Evaluation of Bioaerosol Bacterial Components of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Through an Integrate Approach and In Vivo Assessment

Erika Bruni, Giulia Simonetti, Beatrice Bovone, Chiara Casagrande, Federica Castellani, Carmela Riccardi, Donatella Pomata, Patrizia Di Filippo, Ermanno Federici, Francesca Buiarelli and Daniela Uccelletti
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Erika Bruni: Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giulia Simonetti: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Beatrice Bovone: Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Chiara Casagrande: Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Federica Castellani: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Carmela Riccardi: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Donatella Pomata: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Patrizia Di Filippo: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Ermanno Federici: Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Francesca Buiarelli: Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Daniela Uccelletti: Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Wastewater carries different pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms that can be dispersed in the surrounding environment. Workers who frequent sewage treatment plants can therefore be exposed to aerosols that contain a high concentration of potentially dangerous biological agents, or they can come into direct contact with contaminated material. This can lead to allergies, infections and occupational health-associated diseases. A characterization of biological risk assessment of bioaerosol exposure is necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of an interdisciplinary method that combines chemical and biological approaches for the analysis of a bioaerosol derived from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) situated in Italy. Sampled filters were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS spectroscopy that searched for different chemical biomarkers of airborne microorganisms. The analytical quantification was compared to the biological cultural method that revealed an underrated microbial concentration. Furthermore, next generation sequencing analysis was used also to identify the uncultivable species that were not detected by the culture dependent-method. Moreover, the simple animal model Caenorhabditis elegans was used to evaluate the pathogenicity of two isolates— Acinetobacter iwoffii and Micrococcus luteus— that showed multidrug-resistance. This work represents a starting point for the development of a multidisciplinary approach for the validation of bioaerosol exposure on WWTP workplaces.

Keywords: airborne; Caenorhabditis elegans; worker exposure; bacterial bioaerosol; wastewater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2019:i:1:p:273-:d:303484

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