Results found: 2

Search results

Sort By:

Limit search:

Exposure to airborne fungi during sorting of recyclable plastics in waste treatment facilities

100%

Černá K., Wittlingerová Z., Zimová M., Janovský Z.

Medycyna Pracy

2017

vol. 68

issue 1

1-9

Background In working environment of waste treatment facilities, employees are exposed to high concentrations of airborne microorganisms. Fungi constitute an essential part of them. This study aims at evaluating the diurnal variation in concentrations and species composition of the fungal contamination in 2 plastic waste sorting facilities in different seasons. Material and Methods Air samples from the 2 sorting facilities were collected through the membrane filters method on 4 different types of cultivation media. Isolated fungi were classified to genera or species by using a light microscopy. Results Overall, the highest concentrations of airborne fungi were recorded in summer (9.1×10³–9.0×10⁵ colony-forming units (CFU)/m³), while the lowest ones in winter (2.7×10³–2.9×10⁵ CFU/m³). The concentration increased from the beginning of the work shift and reached a plateau after 6–7 h of the sorting. The most frequently isolated airborne fungi were those of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus. The turnover of fungal species between seasons was relatively high as well as changes in the number of detected species, but potentially toxigenic and allergenic fungi were detected in both facilities during all seasons. Conclusions Generally, high concentrations of airborne fungi were detected in the working environment of plastic waste sorting facilities, which raises the question of health risk taken by the employees. Based on our results, the use of protective equipment by employees is recommended and preventive measures should be introduced into the working environment of waste sorting facilities to reduce health risk for employees. Med Pr 2017;68(1):1–9

Methods of sampling airborne fungi in working environments of waste treatment facilities

100%

Černá K., Wittlingerová Z., Zimová M., Janovský Z.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

2015

vol. 29

issue 3

493-502

Objectives The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the efficiency of a filter based sampling method and a high volume sampling method for sampling airborne culturable fungi present in waste sorting facilities. Material and Methods Membrane filters method was compared with surface air system method. The selected sampling methods were modified and tested in 2 plastic waste sorting facilities. Results The total number of colony-forming units (CFU)/m³ of airborne fungi was dependent on the type of sampling device, on the time of sampling, which was carried out every hour from the beginning of the work shift, and on the type of cultivation medium (p < 0.001). Detected concentrations of airborne fungi ranged 2×10²–1.7×10⁶ CFU/m³ when using the membrane filters (MF) method, and 3×10²–6.4×10⁴ CFU/m³ when using the surface air system (SAS) method. Conclusions Both methods showed comparable sensitivity to the fluctuations of the concentrations of airborne fungi during the work shifts. The SAS method is adequate for a fast indicative determination of concentration of airborne fungi. The MF method is suitable for thorough assessment of working environment contamination by airborne fungi. Therefore we recommend the MF method for the implementation of a uniform standard methodology of airborne fungi sampling in working environments of waste treatment facilities.

Refine search results

1 International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

1 Medycyna Pracy

2 Janovský Z.

2 Wittlingerová Z.

2 Zimová M.

2 Černá K.

1 2017

1 2015

Search results

Exposure to airborne fungi during sorting of recyclable plastics in waste treatment facilities

Methods of sampling airborne fungi in working environments of waste treatment facilities