Characterization of Microbial Particle Release from Biomass and Building Material Surfaces for Inhalation Exposure Risk Assessment

The Annals of Occupational Hygiene

Tendal

Schlünssen

et al. 2012

We describe an outbreak of sudden health problems in workers at a Danish grass seed plant after exposure to a particularly dusty lot of grass seeds. The seeds are called problematic seeds. The association between development of organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) and the handling of grass seeds causing exposure was assessed in a four-step model: (i) identification of exposure source, (ii) characterization of the emission of bioaerosols from the problematic and reference seeds, (iii) personal and stationary exposure measurement at the plant and (iv) repeated health examinations. The grass seeds were identified as the exposure source; the emissions of some bioaerosol components were up to 107 times higher from the problematic seeds than from reference seeds. Cleaning of the seeds was not enough to sufficiently reduce the high emission from the problematic seeds. Emission in terms of dust was 3.4 times as high from the problematic cleaned seeds as from cleaned reference seeds. The personal exposure reached 3 × 105 endotoxin units m−3, 1 × 106 colony-forming units (cfu) of thermophilic actinomycetes m−3, 8 × 105 cfu of Aspergillus fumigatus m−3 and 9 × 106 hyphal fragments m−3. Several workers working with the problematic seeds had symptoms consistent with ODTS. The most severe symptoms were found for the workers performing the tasks causing highest exposure. Respiratory airway protection proved efficient to avoid development of ODTS. Work with reference seeds did not cause workers to develop ODTS. Exposure was during work with the problematic seeds higher than suggested occupational exposure limits but lower than in studies where researchers for some minutes have repeated a single task expected to cause ODTS. In this study, many different bioaerosol components were measured during a whole working day. We cannot know, whether it is the combination of different bioaerosol components or a single component which is responsible for the development of ODTS. In conclusion, workers developed specific health symptoms due to the high bioaerosol exposure and were diagnosed with ODTS. Exposure to high concentrations of endotoxin, actinomycetes, fungi, hyphal fragments, β-glucan, and A. fumigatus occurred when working with a dusty lot of grass seed. Suspicion should be elicited by seeds stored without being properly dried and by seeds producing more dust than usually.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic dust toxic syndrome at a grass seed plant caused by exposure to high concentrations of bioaerosols

The Annals of Occupational Hygiene

Tendal

Schlünssen

et al. 2012

“…In this study, the largest mode was seen for particles around 2.6 to 3.1 μm, and this corresponds with the spore diameter of several of the species identified in the aerosol samples. As an example, aerosols generated from pure P. chrysogenum cultures have a mode at 2.8 μm, and spores have a diameter of 2.8 to 4.0 μm ( 61 ). Both APS and ESEM data show that particles smaller than spore size constitute a smaller number than the number of particles of spore size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generation and Characterization of Indoor Fungal Aerosols for Inhalation Studies

Larsen

Koponen

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

In the indoor environment, people are exposed to several fungal species. Evident dampness is associated with increased respiratory symptoms. To examine the immune responses associated with fungal exposure, mice are often exposed to a single species grown on an agar medium. The aim of this study was to develop an inhalation exposure system to be able to examine responses in mice exposed to mixed fungal species aerosolized from fungus-infested building materials. Indoor airborne fungi were sampled and cultivated on gypsum boards. Aerosols were characterized and compared with aerosols in homes. Aerosols containing 107 CFU of fungi/m3 air were generated repeatedly from fungus-infested gypsum boards in a mouse exposure chamber. Aerosols contained Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor, Chaetomium globosum, Cladosporium herbarum, Penicillium brevicompactum, Penicillium camemberti, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium commune, Penicillium glabrum, Penicillium olsonii, Penicillium rugulosum, Stachybotrys chartarum, and Wallemia sebi. They were all among the most abundant airborne species identified in 28 homes. Nine species from gypsum boards and 11 species in the homes are associated with water damage. Most fungi were present as single spores, but chains and clusters of different species and fragments were also present. The variation in exposure level during the 60 min of aerosol generation was similar to the variation measured in homes. Through aerosolization of fungi from the indoor environment, cultured on gypsum boards, it was possible to generate realistic aerosols in terms of species composition, concentration, and particle sizes. The inhalation-exposure system can be used to study responses to indoor fungi associated with water damage and the importance of fungal species composition.

“…In contrast ‘total’ and inhalable dust from straw or a straw-converting biofuel plant contains a higher number of cultivable bacteria than cultivable actinomycetes (Madsen et al , 2006). This difference between ‘total’ and inhalable dust on the one hand and PM 1 dust on the other hand is probably because a larger fraction of the numbers of spores of actinomycetes than of the bacteria are present as single spores.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airborne Fungal and Bacterial Components in PM<sub>1</sub> Dust from Biofuel Plants

The Annals of Occupational Hygiene

Schlünssen²,

Olsen

et al. 2009

Fungi grown in pure cultures produce DNA- or RNA-containing particles smaller than spore size (<1.5 μm). High exposures to fungi and bacteria are observed at biofuel plants. Airborne cultivable bacteria are often described to be present in clusters or associated with larger particles with an aerodynamic diameter (dae) of 2–8 μm. In this study, we investigate whether airborne fungal components smaller than spore size are present in bioaerosols in working areas at biofuel plants. Furthermore, we measure the exposure to bacteria and fungal components in airborne particulate matter (PM) with a D50 of 1 μm (called PM1 dust). PM1 was sampled using Triplex cyclones at a working area at 14 Danish biofuel plants. Millipore cassettes were used to sample ‘total dust’. The PM1 particles (29 samples) were analysed for content of 11 different components and the total dust was analysed for cultivable fungi, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase), and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans. In the 29 PM1 samples, cultivable fungi were found in six samples and with a median concentration below detection level. Using microscopy, fungal spores were identified in 22 samples. The components NAGase and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucans, which are mainly associated with fungi, were present in all PM1 samples. Thermophilic actinomycetes were present in 23 of the 29 PM1 samples [average = 739 colony-forming units (CFU) m−3]. Cultivable and ‘total bacteria’ were found in average concentrations of, respectively, 249 CFU m−3 and 1.8 × 105 m−3. DNA- and RNA-containing particles of different lengths were counted by microscopy and revealed a high concentration of particles with a length of 0.5–1.5 μm and only few particles >1.5 μm. The number of cultivable fungi and β-glucan in the total dust correlated significantly with the number of DNA/RNA-containing particles with lengths of between 1.0 and 1.5 μm, with DNA/RNA-containing particles >1.5 μm, and with other fungal components in PM1 dust. Airborne β-glucan and NAGase were found in PM1 samples where no cultivable fungi were present, and β-glucan and NAGase were found in higher concentrations per fungal spore in PM1 dust than in total dust. This indicates that fungal particles smaller than fungal spore size are present in the air at the plants. Furthermore, many bacteria, including actinomycetes, were present in PM1 dust. Only 0.2% of the bacteria in PM1 dust were cultivable.