | - Taicheng An
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Photocatalytic Technology Integration and Equipment, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
An T, Liang Z, Chen Z, Li G. Recent progress in online detection methods of bioaerosols. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:442-454. [PMID: 38933213 PMCID: PMC10239662 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aerosol transmission of coronavirus disease in 2019, along with the spread of other respiratory diseases, caused significant loss of life and property; it impressed upon us the importance of real-time bioaerosol detection. The complexity, diversity, and large spatiotemporal variability of bioaerosols and their external/internal mixing with abiotic components pose challenges for effective online bioaerosol monitoring. Traditional methods focus on directly capturing bioaerosols before subsequent time-consuming laboratory analysis such as culture-based methods, preventing the high-resolution time-based characteristics necessary for an online approach. Through a comprehensive literature assessment, this review highlights and discusses the most commonly used real-time bioaerosol monitoring techniques and the associated commercially available monitors. Methods applied in online bioaerosol monitoring, including adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence, laser/light-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and bioaerosol mass spectrometry are summarized. The working principles, characteristics, sensitivities, and efficiencies of these real-time detection methods are compared to understand their responses to known particle types and to contrast their differences. Approaches developed to analyze the substantial data sets obtained by these instruments and to overcome the limitations of current real-time bioaerosol monitoring technologies are also introduced. Finally, an outlook is proposed for future instrumentation indicating a need for highly revolutionized bioaerosol detection technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taicheng An
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhishu Liang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhen Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guiying Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Argyropoulos CD, Skoulou V, Efthimiou G, Michopoulos AK. Airborne transmission of biological agents within the indoor built environment: a multidisciplinary review. AIR QUALITY, ATMOSPHERE, & HEALTH 2022; 16:477-533. [PMID: 36467894 PMCID: PMC9703444 DOI: 10.1007/s11869-022-01286-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The nature and airborne dispersion of the underestimated biological agents, monitoring, analysis and transmission among the human occupants into building environment is a major challenge of today. Those agents play a crucial role in ensuring comfortable, healthy and risk-free conditions into indoor working and leaving spaces. It is known that ventilation systems influence strongly the transmission of indoor air pollutants, with scarce information although to have been reported for biological agents until 2019. The biological agents' source release and the trajectory of airborne transmission are both important in terms of optimising the design of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems of the future. In addition, modelling via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) will become a more valuable tool in foreseeing risks and tackle hazards when pollutants and biological agents released into closed spaces. Promising results on the prediction of their dispersion routes and concentration levels, as well as the selection of the appropriate ventilation strategy, provide crucial information on risk minimisation of the airborne transmission among humans. Under this context, the present multidisciplinary review considers four interrelated aspects of the dispersion of biological agents in closed spaces, (a) the nature and airborne transmission route of the examined agents, (b) the biological origin and health effects of the major microbial pathogens on the human respiratory system, (c) the role of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in the airborne transmission and (d) the associated computer modelling approaches. This adopted methodology allows the discussion of the existing findings, on-going research, identification of the main research gaps and future directions from a multidisciplinary point of view which will be helpful for substantial innovations in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vasiliki Skoulou
- B3 Challenge Group, Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX UK
| | - Georgios Efthimiou
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX UK
| | - Apostolos K. Michopoulos
- Energy & Environmental Design of Buildings Research Laboratory, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tian J, Yan C, Alcega SG, Hassard F, Tyrrel S, Coulon F, Nasir ZA. Detection and characterization of bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plants: Challenges and opportunities. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:958514. [PMID: 36439798 PMCID: PMC9684734 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.958514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid population growth and urbanization process have led to increasing demand for wastewater treatment capacity resulting in a non-negligible increase of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in several cities around the world. Bioaerosol emissions from WWTPs may pose adverse health risks to the sewage workers and nearby residents, which raises increasing public health concerns. However, there are still significant knowledge gaps on the interplay between process-based bioaerosol characteristics and exposures and the quantification of health risk which limit our ability to design effective risk assessment and management strategies. This review provides a critical overview of the existing knowledge of bioaerosol emissions from WWTPs including their nature, magnitude and size distribution, and highlights the shortcoming associated with existing sampling and analysis methods. The recent advancements made for rapid detection of bioaerosols are then discussed, especially the emerging real time detection methods to highlight the directions for future research needs to advance the knowledge on bioaerosol emissions from WWTPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianghan Tian
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Sonia Garcia Alcega
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Francis Hassard
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
- Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sean Tyrrel
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Frederic Coulon
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| | - Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wu JT, Song XQ, Liang LW, Yan C. Estimating acceptable exposure time for bioaerosols emission in a wastewater treatment plant by reverse quantitative microbial risk assessment based on various risk benchmarks. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:13345-13355. [PMID: 34590226 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16699-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Populations exposed to bioaerosols over time in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) will be infected. Then, the reverse quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) provides a quantitative framework for the estimation of acceptable exposure time to protect people from excessive exposure and then manage their health risk. In this study, the acceptable exposure time for staffs and visiting researchers exposed to S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosols emitted from aeration ponds in WWTPs was estimated and analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation-based reverse QMRA (using the 1E-4 pppy suggested by the US EPA or 1E-6 DALYs pppy suggested by the WHO as benchmarks). The 1E-3 and 1E-2 pppy were selected as a series of loose annual infection risk benchmarks to calculate a practical acceptable exposure time. The results showed that for the acceptable exposure time in each specific exposure scenario, the exposure of females was consistently 0.3-0.4 times longer than that of males; the exposure of staffs was 3.6-3.9 times shorter than that of visiting researchers; the exposures of populations in the rotating-disc aeration mode were consistently 6.3-6.6 and 2.8-3.1 times longer than those in the microporous aeration mode for S. aureus and E. coli bioaerosols, respectively. The acceptable exposure time with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was 33.4-35.0 times as long as that without PPE. The US EPA benchmark is stricter than the WHO benchmark with regard to the estimation of the acceptable exposure time of S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosols. The 1E-3 pppy is more appropriate and practical than the US EPA benchmark, but the 1E-2 pppy is notably too loose for health risk management. This research can assist managers of WWTPs to formulate a justified exposure time and develop applicable administrative and personal intervention strategies. The results can enrich the knowledge bases of reverse QMRA to elect a series of loose health-based target risk benchmarks for health risk management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ting Wu
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Qing Song
- The Pollution Control Engineering Technology Center of Taizhou, Taizhou, 318000, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan-Wei Liang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Environmental Water Science in the Yangtze River Basin, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Compendium of analytical methods for sampling, characterization and quantification of bioaerosols. ADV ECOL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
7
|
Li M, Wang L, Qi W, Liu Y, Lin J. Challenges and Perspectives for Biosensing of Bioaerosol Containing Pathogenic Microorganisms. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:798. [PMID: 34357208 PMCID: PMC8307108 DOI: 10.3390/mi12070798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As an important route for disease transmission, bioaerosols have received increasing attention. In the past decades, many efforts were made to facilitate the development of bioaerosol monitoring; however, there are still some important challenges in bioaerosol collection and detection. Thus, recent advances in bioaerosol collection (such as sedimentation, filtration, centrifugation, impaction, impingement, and microfluidics) and detection methods (such as culture, molecular biological assay, and immunological assay) were summarized in this review. Besides, the important challenges and perspectives for bioaerosol biosensing were also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jianhan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Information Acquisition Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; (M.L.); (L.W.); (W.Q.); (Y.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chen YH, Yan C, Yang YF, Ma JX. Quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis for workers exposed to pathogenic bacterial bioaerosols under various aeration modes in two wastewater treatment plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:142615. [PMID: 33038813 PMCID: PMC7527313 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could emit a large amount of bioaerosols containing pathogenic bacteria. Assessing the health risks of exposure to these bioaerosols by using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is important to protect workers in WWTPs. However, the relative impacts of the stochastic input variables on the health risks determined in QMRA remain vague. Hence, this study performed a Monte Carlo simulation-based QMRA case study for workers exposing to S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosols and a sensitivity analysis in two WWTPs with various aeration modes. Results showed that when workers equipped without personal protective equipment (PPE) were exposed to S. aureus or E. coli bioaerosol in the two WWTPs, the annual probability of infection considerably exceeded the U.S. EPA benchmark (≤10E-4 pppy), and the disease burden did not satisfy the WHO benchmark (≤10E-6 DALYs pppy) (except exposure to E. coli bioaerosol for disease health risk burden). Nevertheless, the use of PPE effectively reduced the annual infection health risk to an acceptable level and converted the disease health risk burden to a highly acceptable level. Referring to the sensitivity analysis, the contribution of mechanical aeration modes to the variability of the health risks was absolutely dominated in the WWTPs. On the aeration mode that showed high exposure concentration, the three input exposure parameters (exposure time, aerosol ingestion rate, and breathing rate) had a great impact on health risks. The health risks were also prone to being highly influenced by the various choices of the dose-response model and related parameters. Current research systematically delivered new data and a novel perspective on the sensitivity analysis of QMRA. Then, management decisions could be executed by authorities on the basis of the results of this sensitivity analysis to reduce related occupational health risks of workers in WWTPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Huan Chen
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China.
| | - Ya-Fei Yang
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Jia-Xin Ma
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ferguson RMW, Neath CEE, Nasir ZA, Garcia-Alcega S, Tyrrel S, Coulon F, Dumbrell AJ, Colbeck I, Whitby C. Size fractionation of bioaerosol emissions from green-waste composting. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 147:106327. [PMID: 33387881 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Particle size is a significant factor in determining the dispersal and inhalation risk from bioaerosols. Green-waste composting is a significant source of bioaerosols (including pathogens), but little is known about the distribution of specific taxa across size fractions. To characterise size fractionated bioaerosol emissions from a compost facility, we used a Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS) to quantify total bioaerosols and qPCR and metabarcoding to quantify microbial bioaerosols. Overall, sub-micron bioaerosols predominated, but molecular analysis showed that most (>75%) of the airborne microorganisms were associated with the larger size fractions (>3.3 µm da). The microbial taxa varied significantly by size, with Bacilli dominating the larger, and Actinobacteria the smaller, size fractions. The human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus dominated the intermediate size fractions (>50% da 1.1-4.7 µm), indicating that it has the potential to disperse widely and once inhaled may penetrate deep into the respiratory system. The abundance of Actinobacteria (>60% at da < 2.1 µm) and other sub-micron bioaerosols suggest that the main health effects from composting bioaerosols may come from allergenic respiratory sensitisation rather than directly via infection. These results emphasise the need to better understand the size distributions of bioaerosols across all taxa in order to model their dispersal and to inform risk assessments of human health related to composting facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert M W Ferguson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Charlotte E E Neath
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK; School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales, Cemetery Road, Glyntaff, Pontypridd CF37 4BD, UK
| | - Zaheer A Nasir
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Sonia Garcia-Alcega
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Sean Tyrrel
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Frederic Coulon
- Cranfield University, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Alex J Dumbrell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Ian Colbeck
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Corinne Whitby
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Huss A, Derks L, Heederik D, Wouters I. Green waste compost as potential reservoirs of Legionella in the Netherlands. Clin Microbiol Infect 2020; 26:1259.e1-1259.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
11
|
Tian JH, Yan C, Nasir ZA, Alcega SG, Tyrrel S, Coulon F. Real time detection and characterisation of bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 721:137629. [PMID: 32163737 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plants may pose adverse health impact on workers and nearby communities. To detect and characterise bioaerosol emissions from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), a novel real-time bioaerosol sensor, Spectral Intensity Bioaerosol Sensor (SIBS) was employed at a WWTP and a background site. The SIBS records a range of data (size, shape, and fluorescence emission across 16 wavelength bands from 298 to 735 nm for two excitation wavelengths (285 nm and 370 nm)) on single particles in real time. Additionally, excitation-emission matrix (EEM) of wastewater samples obtained by a spectrofluorometer was compared with SIBS spectra from WWTP. The results showed that the average number concentrations of total particles (NT) and fluorescence particles (NF) were both higher at the WWTP (NT = 2.01 cm-3, NF = 1.13 cm-3) than the background site (NT = 1.79 cm-3, NF = 1.01 cm-3). The temporal variation of NF and NT was highly variable at the WWTP and the concentration peaks were consistent with on-site activities. Moreover, the time-resolved number-size distribution of fluorescent particles revealed the predominance of fine scale particles (<1 μm) and the time-series channel by channel number concentrations demonstrated the temporal variability of dominant bio-fluorophores. Furthermore, the overall and size-segregated fluorescence spectra at two sites were multimodal. In particular, the fluorescence intensity increases with increasing particle size in WWTP spectra, which is not present in the background spectra. In addition, the highly resolved SIBS fluorescence spectra were broadly similar to EEM of wastewater. These findings confirmed that the spectrally resolved fluorescence detected by SIBS is capable of providing reliable bio-fluorophores information of bioaerosol emissions generated from wastewater, thus holding the potential for better characterisation of bioaerosols in real time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Han Tian
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Cheng Yan
- School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China; School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK.
| | - Sonia Garcia Alcega
- School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK6 7AA, UK
| | - Sean Tyrrel
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| | - Frederic Coulon
- School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Methods for Bioaerosol Characterization: Limits and Perspectives for Human Health Risk Assessment in Organic Waste Treatment. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bioaerosol characterization represents a major challenge for the risk assessment and management of exposed people. One of the most important bioaerosol sources is the organic waste collection and treatment. This work analyzed and discussed the literature with the purpose of investigating the main techniques used nowadays for bioaerosol monitoring during organic waste treatment. The discussion includes an overview on the most efficient sampling, DNA extraction, and analysis methods, including both the cultural and the bio-molecular approach. Generally, an exhaustive biological risk assessment is not applied due to the organic waste heterogeneity, treatment complexity, and unknown aerosolized emission rate. However, the application of bio-molecular methods allows a better bioaerosol characterization, and it is desirable to be associated with standardized cultural methods. Risk assessment for organic waste workers generally includes the evaluation of the potential exposition to pathogens and opportunistic pathogens or to other microorganisms as biomarkers. In most cases, Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, Legionella spp., Aspergillus spp., and Mycobacterium spp. are included. Future perspectives are focused on identifying common composting biomarkers, on investigating the causality process between chronic bioaerosol exposure and disease onset, and finally, on defining common exposure limits.
Collapse
|
13
|
Intercomparison of Multiple UV-LIF Spectrometers Using the Aerosol Challenge Simulator. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos10120797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Measurements of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs) have been conducted worldwide using ultraviolet light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) spectrometers. However, how these instruments detect and respond to known biological and non-biological particles, and how they compare, remains uncertain due to limited laboratory intercomparisons. Using the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Aerosol Challenge Simulator (ACS), controlled concentrations of biological and non-biological aerosol particles, singly or as mixtures, were produced for testing and intercomparison of multiple versions of the Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Spectrometer (WIBS) and Multiparameter Bioaerosol Spectrometer (MBS). Although the results suggest some challenges in discriminating biological particle types across different versions of the same UV-LIF instrument, a difference in fluorescence intensity between the non-biological and biological samples could be identified for most instruments. While lower concentrations of fluorescent particles were detected by the MBS, the MBS demonstrates the potential to discriminate between pollen and other biological particles. This study presents the first published technical summary and use of the ACS for instrument intercomparisons. Within this work a clear overview of the data pre-processing is also presented, and documentation of instrument version/model numbers is suggested to assess potential instrument variations between different versions of the same instrument. Further laboratory studies sampling different particle types are suggested before use in quantifying impact on ambient classification.
Collapse
|