Microbiological consequences of indoor composting

Abstract

Recycling of organic waste appeals to more and more people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological contamination around organic waste bins at three distances over a 12-month period. Contamination near the customary trash of control households was evaluated at the beginning to ensure that there is no recruitment bias. Air samples using the MAS 100 impactor were carried out in 38 dwellings that do household waste composting and in 10 dwellings of controls. Collection of particles by CIP 10 rotating cup sampler and dust samples collected by electrostatic dust collector cloths were acquired in dwellings that do household waste composting. Samples were analyzed by culture and by real-time quantitative PCR. Information about dwelling characteristics and inhabitant practices was obtained by a standardized questionnaire. The genera most often isolated were Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Streptomyces. Near the organic waste bins, bioaerosol samples showed an increase of Acarus siro (P = 0.001). Sedimented dust analyses highlighted an increase of A. siro, Wallemia sebi, Aspergillus versicolor, and Cladosporium sphaerospermum concentrations after a 12-month survey compared to the beginning. Composting favors microorganism development over time, but does not seem to have an effect on the bioaerosol levels and the surface microbiota beyond 0.5 m from the waste bin.

Survey of 1012 moldy dwellings by culture fungal analysis: Threshold proposal for asthmatic patient management

“…Subjects free of allergic respiratory symptoms from two previous studies were used as the control groups ((Hematologic Group (HG) n = 56) 22 and (Composting Group (CG) n = 48)). 23…”

Electrostatic Dust Cloth: A Useful Passive Sampling Method When Assessing Exposure to Fungi Demonstrated in Studies Developed in Portugal (2018–2021)

“…EDC is also being used to assess microbial contamination using molecular tools as stand-alone analyses [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ], even the most refined ones such as sequencing [ 2 ], or using side by side, culture-dependent, and independent methods [ 3 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. In fact, the use of qPCR analyses from EDC is a promising tool to accurately measure microbial contamination in dwellings [ 4 , 8 , 24 ]. Additionally, it has also been used to perform the fungal azole resistance screening in different indoor environments [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ] and to identify MRSA presence and level of contamination in specific occupational environments [ 7 ].…”

“…In fact, the use of qPCR analyses from EDC is a promising tool to accurately measure microbial contamination in dwellings [ 4 , 8 , 24 ]. Additionally, it has also been used to perform the fungal azole resistance screening in different indoor environments [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ] and to identify MRSA presence and level of contamination in specific occupational environments [ 7 ]. Further, aside from microbial contamination, this sampling method has been applied to assess microbial metabolites, such as endotoxins [ 27 , 28 , 29 ] and mycotoxins [ 18 , 22 ].…”

Microbial Diversity and Putative Opportunistic Pathogens in Dishwasher Biofilm Communities

“…The selection pressure within some of these environments is reflected in reduced microbial diversity, allowing only the most fit species to withstand the stressful conditions. In recent years, in addition to understanding the biodiversity of extreme natural habitats ( 1 – 5 ), ecological investigations into various manmade ecosystems, such as kitchens ( 6 ), bathrooms ( 7 ), trash bins ( 8 ), tap water pipes ( 9 , 10 ; see also M. N. Babič, P. Zalar, and N. Gunde-Cimerman, presented at ISHAM, Guangzhou, China, 2013), automated teller machines ( 11 ), coffee machines ( 12 ), washing machines ( 13 , 14 ), and dishwashers ( 15 – 18 ), have gained momentum.…”