Volatile organic compounds and bioaerosols in the vicinity of a municipal waste organic fraction treatment plant. Human health risks

Abstract

The human exposure to VOCs near the Ecoparc-2 was estimated to be low. Furthermore, the current environmental concentrations of those chemical and microbiological agents were clearly below threshold values recommended by regulatory organizations.

Pollution profiles, health risk of VOCs and biohazards emitted from municipal solid waste transfer station and elimination by an integrated biological-photocatalytic flow system: A pilot-scale investigation

“…The source of aromatic compounds included solvents, paints, and food additives in MSWs [28] and petroleum combustion [29] by compressors as well as the motor vehicles near transfer station. Additionally, similar with this work, a large portion of aromatics was also detected in a vicinity of a municipal waste organic fraction treatment plant in Spain [2] and at solid waste disposal sites in Japan [30], though chlorinated compound concentrations were very low [30]. The different portions of various VOC species between compressor working and off might be the difference of treatment process.…”

“…For instance, MSW production has increased facilitate long-distance transportation, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and biohazards are produced inevitably during the MSW compressing process at transfer stations [2,3]. As well known, chronic health effects such as non-cancer or cancer of VOCs could be resulted from the inhalation and long-time exposure of polluted air [2,3]. Furthermore, inhalation of airborne biological pollutants is also particularly threatening due to the continuously increasing resistance to microorganisms against antibiotics [4].…”

Passive Release of Fungal Spores from Synthetic Solid Waste Surfaces

“…Measurements in the vicinity of several outdoor sources suggest release from specific sources such as composting (Lavoie et al, 2006;Taha et al, 2006;Coccia et al, 2010), municipal solid waste processing (Wouters et al, 2006;Park et al, 2011;Vilavert et al, 2012), and wastewater treatment facilities (Karra and Katsivela, 2007;Grisoli et al, 2009). Some of the dominant microbial species observed in ambient air have been Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp.…”

Fungal burden in waste industry: an occupational risk to be solved

“…Higher concentration of bioaerosols are usually present in closed treatment plants (Kiviranta et al 1995;Tolvanen 2004;Persoons et al 2010;Vilavert et al 2012;Viegas et al 2014a, b). Bioaerosol exposure can lead to several pathologies, namely: non-allergic irritative reactions (upper and lower respiratory tracts, asthma, contact dermatitis), inflammatory (chronic bronchitis), allergic or immunoallergic responses (rhinitis, sinusitis, allergic asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and organic dust toxic syndrome), and infections such as invasive aspergillosis in immunosuppressed subjects (Bünger et al 2000;Douwes et al 2003).…”