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The evaluation of microfungal contamination of dust created during woodworking in furniture factories

100%

Rogoziński T., Szwajkowska-Michałek L., Dolny S., Andrzejak R., Perkowski J.

Medycyna Pracy

2014

vol. 65

issue 6

705-713

Wstęp: Mikroskopijne grzyby stanowią biologiczny czynnik ryzyka zawodowego w środowisku pracy przemysłu drzewnego. W badaniu w celu określenia ich stężenia i składu gatunkowego w pyle wykorzystano metodę mikrobiologiczną i chemiczną. Materiał i metody: Próbki pyłu pobierano w 3 wybranych zakładach produkujących meble z różnych materiałów. Pierwsza fabryka (A) przetwarzała lite drewno, druga (B) – płyty wiórowe, a trzecia (C) wykorzystywała do produkcji mebli zarówno drewno, jak i tworzywa drzewne. Próbki pobierano z 12 różnych stanowisk roboczych i innych miejsc w każdym z zakładów. Zawartość ilościową biomasy grzybowej oznaczono w oparciu o analizę ergosterolu (ERG). Analizę składu gatunkowego grzybów przeprowadzono, stosując metodę mikrobiologiczną, w której wykorzystywane są ich cechy morfologiczne. Wyniki: Stężenie ergosterolu było stosunkowo niskie i wynosiło od 0,012 mg/kg do 3,36 mg/kg. Średnia wartość ERG wynosiła 1,25 mg/kg w zakładach A i C oraz 1,15 mg/kg w fabryce B. Grzybami najczęściej izolowanymi w fabrykach A i B były grzyby z rodzaju Penicillum i Aspergillus. W fabryce C wyizolowano tylko grzyby z rodzaju Trichoderma. Maksymalna zawartość biomasy grzybowej w próbce pyłu osiadłego pochodzącego z fabryki B wynosiła 2377 jtk/g i była 3 razy większa niż w pyle z fabryk A i C. Wnioski: Pracownicy fabryk mebli mogą być narażeni na ekspozycję na pył drzewny zawierający grzyby, które stwarzają zagrożenie dla ich zdrowia. Zawartość biomasy grzybowej była stosunkowo niska (ERG – maks.: 3,36 mg/kg), ale wykryto gatunki, szczególnie z rodzajów Penicillum i Aspergillus, które wykazują właściwości alergizujące i toksyczne. Med. Pr. 2014;65(6):705–713

Background: Microscopic fungi are the biological agent of occupational risk in the woodworking environment. Microbiological and chemical methods were used for determination of their concentration and species composition in dust. Material and Methods: Dust was sampled in 3 factories producing furniture using different materials. The 1st factory (A) processes solid wood, the 2nd (B) – chipboards and the 3rd factory (C) uses both wood and wood composites. The samples were collected in 12 different workstations and locations in each factory. The quantitative content of fungal biomass was determined basing on analysis of ergosterol (ERG). The species composition of fungi was analyzed using the microbiological method basing on culture morphology. Results: The concentration of ergosterol was relatively low and ranged from 0.012 mg/kg to 3.36 mg/kg. The average value of ERG amounted to 1.25 mg/kg in factories A and C and 1.15 mg/kg in factory B. The most frequently isolated fungi in factory A and B were Penicillum and Aspergillus. However, in the factory C, only Trichoderma was isolated. The maximum concentration of fungi in dust collected in factory B was 2377 cfu/g and it is 3 times more than in the dust from factories A and C. Conclusions: Workers of furniture factories may be exposed to airborne fungi associated with the wood dust posing health hazard. The content of these fungi is relatively small (ERG – max: 3.36 mg/kg) but the species, especially genera Penicillum and Aspergillus, found in the dust which were reported as having allergic and toxic properties. Med Pr 2014;65(6):705–713

Assessment of exposure to fungi in the heavily contaminated work environment (a solid waste sorting plant) based on the ergosterol analysis

85%

Kozajda A. I., Jeżak K., Sowiak M., Gutarowska B., Szadkowska-Stańczyk I.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2015

vol. 28

issue 5

813-821

Objectives This paper reports on the results of the study aimed at application of ergosterol as an quantitative indicator of fungal bioaerosol present in the indoor air in occupational environment heavily contaminated with organic dust as well as its comparison with the culturable method. Material and Methods The study was conducted in the indoor solid waste sorting plant. Using Andersen impactor adapted to 1 plate at the flow rate of 30 l/min, indoor air was sampled in the workers’ breathing zone. Ergosterol was sampled using gelatinous filter (1000 l of air) and then analyzed by means of the spectrophotometric method. Fungi were sampled on malt extract agar (MEA) medium (3 replications: 2 l, 7.5 l, 15 l of air) and analyzed by means of the culturable method. Based on ergosterol analyzes, concentration of fungi was calculated. Results were given as the range assuming min. as 5.1 pg ergosterol/spore and max as 1.7 pg ergosterol/spore. Results The average concentrations of ergosterol in a working room (arithmetic mean (AM), standard deviation (SD); minimum–maximum (min.–max)) were, respectively: 2.16, 0.72; 0.85–2.92 μg/m³; fungi calculated based on ergosterol – 424.1×10³–1272.4×10³, 140.1×10³– 420.4×10³, 167×10³–1716.5×10³ CFU/m³, and culturable fungi – 13×10³, 9.7×10³, 1.9×10³–34×10³ CFU/m³). It was revealed that concentrations of calculated fungi were even 2 orders of magnitude higher than culturable fungi. Conclusions The quantitative assessment of moldiness by means of ergosterol measurement seems to be a reliable indicator for environments heavily contaminated with organic dust, where viable and non-viable fungi are present in high proportions. Based on that result, more restrictive (as compared to a similar assessment carried out by means of the culturable method) hygienic recommendations, especially those related to the use of preventive measures protecting the employees’ respiratory tract, should have been undertaken.

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1 International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

1 Medycyna Pracy

1 Andrzejak R.

1 Dolny S.

1 Gutarowska B.

1 Jeżak K.

1 Kozajda A. I.

1 Perkowski J.

1 Rogoziński T.

1 Sowiak M.

1 Szadkowska-Stańczyk I.

1 Szwajkowska-Michałek L.

2 2015

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The evaluation of microfungal contamination of dust created during woodworking in furniture factories

Assessment of exposure to fungi in the heavily contaminated work environment (a solid waste sorting plant) based on the ergosterol analysis