Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize both the viable airborne bacteria and fungi collected in different types of wastewater treatment plants in Poland. Bacterial and fungal aerosols in five different wastewater treatment plants in Poland were studied, including the pioneering antibiotic resistance testing of airborne bacteria. Concentration level was measured using the six-stage Andersen impactor. After incubation, bioaerosol particles captured on nutrient media on Petri dishes were quantitatively evaluated and qualitatively identified. It was found that the concentration levels of both airborne bacteria and fungi ranged from 10² to 10³ colony-forming units/m³, in all stages of the wastewater treatment plants. The patterns of size distributions of airborne bacteria and fungi were very similar, showing dominant peaks typically in the size range between 3.3 and 4.7 μm. The majority fraction of small bacterial and fungal particles (less than 4.7 μm) in the studied areas indicates that the bioaerosol is relatively fresh, and mostly of local origin. The Gram-positive cocci and nonsporing Gram-positive rods were the dominating forms in the studied wastewater treatment plants environment. The existing differences in the concentration levels between sampling sites enabled identification of the main bioaerosol sources. The highest concentration of bacterial aerosol appeared in sections, where activated sludge post-processing and mechanical purifying are conducted. The most frequently occurring species in the sampled bacterial aerosol were Gram-positive cocci and nonsporing Gram-positive rods. Multi-antibiotic resistance testing showed that among the isolated airborne bacteria, the most antibiotic-resistant features were present among Bacillus species (especially Bacillus mycoides).
Highlights
Microorganisms suspended in the air are described as ‘‘airborne microorganisms’’ or ‘‘bioaerosols’’ (Di Giulio et al 2010), bioaerosols are, a loosely defined group of airborne particles of viable and dead biological origin, i.e., viruses, bacteria, fungal spores, pollen and various antigens, their fragments and compounds produced by microorganisms
In the most of the studied plants, the concentration of airborne bacteria was comparable with the background bioaerosol
In the all stages of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) ‘‘Przyjazn’’, the concentration levels of bacterial aerosol were significantly elevated compared to the background, but it should be remarked that the background level was very low there
Summary
Microorganisms suspended in the air are described as ‘‘airborne microorganisms’’ or ‘‘bioaerosols’’ (Di Giulio et al 2010), bioaerosols are, a loosely defined group of airborne particles of viable and dead biological origin, i.e., viruses, bacteria, fungal spores, pollen and various antigens, their fragments and compounds produced by microorganisms. Bioaerosols can become a serious risk to health of the population, with regard to people occupationally exposed to them (e.g., employees of the wastewater treatment plant or landfills, farmers, breeders and people employed in food industry processing). Airborne bacteria and fungi can cause infection diseases, but allergic and toxic effects too. (2017) 14:2181–2192 epidemiological studies showed that the occurrence of hypersensitivity diseases (for example, humidifier fever, asthma) is often associated with exposure to the high concentration of airborne microbes (ACGIH 1989). Analysis of the literature data made by Thorn and Kerekes (2001) indicates that such symptoms like general malaise, weakness, acute rhinitis and fever, accompanied by gastrointestinal problems—appearing among workers at wastewater treatment plants may be caused by the exposure to endotoxin contained in Gram-negative bacteria
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