Characterization of bioaerosol exposures in wastewater treatment plant workers and serum levels of lung and inflammatory markers

Signe Agnete Møller; Margit Wagtberg Frederiksen; Pil Uthaug Rasmussen; Stine Karstenskov Østergaard; Jeppe Lund Nielsen; Anne Mette Madsen

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254

Characterization of bioaerosol exposures in wastewater treatment plant workers and serum levels of lung and inflammatory markers

Bidragets oversatte titel: Karakterisering af bioaerosol-eksponeringer hos medarbejdere på renseanlæg og serumniveauer af lunge- og inflammatoriske markører

Signe Agnete Møller, Margit Wagtberg Frederiksen, Pil Uthaug Rasmussen, Stine Karstenskov Østergaard, Jeppe Lund Nielsen, Anne Mette Madsen

Aalborg University

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) workers are exposed to bioaerosols containing bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, potentially posing health risks to workers. This study quantified personal exposure levels to airborne bacteria and fungi, endotoxin, and dust among 44 workers during two seasons at four WWTPs. Associations between the exposure measurements and serum levels of biomarkers CRP, SAA, and CC16 were also assessed. The potential deposition of viable microorganisms in workers’ airways were explored using stationary fractionating samplers. Microbial communities were characterized using long-read nanopore amplicon sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify species, including pathogenic or allergenic microorganisms. We found that bacterial and fungal exposure levels were significantly associated with work task (p 

Bidragets oversatte titel	Karakterisering af bioaerosol-eksponeringer hos medarbejdere på renseanlæg og serumniveauer af lunge- og inflammatoriske markører
Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Journal of Hazardous Materials
Vol/bind	487
Sider (fra-til)	137254
Antal sider	1
ISSN	0304-3894
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254
Status	Udgivet - jan. 2025

Emneord

Spildevand
Mikrobiologi
Rensningsanlæg
Svampe
Aerosoler
Støv

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254

1 Afsluttet

Spildevand, affald og slam – identificering og kvantificering af eksponering for biologiske agenser, risikovurdering og arbejdsbetingede helbredsrisici
Madsen, A. M. (Projektleder), Wagtberg, M. (Projektdeltager) & Møller, S. A. (Projektdeltager)
01/01/2020 → 31/05/2024
Projekter: Projekt › Forskning

3 Tidsskriftartikel

Karakterisering af bioaerosol-eksponering ved forskellige arbejdsopgaver hos medarbejdere på rensningsanlæg
Árnadóttir, H. B. & Madsen, A., maj 2025, I: Spildevand. 2
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning
Effect of anaerobic digestion on pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the sewage sludge
Franchitti, E., Pedullà, M., Madsen, A. M. & Traversi, D., sep. 2024, I: Environment International. 191, s. 108998
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Åben adgang
Wastewater treatment plant workers' exposure and methods for risk evaluation of their exposure
Lu, R., Frederiksen, M. W., Uhrbrand, K., Li, Y., Østergaard, C. & Madsen, A. M., 22 sep. 2020, I: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 205, 111365.
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Åben adgang

Citationsformater

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title = "Characterization of bioaerosol exposures in wastewater treatment plant workers and serum levels of lung and inflammatory markers",

abstract = "Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) workers are exposed to bioaerosols containing bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, potentially posing health risks to workers. This study quantified personal exposure levels to airborne bacteria and fungi, endotoxin, and dust among 44 workers during two seasons at four WWTPs. Associations between the exposure measurements and serum levels of biomarkers CRP, SAA, and CC16 were also assessed. The potential deposition of viable microorganisms in workers' airways were explored using stationary fractionating samplers. Microbial communities were characterized using long-read nanopore amplicon sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify species, including pathogenic or allergenic microorganisms. We found that bacterial and fungal exposure levels were significantly associated with work task (p < 0.001 and p = 0.00041, respectively), with high exposure variability within and between tasks. Workshop, sewer system inspection, and sewer cleaning were associated with the highest exposure levels. A significant positive correlation was found between CRP and bacterial exposure (p = 0.013), while significant negative correlations were found between CRP and endotoxin and dust exposures (p = 0.012 and p = 0.018, respectively). No significant associations were found between SAA or CC16 and the exposure measures. Microbial community composition in bioaerosols differed significantly between some work tasks while others showed similar compositions. Viable hazardous microorganisms such as Clostridium perfringens and Aspergillus fumigatus were found in workers' exposures and in respiratory fractions of stationary air samples, indicating potential lung deposition. Further research is needed to assess possible long-term health risks from bioaerosol exposure at WWTPs.",

keywords = "Spildevand, Mikrobiologi, Rensningsanl{\ae}g, Svampe, Aerosoler, St{\o}v, Wastewater workers, Bioaerosol exposures, Microbial communities, Work tasks",

author = "M{\o}ller, \{Signe Agnete\} and Frederiksen, \{Margit Wagtberg\} and Rasmussen, \{Pil Uthaug\} and {\O}stergaard, \{Stine Karstenskov\} and Nielsen, \{Jeppe Lund\} and Madsen, \{Anne Mette\}",

year = "2025",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254",

language = "English",

volume = "487",

pages = "137254",

journal = "Journal of Hazardous Materials",

issn = "0304-3894",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of bioaerosol exposures in wastewater treatment plant workers and serum levels of lung and inflammatory markers

AU - Møller, Signe Agnete

AU - Frederiksen, Margit Wagtberg

AU - Rasmussen, Pil Uthaug

AU - Østergaard, Stine Karstenskov

AU - Nielsen, Jeppe Lund

AU - Madsen, Anne Mette

PY - 2025/1

Y1 - 2025/1

N2 - Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) workers are exposed to bioaerosols containing bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, potentially posing health risks to workers. This study quantified personal exposure levels to airborne bacteria and fungi, endotoxin, and dust among 44 workers during two seasons at four WWTPs. Associations between the exposure measurements and serum levels of biomarkers CRP, SAA, and CC16 were also assessed. The potential deposition of viable microorganisms in workers' airways were explored using stationary fractionating samplers. Microbial communities were characterized using long-read nanopore amplicon sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify species, including pathogenic or allergenic microorganisms. We found that bacterial and fungal exposure levels were significantly associated with work task (p < 0.001 and p = 0.00041, respectively), with high exposure variability within and between tasks. Workshop, sewer system inspection, and sewer cleaning were associated with the highest exposure levels. A significant positive correlation was found between CRP and bacterial exposure (p = 0.013), while significant negative correlations were found between CRP and endotoxin and dust exposures (p = 0.012 and p = 0.018, respectively). No significant associations were found between SAA or CC16 and the exposure measures. Microbial community composition in bioaerosols differed significantly between some work tasks while others showed similar compositions. Viable hazardous microorganisms such as Clostridium perfringens and Aspergillus fumigatus were found in workers' exposures and in respiratory fractions of stationary air samples, indicating potential lung deposition. Further research is needed to assess possible long-term health risks from bioaerosol exposure at WWTPs.

AB - Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) workers are exposed to bioaerosols containing bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, potentially posing health risks to workers. This study quantified personal exposure levels to airborne bacteria and fungi, endotoxin, and dust among 44 workers during two seasons at four WWTPs. Associations between the exposure measurements and serum levels of biomarkers CRP, SAA, and CC16 were also assessed. The potential deposition of viable microorganisms in workers' airways were explored using stationary fractionating samplers. Microbial communities were characterized using long-read nanopore amplicon sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify species, including pathogenic or allergenic microorganisms. We found that bacterial and fungal exposure levels were significantly associated with work task (p < 0.001 and p = 0.00041, respectively), with high exposure variability within and between tasks. Workshop, sewer system inspection, and sewer cleaning were associated with the highest exposure levels. A significant positive correlation was found between CRP and bacterial exposure (p = 0.013), while significant negative correlations were found between CRP and endotoxin and dust exposures (p = 0.012 and p = 0.018, respectively). No significant associations were found between SAA or CC16 and the exposure measures. Microbial community composition in bioaerosols differed significantly between some work tasks while others showed similar compositions. Viable hazardous microorganisms such as Clostridium perfringens and Aspergillus fumigatus were found in workers' exposures and in respiratory fractions of stationary air samples, indicating potential lung deposition. Further research is needed to assess possible long-term health risks from bioaerosol exposure at WWTPs.

KW - Spildevand

KW - Mikrobiologi

KW - Rensningsanlæg

KW - Svampe

KW - Aerosoler

KW - Støv

KW - Wastewater workers

KW - Bioaerosol exposures

KW - Microbial communities

KW - Work tasks

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254

DO - 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137254

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0304-3894

VL - 487

SP - 137254

JO - Journal of Hazardous Materials

JF - Journal of Hazardous Materials

ER -

Characterization of bioaerosol exposures in wastewater treatment plant workers and serum levels of lung and inflammatory markers

Abstract

Emneord

Adgang til dokumentet

Fingeraftryk

Projekter

Spildevand, affald og slam – identificering og kvantificering af eksponering for biologiske agenser, risikovurdering og arbejdsbetingede helbredsrisici

Publikation

Karakterisering af bioaerosol-eksponering ved forskellige arbejdsopgaver hos medarbejdere på rensningsanlæg

Effect of anaerobic digestion on pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in the sewage sludge

Wastewater treatment plant workers' exposure and methods for risk evaluation of their exposure

Citationsformater