Abstract:Original article can be found at: http://spie.org/x306.xml Copyright SPIE DOI: 10.1117/12.629868 [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]Laser diodes and light-emitting diodes capable of continuous sub-300 nm radiation emission will ultimately represent optimal excitation sources for compact and fieldable bio-aerosol monitors. However, until such devices are routinely available and whilst solid-state UV lasers remain relatively expensive, other low-cost sources of UV can offer advantages. This … Show more
“…To detect the biological particles, the WIBS-NEO excites the particles with two UV laser diodes (280 nm and 370 nm) and then measures the resulting ultraviolet and visible fluorescence between 310 and 400 nm and 420 and 650 nm [30]. This combination of excitation and detection wavelengths enables the measurement of fluorescence from common living molecules, including nicotinamide adenine di-nucleotide (NADH), tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and flavin compounds (riboflavin, flavoproteins) [30][31][32][33]. In this way, the WIBS-NEO makes it possible to distinguish the biological (fluorescent) from the non-biological (non-fluorescent) fractions.…”
Embalmers are exposed to many pathogens present in bodily fluids. However, the risk posed by these pathogens has yet to be defined in terms of the nature of the hazard and the intensity of the exposure. The objective of this project was to monitor the exposure of embalmers to biological particles in real time and to characterize the microbiota found in the air during embalming activities in three thanatopraxy laboratories. An innovative approach, using a laser-induced fluorescence aerosol spectrometer (WIBS-NEO), made it possible to measure the concentrations and particle size distributions of the aerosols (biological and non-biological) emitted during embalming. At the same time, an Andersen impactor was used to sample the culturable microbiota present in the air and perform its characterization. The preferential aerosolization of the biological (fluorescent) fraction during embalming procedures, which was compared to the non-biological (non-fluorescent) fraction, showed that most of the tasks performed by the embalmer are likely to lead to microbial exposure via bioaerosols. The concentrations measured represented the equivalent of 2000 to 10,000 biological particles inhaled per minute. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not identified in the air during this study, the presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in some of the samples demonstrated that if a pathogen is present in the lungs of the deceased it can be aerosolized and inhaled by the embalmers. The size distribution showed that embalmers are exposed to a high proportion of small particles in the aerosols produced during their work. Thus, the respirable/total ratios calculated are between 58% and 78%. Finally, the detection of airborne Enterobacter, Serratia, Leclercia, and Hafnia tended to demonstrate the aerosolization of intestinal bacteria and their possible inhalation or ingestion. Due to the difficulty of identifying the presence of pathogenic agents before embalming, the presence of faecal bacteria in the air, the proximity of the embalmer to the body, and the limitations associated with the dilution of contaminants by general ventilation in the near field, local ventilation must be provided. Otherwise, minimally, a fitted N95-type respirator should be recommended.
“…To detect the biological particles, the WIBS-NEO excites the particles with two UV laser diodes (280 nm and 370 nm) and then measures the resulting ultraviolet and visible fluorescence between 310 and 400 nm and 420 and 650 nm [30]. This combination of excitation and detection wavelengths enables the measurement of fluorescence from common living molecules, including nicotinamide adenine di-nucleotide (NADH), tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and flavin compounds (riboflavin, flavoproteins) [30][31][32][33]. In this way, the WIBS-NEO makes it possible to distinguish the biological (fluorescent) from the non-biological (non-fluorescent) fractions.…”
Embalmers are exposed to many pathogens present in bodily fluids. However, the risk posed by these pathogens has yet to be defined in terms of the nature of the hazard and the intensity of the exposure. The objective of this project was to monitor the exposure of embalmers to biological particles in real time and to characterize the microbiota found in the air during embalming activities in three thanatopraxy laboratories. An innovative approach, using a laser-induced fluorescence aerosol spectrometer (WIBS-NEO), made it possible to measure the concentrations and particle size distributions of the aerosols (biological and non-biological) emitted during embalming. At the same time, an Andersen impactor was used to sample the culturable microbiota present in the air and perform its characterization. The preferential aerosolization of the biological (fluorescent) fraction during embalming procedures, which was compared to the non-biological (non-fluorescent) fraction, showed that most of the tasks performed by the embalmer are likely to lead to microbial exposure via bioaerosols. The concentrations measured represented the equivalent of 2000 to 10,000 biological particles inhaled per minute. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis was not identified in the air during this study, the presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in some of the samples demonstrated that if a pathogen is present in the lungs of the deceased it can be aerosolized and inhaled by the embalmers. The size distribution showed that embalmers are exposed to a high proportion of small particles in the aerosols produced during their work. Thus, the respirable/total ratios calculated are between 58% and 78%. Finally, the detection of airborne Enterobacter, Serratia, Leclercia, and Hafnia tended to demonstrate the aerosolization of intestinal bacteria and their possible inhalation or ingestion. Due to the difficulty of identifying the presence of pathogenic agents before embalming, the presence of faecal bacteria in the air, the proximity of the embalmer to the body, and the limitations associated with the dilution of contaminants by general ventilation in the near field, local ventilation must be provided. Otherwise, minimally, a fitted N95-type respirator should be recommended.
“…The spectrometer is the latest version of a series of real-time biological particle monitors developed by the authors (Kaye et al, 2005a(Kaye et al, , 2005b. It continuously samples ambient air at a rate of ∼2.35 l min −1 through a delivery system that filters ∼2.1 l min −1 of the air and re-introduces this as a sheath around the remaining ∼250 ml min −1 sample flow.…”
Section: The Uv Fluorescence Spectrometermentioning
An instrument designed to continuously monitor ambient bioaerosol concentrations is presented. The instrument is a compact, relatively low-cost, UV aerosol spectrometer that monitors and classifies individual airborne particles by simultaneously recording both fluorescence excitation-emission data and multi-angle spatial elastic scattering data from each particle. The former can indicate the possible presence of specific biological fluorophores within the particle while the latter provides an assessment of particle size and shape. These parameters can facilitate discrimination between biological and nonbiological particles and potentially allow classification of biological particle types. Example measurements are given, illustrating data from the Borneo rain forest.
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