Evaluating bioaerosol exposure among bus drivers in the public transport sector

Nowakowicz-Dębek, Bożena; Pawlak, Halina; Wlazło, Łukasz; Maksym, Piotr; Kapica, Jacek; Chmielowiec-Korzeniowska, Anna; Trawińska, Beata

doi:10.1080/15459624.2017.1339165

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The microbial aerosol concentrations in studied buses measured before and after the air-conditioning system servicing as well as in outdoor (atmospheric) air are presented in Table 1. The scientific literature review revealed that bioaerosol concentrations in municipal buses generally range between 10 2 -to 10 4 CFU/m 3 [7,9,10,12]. The airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations recorded in bus cabins evaluated in this study before the AC system service were within the above range reaching 4.3×10 2 CFU/m 3 and 2.4×10 2 CFU/m 3 , respectively.…”

Section: Quantitative Analysis Of Bacterial and Fungal Biota In Air Smentioning

confidence: 49%

Microbial Air Quality in Municipal Buses Before and After Disinfection of Their Air-Conditioning Systems

Gołofit-Szymczak¹,

Górny²,

Stobnicka-Kupiec³

et al. 2019

J. Ecol. Eng.

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To ensure the proper quality of the air and simultaneously improve the comfort of professional drivers or travellers, the cars are fit with airconditioning (AC) systems. The AC installations, however, quite often create suitable conditions for the development of microbiological agents and become an active emission source of harmful bioaerosols. This study was carried out in 6 municipal buses in large city located in central Poland. In studied vehicles, ozonisation or manual application of chemical disinfectant in a spray form were used for disinfection of AC bus systems. The concentrations of bacteria and fungi in the air collected in buses before the service of their AC installations were 4.3×10 2 CFU/m 3 and 2.4×10 2 CFU/m 3 , respectively. After AC service using both tested disinfection methods, the decrease in microbial concentrations in the air of municipal buses was observed. The highest effectiveness of AC cleaning was noted when the chemical disinfectant in a spray form was used. This study revealed that to eliminate microbiological contamination and, by that, decrease the exposure of both drivers and passengers to harmful microbial contaminants, the chemical disinfection of bus AC system should be performed at regular basis.

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Section: Quantitative Analysis Of Bacterial and Fungal Biota In Air Smentioning

confidence: 49%

Microbial Air Quality in Municipal Buses Before and After Disinfection of Their Air-Conditioning Systems

Gołofit-Szymczak¹,

Górny²,

Stobnicka-Kupiec³

et al. 2019

J. Ecol. Eng.

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“…At the beginning, the bacteria were identified by Gram staining (111885 Gram-color stain set; Merck KgaA, Germany) (Murray et al 2013) to determine their morphology and, finally, by the biochemical analytical profile index (API) tests (bioMérieux, France). Yeast strains were identified by the API (API 20 C Aux) test.…”

Section: Conventional Methodologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of air-conditioning system disinfection on microbial contamination of passenger cars

Gołofit-Szymczak

Stobnicka-Kupiec

Górny

2019

Air Qual Atmos Health

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An automobile airconditioning (AC) system can be a source of microbiological contamination in a driver's car. The aim of this study was to assess the level of microbial contamination before and after servicing of the automobile AC system, based on qualitative and quantitative analyses of bacteria and fungi isolated from the air, and to check the efficiency of different AC system cleaning methods in the removal of microbial contaminants. The study was carried out in 35 randomly selected cars, equipped with AC systems. In each car tested, viable bioaerosol samples were taken using a single-stage MAS impactor before and after servicing the AC systems. Four methods were used to disinfect the airconditioning installations in the vehicles examined: ozonisation, application of chemical disinfectant using ultrasounds, manual application of chemical disinfectant foam and simultaneous ozonisation and application of chemical disinfectant foam. The bacterial and fungal concentrations in air samples before AC servicing in cars were between 7.5 × 10 1 cfu/m 3 and 2.0 × 10 3 cfu/m 3 and 4.0 × 10 1 cfu/m 3 and 5.0 × 10 2 cfu/m 3 , respectively. Regardless of the disinfection method, after the AC service, a decrease in microbial concentrations was observed. The highest disinfection efficiency was observed for two methods: ozonisation combined with manual application of the chemical disinfectant into the airconditioning system and spraying of the chemical disinfectant using ultrasounds. On the basis of the results obtained, it can be concluded that airconditioning systems in cars should be regularly disinfected to eliminate microbiological contaminants, which may be the cause of adverse health effects on humans.

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“…3), as it was expected, due to less ventilation as the AC is not functioning, as opposed to summer: May-September. Nowakowicz-Dębek et al (2017) have analyzed microorganisms inside public buses in winter, autumn and spring, in Lublin, Poland, and showed that the highest concentration of total bacteria was detected in winter, while the lowest in spring. In contrast, for Lee and Jo (2005) in a study in Daegu, Korea, total bacteria concentration inside buses was higher in summer than in winter, however these comparison must be taken with care as the "summer: May-September" and "winter: November-March" periods were not the same, and the methodology for sampling was also different in each study.…”

Section: Total Bacteria Quantificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Barcelona, public transport is used every day by more than a half of the city commuters, almost 3 million, on journeys lasting from 30 to 60 minutes every working day. External weather conditions or technologies within the vehicle, such as brake and tire wear, road abrasion, fuel, interior coatings and materials, are also responsible for the indoor air quality (Nowakowicz-Dębek et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the interior of the bus can also be considered a place of health risks due to the constant contact with passengers among whom some can be ill or disease carriers (Nowakowicz-Dębek et al 2017). Bioaerosols including bacteria, fungi and endotoxins are airborne biological particulate matter that can affect living beings through infectious, allergic, toxic and irritating processes to which bus commuters can be exposed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bioaerosols in public and tourist buses

et al. 2021

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Public bus system worldwide transports daily more than 34 million people; therefore, air quality inside buses is an important urban air pollution issue. Airborne microbiological composition and abundance was examined inside five different fuel type buses (diesel (EURO IV and EURO V), hybrid diesel (HD), compressed natural gas (CNG), hybrid natural gas (HCNG) and electric vehicle (EV)) from Barcelona bus system, inside and outside the tourist bus and different periods of campaigns (summer: May-September and winter: November-March). Quantitative PCR was used to quantify total bacteria, Penicillium/Aspergillus and Cladosporium sp. and Kinetic Chromogenic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Assay for endotoxins. The targeted 16S rRNA genes, were amplified and sequenced to asses bacterial community composition and biodiversity. Regarding the targeted microorganisms the results showed low bioaerosol concentrations, being fungi and endotoxins below the detection limit, although bacterial airborne has a geometric average of 10 3 equivalent E. Coli genomes/m 3 . Airborne bacterial community biodiversity showed that Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were the most abundant Phylum in the different sampled buses and in the two seasons (summer: May-September and winter: November-March). While regarding to genera taxonomic category, the different fuel type buses presented a high overlap degree, being Cutibacterium the most abundant and Paracoccus the one only detected inside. The different seasons showed that the different taxonomic genera decreas from summer: May-September to winter: November-March and in this case Paracoccus was the most abundant. Overall, biodiversity inside buses is greatly affected by the presence of humans inside, but also by the outdoor sources at the moment of the sampling, and the seasonal period, more than the type of bus.

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Evaluating bioaerosol exposure among bus drivers in the public transport sector

Cited by 15 publications

References 8 publications

Microbial Air Quality in Municipal Buses Before and After Disinfection of Their Air-Conditioning Systems

Microbial Air Quality in Municipal Buses Before and After Disinfection of Their Air-Conditioning Systems

Impact of air-conditioning system disinfection on microbial contamination of passenger cars

Bioaerosols in public and tourist buses

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