Abstract
We propose using the surface of pine trees needles to biomonitor the bioaerosol emissions at a composting plant. Measurements were based on 16S rRNA gene copy numbers of Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, a bioindicator of composting plant emissions. A sampling plan was established based on 29 samples around the emission source. The abundance of 16S rRNA gene copies of S. rectivirgula per gram of Pinus halepensis needles varied from 104 to 102 as a function of the distance. The signal reached the background level at distances around the composting plant ranging from 2 km to more than 5.4 km, depending on the local topography and average wind directions. From these values, the impacted area around the source of bioaerosols was mapped.
Highlights
Total leaf surface on earth amounts to 1,000,000,000 km2 and provides one of the planet’s largest surface areas [1] which harbours one of the biggest microbial community with 108 cell cm22 [2]
Field collection The source of bioaerosols, located in the south of France, was a composting plant surrounding by a pine forest (Pinus halepensis) without any known large source of bacterial emissions
In order to determine the degree of microbial accumulation, we took advantage of the waxy surface of Pinus halepensis needles that enables them to accumulate up to 3 years, focusing on and S. rectivirgula which was considered as an indicator of compost bioaerosols [17,18]
Summary
Total leaf surface on earth amounts to 1,000,000,000 km2 and provides one of the planet’s largest surface areas [1] which harbours one of the biggest microbial community with 108 cell cm22 [2]. Air sampling on site for assessing the area impacted by composting bioaerosols is a current method. Field collection The source of bioaerosols, located in the south of France, was a composting plant surrounding by a pine forest (Pinus halepensis) without any known large source of bacterial emissions.
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