Fungal Burden in Waste Industry: an Occupational Risk to Be Solved

Overview

Journal Environ Monit Assess

Publisher Springer

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2015 Mar 23

PMID 25796518

Citations 11

Authors

Carla Viegas

Tiago Faria

Mateus Dos Santos

Elisabete Carolino

Anita Quintal Gomes

Raquel Sabino

Susana Viegas

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

High loads of fungi have been reported in different types of waste management plants. This study intends to assess fungal contamination in one waste-sorting plant before and after cleaning procedures in order to analyze their effectiveness. Air samples of 50 L were collected through an impaction method, while surface samples, taken at the same time, were collected by the swabbing method and subject to further macro- and microscopic observations. In addition, we collected air samples of 250 L using the impinger Coriolis μ air sampler (Bertin Technologies) at 300 L/min airflow rate in order to perform real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) amplification of genes from specific fungal species, namely Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus complexes, as well as Stachybotrys chartarum species. Fungal quantification in the air ranged from 180 to 5,280 CFU m(-3) before cleaning and from 220 to 2,460 CFU m(-3) after cleaning procedures. Surfaces presented results that ranged from 29×10(4) to 109×10(4) CFU m(-2) before cleaning and from 11×10(4) to 89×10(4) CFU m(-2) after cleaning. Statistically significant differences regarding fungal load were not detected between before and after cleaning procedures. Toxigenic strains from A. flavus complex and S. chartarum were not detected by qPCR. Conversely, the A. fumigatus species was successfully detected by qPCR and interestingly it was amplified in two samples where no detection by conventional methods was observed. Overall, these results reveal the inefficacy of the cleaning procedures and that it is important to determine fungal burden in order to carry out risk assessment.

Citing Articles

Assessment of the microbial contamination in "Do It Yourself" (DIY) stores - a holistic approach to protect workers' and consumers' health.

Dias M, Gomes B, Pena P, Cervantes R, Goncalves S, Carolino E Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1483281.

PMID: 39494078 PMC: 11528695. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1483281.

Cytotoxicity of Section Isolates Recovered from Protection Devices Used on Waste Sorting Industry.

Viegas C, Twaruzek M, Dias M, Carolino E, Soszczynska E, Caetano L Toxins (Basel). 2022; 14(2).

PMID: 35202098 PMC: 8879639. DOI: 10.3390/toxins14020070.

Section in Firefighter Headquarters.

Viegas C, Gomes B, Dias M, Carolino E, Caetano L Microorganisms. 2021; 9(10).

PMID: 34683433 PMC: 8541501. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9102112.

Occupational Exposure to Mycotoxins-Different Sampling Strategies Telling a Common Story Regarding Occupational Studies Performed in Portugal (2012-2020).

Viegas S, Viegas C, Martins C, Assuncao R Toxins (Basel). 2020; 12(8).

PMID: 32796626 PMC: 7472215. DOI: 10.3390/toxins12080513.

Antibiotic Resistance of Airborne Viable Bacteria and Size Distribution in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Morgado-Gamero W, Mendoza Hernandez M, Castillo Ramirez M, Medina-Altahona J, De La Hoz S, Posso Mendoza H Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(18).

PMID: 31510047 PMC: 6765827. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16183340.

References

Douwes J, Thorne P, Pearce N, Heederik D . Bioaerosol health effects and exposure assessment: progress and prospects. Ann Occup Hyg. 2003; 47(3):187-200. DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/meg032. View

Viegas C, Carolino E, Sabino R, Viegas S, Verissimo C . Fungal contamination in swine: a potential occupational health threat. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2013; 76(4-5):272-80. DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2013.757205. View

Heldal K, Halstensen A, Thorn J, Djupesland P, Wouters I, Eduard W . Upper airway inflammation in waste handlers exposed to bioaerosols. Occup Environ Med. 2003; 60(6):444-50. PMC: 1740561. DOI: 10.1136/oem.60.6.444. View

Viegas C, Gomes A, Abegao J, Sabino R, Graca T, Viegas S . Assessment of fungal contamination in waste sorting and incineration-case study in Portugal. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2014; 77(1-3):57-68. DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2014.865583. View

Kiviranta H, Tuomainen A, Reiman M, Laitinen S, Nevalainen A, Liesivuori J . Exposure to airborne microorganisms and volatile organic compounds in different types of waste handling. Ann Agric Environ Med. 1999; 6(1):39-44. View

Speijers G, Speijers M . Combined toxic effects of mycotoxins. Toxicol Lett. 2004; 153(1):91-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2004.04.046. View

Viegas C, Faria T, Gomes A, Sabino R, Seco A, Viegas S . Fungal contamination in two Portuguese wastewater treatment plants. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2014; 77(1-3):90-102. DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2014.866925. View

Lydolph M, Jacobsen J, Arctander P, Gilbert M, Gilichinsky D, Hansen A . Beringian paleoecology inferred from permafrost-preserved fungal DNA. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005; 71(2):1012-7. PMC: 546757. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.71.2.1012-1017.2005. View

Beaumont F . Clinical manifestations of pulmonary Aspergillus infections. Mycoses. 1988; 31 Suppl 2:15-20. View

10.

Park D, Ryu S, Kim S, Yoon C . An assessment of dust, endotoxin, and microorganism exposure during waste collection and sorting. J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2011; 61(4):461-8. DOI: 10.3155/1047-3289.61.4.461. View

11.

Bunger J, Schulz T, Westphal G, Muller M, Ruhnau P, Hallier E . Health complaints and immunological markers of exposure to bioaerosols among biowaste collectors and compost workers. Occup Environ Med. 2000; 57(7):458-64. PMC: 1739988. DOI: 10.1136/oem.57.7.458. View

12.

Stetzenbach L, Buttner M, Cruz P . Detection and enumeration of airborne biocontaminants. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2004; 15(3):170-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2004.04.009. View

13.

Viegas S, Veiga L, Malta-Vacas J, Sabino R, Figueredo P, Almeida A . Occupational exposure to aflatoxin (AFB₁) in poultry production. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2012; 75(22-23):1330-40. DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2012.721164. View

14.

Kernaghan G, Sigler L, Khasa D . Mycorrhizal and root endophytic fungi of containerized Picea glauca seedlings assessed by rDNA sequence analysis. Microb Ecol. 2003; 45(2):128-36. DOI: 10.1007/s00248-002-1024-1. View

15.

Vilavert L, Nadal M, Figueras M, Domingo J . Volatile organic compounds and bioaerosols in the vicinity of a municipal waste organic fraction treatment plant. Human health risks. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2011; 19(1):96-104. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-011-0547-8. View

16.

Pitkaranta M, Meklin T, Hyvarinen A, Paulin L, Auvinen P, Nevalainen A . Analysis of fungal flora in indoor dust by ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, quantitative PCR, and culture. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007; 74(1):233-44. PMC: 2223223. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00692-07. View

17.

Buttner M, Stetzenbach L . Detection and quantitation of Aspergillus fumigatus in pure culture using polymerase chain reaction. Mol Cell Probes. 2001; 15(2):81-8. DOI: 10.1006/mcpr.2000.0343. View

18.

Duquenne P, Simon X, Koehler V, Goncalves-Machado S, Greff G, Nicot T . Documentation of bioaerosol concentrations in an indoor composting facility in France. J Environ Monit. 2012; 14(2):409-19. DOI: 10.1039/c2em10714g. View

19.

Tolvanen O . Airborne bio-aerosols and noise in a dry waste treatment plant in Pietarsaari, Finland. Waste Manag Res. 2001; 19(2):108-14. DOI: 10.1177/0734242X0101900203. View

20.

Alastruey-Izquierdo A, Mellado E, Pelaez T, Peman J, Zapico S, Alvarez M . Population-based survey of filamentous fungi and antifungal resistance in Spain (FILPOP Study). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013; 57(7):3380-7. PMC: 3697314. DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00383-13. View