Bacterial aerosol emission from wastewater treatment plants:Culture methods and bio-molecular tools

Abstract

In this report we describe the results of a studyconducted in order to better estimate airbornemicroorganisms. A method based on a bio-moleculartechnique, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) wascompared with the culture methods based on the viablecounts of total and fecal bacteria. Microbial aerosolemission from the surfaces of aeration tanks of anindustrial and municipal wastewater treatment plant(Como, Italy), at different seasons, was determined.This study was accomplished by conducting test runs inwhich SAS (Surface Air Systems, PBI) viable sampler,Sartorius MD8 with membrane gelatine filter andgravity method with Petri dishes were used to collectbacterial aerosol samples in situ. Total aerobicheterothropic bacteria, Mycetes, total and fecalcoliforms were determined. The preliminary resultsshow that: no correlation was found between the twodifferent passive and active culture techniques, dueto the different mechanisms of capture of bioaerosolagents on the media; optimal values for the recoveryof E. coli viable bacteria by MD8 samplerwith gelatine membrane, time and temperature ofstorage, were recognised. For the PCR technique, acouple of primers (URL 301–URR 432) to detect E. coli, on definite air samples, was used, operativeconditions were defined, and then, applied inmonitoring on in situ bioaerosol samples. At thewastewater plant, the highest total aerobic bacteriaemission rate during the preliminary mechanicaltreatments and in correspondence of the enclosedactivated sludge phase, as a consequence of theremarkable aeration of the tanks, were registered. Thesensitivity (82 CFU/m³) and rapidity (less than 8hours) of the biomolecular methods to determine thepresence and the fecal coliforms (E. coli) ratein bioaerosols was considered satisfactory.