Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Reinthaler, FF; Haas, D; Feierl, G; Schlacher, R; Pichler-Semmelrock, FP; Köck, M; Wüst, G; Feenstra, O; Marth, E.
Comparative investigations of airborne culturable microorganisms in selected waste treatment facilities and in neighbouring residential areas.
ZBL HYG UMWELTMED 1999 202: 1-17.
Doi: 10.1016/S0934-8859(99)80046-7
Web of Science
PubMed
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- Führende Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Reinthaler Franz
- Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
- Feierl Gebhard
- Haas Doris
- Marth Egon
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- Abstract:
- The evaluation of airborne microorganisms in waste treatment facilities is complicated by different measuring systems, a lack of measuring standards and large variations between individual counts. In the present study, different sectors of the waste management industry were compared by determining median values of airborne culturable microorganisms from numerous parallel counts over a prolonged time period. The samples were taken during the warm season using the six-stage Andersen volumetric sampler in a large composting plant and its immediate vicinity, in an agricultural composting plant, a waste disposal site, and a sorting facility for recyclable materials. Control samples were taken at a site not influenced by the waste management industry in an open and largely uninhabited area. The highest median values for culturable bacteria (37 degrees C) found were 1.1 x 10(5) CFU/m3, for moulds (25 degrees C) 1.4 x 10(5) CFU/m3, and for A. fumigatus (37 degrees C) 1.7 x 10(4) CFU/m3 in the sorting cabins of the sorting facility (p < 0.001). The highest median values for thermophilic bacteria (actinomycetes and bacillaceae, 50 degrees C) were 7.3 x 10(3) CFU/m3 in the large composting facility. In all other facilities as well as in the neighbouring residential areas of all facilities investigated, all median values were significantly lower and corresponded to the naturally occurring levels: approx. 10(2) CFU/m3 for bacteria, approx. 10(3) CFU/m3 for moulds and approx. 10(1) CFU/m3 for A. fumigatus and thermophilic bacteria. Only in the neighbouring residential area of the large composting plant, the median values for thermophilic bacteria were approx. 10(2) CFU/m3, but an additional impact from farms cannot be excluded in this case. These results show permanent increased loads of the investigated microorganisms inside large composting facilities and especially in the sorting cabins for recyclable materials. The increasing number of reports on potential health hazards in these areas require adequate measures on the part of occupational medicine in order to limit the health risk to a minimum. The most important task is the automatization of the sorting process for recyclable materials.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Air Microbiology -
- Aspergillus fumigatus - isolation and purification
- Bacteria - isolation and purification
- Colony Count, Microbial - isolation and purification
- Comparative Study - isolation and purification
- Conservation of Natural Resources - isolation and purification
- Fungi - isolation and purification
- Housing - isolation and purification
- Refuse Disposal - standards
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't - standards
- Waste Management - standards
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- Bioaerosols
- Airborne Microorganisms
- Composting Facilities
- Aspergillus Fumigatus
- Thermophilic Actinomycetes