Assessment of airborne virus contamination in wastewater treatment plants.

Details

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State: Public
Version: Author's accepted manuscript
Serval ID
serval:BIB_9F03A0A83AED
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Assessment of airborne virus contamination in wastewater treatment plants.
Journal
Environmental Research
Author(s)
Masclaux Frédéric G., Hotz Philipp, Gashi Drita, Savova-Bianchi Dessislava, Oppliger Anne
ISSN
1096-0953 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0013-9351
Publication state
Published
Issued date
08/2014
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
133
Pages
260-265
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
Occupational exposure to bioaerosols in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and its consequence on workers' health are well documented. Most studies were devoted to enumerating and identifying cultivable bacteria and fungi, as well as measuring concentrations of airborne endotoxins, as these are the main health-related factors found in WWTP. Surprisingly, very few studies have investigated the presence and concentrations of airborne virus in WWTP. However, many enteric viruses are present in wastewater and, due to their small size, they should become aerosolized. Two in particular, the norovirus and the adenovirus, are extremely widespread and are the major causes of infectious gastrointestinal diseases reported around the world. The third one, hepatitis E virus, has an emerging status.
This study׳s objectives were to detect and quantify the presence and concentrations of 3 different viruses (adenovirus, norovirus and the hepatitis E virus) in air samples from 31 WWTPs by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) during two different seasons and two consecutive years.
Adenovirus was present in 100% of summer WWTP samples and 97% of winter samples. The highest airborne concentration measured was 2.27 × 10(6) genome equivalent/m(3) and, on average, these were higher in summer than in winter. Norovirus was detected in only 3 of the 123 air samples, and the hepatitis E virus was not detected.
Concentrations of potentially pathogenic viral particles in WWTP air are non-negligible and could partly explain the work-related gastrointestinal symptoms often reported in employees in this sector.
Keywords
Adenoviridae/genetics, Adenoviridae/isolation & purification, Adenoviridae/pathogenicity, Air Microbiology, Endotoxins/adverse effects, Endotoxins/genetics, Hepatitis E virus/genetics, Hepatitis E virus/isolation & purification, Hepatitis E virus/pathogenicity, Norovirus/genetics, Norovirus/isolation & purification, Norovirus/pathogenicity, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Waste Management, Adenovirus, Bioaerosol, Hepatitis E virus, Norovirus, Occupational health, Sewage
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
04/07/2014 11:38
Last modification date
21/11/2022 8:10
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