Emission of Airborne Bacteria from a Hospital Incinerator

Allen, Robert J.; Brenniman, Gary R.; Logue, R.R.; Strand, V.A.

doi:10.1080/08940630.1989.10466516

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…1 - 2 The second is to spike the incinerator waste feed with an "indicator" organism, which is typically highly heat resistant bacterial spores. These indicator spores are then collected, and selectively cultured and quantified.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of a Method to Determine Indicator Microorganisms in Air Emissions and Residue from Medical Waste Incinerators

Segall

Blanschan²,

DeWees³

et al. 1991

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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To allow testing of microbial destruction in medical waste incinerators, methods were developed to determine indicator microorganisms (Bacillus Stearothermophilus spores) in incinerator air emissions and residue. The emission trapping train consisted of a water cooled glass probe and impingers containing a neutral phosphate buffer. In field tests, spores were injected directly into the probe, and results showed that approximately 60 percent of the spores were recovered. Spores were analyzed with adequate precision using a microbial membrane filter unit. Lab experiments indicated that spores were stable in neutral pH phosphate buffer for up to 20 days, and heat shocking samples (heating to 80°C for 20 minutes) reduced spore numbers in acidic or basic buffer. Laboratory tests also showed that 60 to 70 percent of spores initially added to ash were recovered up to 22 days after addition of the spores. In addition, lab tests showed that spores can be effectively recovered from residue test pipes spiked with indicator spores. ImplicationsThis paper presents a method for testing the microbial destruction efficiency of medical waste incinerators. The method includes evaluation of indicator spore survival in both air emissions and incinerator residue (ash). This method could be used to test microbial survival following waste incineration in existing waste incinerators or in new incinerators. The effect of incinerator operating conditions on microbial survival could also be evaluated. Tests results could have implications for medical waste treatment by incineration.Certain components of medical waste incinerator emissions, if released, might reasonably be expected to contribute to the endangerment of public health and welfare. One pollutant of potential concern is pathogenic microorganisms (pathogens). However, there is currently no accepted method for measurement of microorganisms in incinerator air emissions. This study was undertaken to develop a test method to evaluate the pathogen destruction efficiency of medical waste incinerators.The small amount of research conducted to date has demonstrated two general approaches for measuring microbial emissions from incinerators. The first is to collect, culture, and identify the native species present in the stack gas.1 -2 The second is to spike the incinerator waste feed with an "indicator" organism, which is typically highly heat resistant bacterial spores. These indicator spores are then collected, and selectively cultured and quantified.3 ' 4The second approach was selected to provide the basis for a microbial destruction efficacy test method for several reasons. The incinerator can be challenged with heat resistant spores simulating worst case conditions, and enough indicator spores can be spiked to ensure that the destruction efficiency of the incinerator can be demonstrated to 99.9999 percent efficiency. In addition, the analysis of the indicator spores does not require culturing and identification of multiple species, some of which may be pathogenic. Rather, the spore...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of a Method to Determine Indicator Microorganisms in Air Emissions and Residue from Medical Waste Incinerators

Segall

Blanschan²,

DeWees³

et al. 1991

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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“…For example, properly operated incinerators produce a sterile ash.44,45 There is no difference between bacteria in stack emissions and ambient air,46 and when Bacillus subtilis is mixed with waste, the bacteria are inactivated. 47 While most states have prevented sanitary landfill disposal of regulated medical waste, data suggest that untreated medical waste can safely be disposed of in sanitary landfills, provided procedures to prevent worker contact with this waste during disposal are employed.lg Presumably the reason for excluding medical waste from landfills has been concern that pathogenic microorganisms might persist in and move through landfilled solid waste, become part of the leachate produced, enter the surrounding environment (i.e., ground and nearby surface waters), and result in human exposure and disease through ingestion of leachate-contaminated waters. Several laboratory and field studies on the survival and transport of pathogenic microorganisms in solid waste and its leachate found that enteric viruses and bacteria are largely adsorbed and inactivated in landfilled solid waste, are present in leachates at relatively low concentrations, and are unlikely to migrate through soils into groundwater (Sobsey MD.…”

Section: Infection Risks Associated With Treatment Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical Waste

Rutala¹,

Mayhall²

1992

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology

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In the past few years, public concern over the disposal of medical waste has markedly increased. The rising concerns over medical waste disposal were stimulated by reports of such waste washing up on the beaches along the east coast from Maine to Florida, the west coast, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf coast. This resulted in a number of beach closings and a loss in revenues to the tourist industries in these areas. While there also have been rare and isolated instances of public exposure, such as the report in 1987 of children in Indianapolis, Indiana, who were found playing with needles and vials discarded by a doctor's office, the literature shows no instances of public illness caused by such exposures.

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“…Studies have also demonstrated conditions under which bacterial spores (e.g. G. stearothermophilus ) may survive in an incinerator environment (Allen et al. 1989; Wood et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dry thermal resistance of Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) spores and spores of other Bacillus species: implications for biological agent destruction via waste incineration

Wood

Lemieux

Betancourt

et al. 2010

Journal of Applied Microbiology

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Aims: To obtain needed data on the dry thermal resistance of Bacillus anthracis spores and other Bacillus species for waste incinerator applications. Methods and Results: Tests were conducted in a pilot‐scale incinerator utilizing biological indicators comprised of spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus atrophaeus and B. anthracis (Sterne) and embedded in building material bundles. Tests were also conducted in a dry heat oven to determine the destruction kinetics for the same species. In the pilot‐scale incinerator tests, B. atrophaeus and G. stearothermophilus demonstrated similar thermal sensitivity, but B. anthracis (Sterne) was less thermally resistant than G. stearothermophilus. For the dry heat oven tests conducted at 175°C, the D‐values were 0·4, 0·2 and 0·3 min for B. atrophaeus, B. anthracis (Sterne) and G. stearothermophilus, respectively. Conclusions: Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) possesses similar or less dry heat resistance compared to B. atrophaeus and G. stearothermophilus. Significance and Impact of the Study: Previous studies have demonstrated conditions under which bacterial spores may survive in an incinerator environment. The data from this study may assist in the selection of surrogates or indicator micro‐organisms to ensure B. anthracis spores embedded in building materials are completely inactivated in an incinerator.

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Emission of Airborne Bacteria from a Hospital Incinerator

Cited by 10 publications

References 5 publications

Development and Evaluation of a Method to Determine Indicator Microorganisms in Air Emissions and Residue from Medical Waste Incinerators

Development and Evaluation of a Method to Determine Indicator Microorganisms in Air Emissions and Residue from Medical Waste Incinerators

Medical Waste

Dry thermal resistance of Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) spores and spores of other Bacillus species: implications for biological agent destruction via waste incineration

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