Dust at Various Workplaces—Microbiological and Toxicological Threats

Beata Gutarowska, Justyna Szulc, Adriana Nowak, Anna Otlewska, Małgorzata Okrasa, Anita Jachowicz and Katarzyna Majchrzycka
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Beata Gutarowska: Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland
Justyna Szulc: Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland
Adriana Nowak: Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland
Anna Otlewska: Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland
Małgorzata Okrasa: Department of Personal Protective Equipment, Central Institute for Labour Protection—National Research Institute, 90-133 Łódź, Poland
Anita Jachowicz: Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Łódź, Poland
Katarzyna Majchrzycka: Department of Personal Protective Equipment, Central Institute for Labour Protection—National Research Institute, 90-133 Łódź, Poland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relation between the chemical (analysis of elements and pH) and microbiological composition (culture and metagenomics analysis) of the dust at various workplaces (cement plant, composting plant, poultry farm, and cultivated area) and the cytotoxicity effect on the human adenocarcinoma lung epithelial adherent cell line A-549 (MTT assay test). Analysis of the Particulate Matter (PM) fraction showed that the dust concentration in cultivated areas exceeded the OELs. For the remaining workplaces examined, the dust concentration was lower than OELs limits. The number of microorganisms in the dust samples was 3.8 × 10 2 –1.6 × 10 8 CFU/g bacteria and 1.5 × 10 2 –6.5 × 10 6 CFU/g fungi. The highest number of microorganisms was noted for dust from cultivated areas (total number of bacteria, actinomycetes, P. fluorescens ) and composting plants (xerophilic fungi and staphylococci), while the least number of microorganisms was observed for dust from cement plants. Many types of potentially pathogenic microorganisms have been identified, including bacteria, such as Bacillus , Actinomyces , Corynebacterium , Prevotella , Clostridium , and Rickettsia , and fungi, such as Alternaria , Cladosporium , Penicillium , and Aspergillus . The most cytotoxic to the human lung cell line A-549 was dust from cultivated areas (IC 50 = 3.8 mg/mL after 72 h). The cytotoxicity of the tested dust samples depends on the PM concentration, the number of microorganisms, including potentially pathogenic genera, and the exposure time.

Keywords: dust; microorganisms; metagenome analysis; cytotoxicity; workplaces (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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