Potential health hazards from microbial aerosols in densely populated urban regions.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
L S Cronholm

Abstract

Aerosolized bacteria were recovered up to 930 m downwind of three sewage treatment plants in Jefferson County, Ky. This distance includes homes in the proximity of several hundred such plants in that county. Bacterial counts were elevated on foliage near activated sludge tanks; although these counts decreased rapidly, at 48 h after exposure they were significantly higher than the counts on unexposed leaves. The 50% lethal dose of aerosolized Klebsiella pneumoniae was comparable to the 50% lethal dose of a virulent clinical isolate, and enteric bacteria were recovered from the respiratory organs of mice after forced inhalation adjacent to an aerated sludge tank. The coliform density in the effluents of the plants tested was inversely related to the airborne bacterial load at those plants. This relationship was attributed to the correlation between effluent quality and extent of aeration of activated sludge. Wind direction and distance influenced the airborne counts, but the extreme variation in counts indicates that it is not possible to predict emission rates accurately in an open ecosystem. Airborne enteric bacteria also were isolated near a decorative fountain used by humans for wading. The discovery of these sources of aeros...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1977·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·M D KnittelL M Cabe
Feb 1, 1978·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·B Teltsch, E Katzenelson

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Citations

Dec 18, 2012·Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation : Official Publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·Karan AgrawalKaryn Bischoff
Oct 30, 2014·Microbial Ecology·Nicholas A BeCrystal J Jaing
Jun 1, 1985·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·M P SinhaV L Vilker

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