Background Concentrations of Cultivable, Mesophilic Bacteria and Dust Particles in the Air in Urban, Rural and Mountain Regions

Doris Haas, Angela Kriso, Theresa Fritz, Herbert Galler, Juliana Habib, Mihaela Ilieva, Michael Kropsch, Petra Ofner-Kopeinig, Martin Stonitsch, Andreas Strasser, Eduard Zentner and Franz F. Reinthaler
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Doris Haas: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Angela Kriso: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Theresa Fritz: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Herbert Galler: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Juliana Habib: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Mihaela Ilieva: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Michael Kropsch: Agricultural Research and Education Center Raumberg Gumpenstein, 8952 Irdning, Austria
Petra Ofner-Kopeinig: Institute for Medical Informatics Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
Martin Stonitsch: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Andreas Strasser: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
Eduard Zentner: Agricultural Research and Education Center Raumberg Gumpenstein, 8952 Irdning, Austria
Franz F. Reinthaler: D&R Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-20

Abstract: Particulate air components can be of anthropogenic or natural origin. It is assumed that in different geographical areas varying concentrations of mesophilic bacteria are present in the ambient air. The aim of this study was to determine the background concentrations of airborne culturable mesophilic bacteria and particulate matter in the ambient air. Furthermore, the association between their concentrations and some environmental factors was analysed. In the period from July to October 2019, concentrations of mesophilic bacteria and dust particles were measured in urban, rural and mountain areas using the single-stage air sampler and the particle counter. The concentrations of bacteria and dust particles in the air were counted as number of Colony Forming Units per cubic metre (CFU/m 3 ) and particles per cubic metre (pa/m 3 ). Staphylococcus sp. were identified. The median values of the cultivated mesophilic bacteria at 30 °C and 37 °C were 7.1 × 10 2 CFU/m 3 and 2.3 × 10 1 CFU/m 3 in mountain regions, 1.3 × 10 2 CFU/m 3 and 6.9 × 10 1 CFU/m 3 in rural regions and 2.1 × 10 2 CFU/m 3 and 6.5 × 10 1 CFU/m 3 in urban regions. The median of Staphylococcus sp. was 2.5 × 10 0 CFU/m 3 in alpine areas and 7.5 × 10 0 CFU/m 3 in urban and rural areas. Higher bacterial concentrations were measured in sunshine and in windy weather. A relationship was observed between the concentrations of airborne mesophilic bacteria and the coarse particles in all three areas. The present study determined values between 5.0 × 10 0 and 4.6 × 10 2 CFU/m 3 as natural background concentrations of airborne mesophilic bacteria and 1.2 × 10 7 pa/m 3 and 6.5 × 10 4 pa/m 3 for fine and coarse particles, respectively. These results can be proposed as baseline for the assessment of the emission sources of mesophilic bacteria for summer and early autumn.

Keywords: background concentrations; dust particles; mesophilic bacteria; meteorological factors; Staphylococcus sp.; S. aureus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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