The bioaerosols emitted from toilet and wastewater treatment plant: a literature review

Lou, Mengmeng; Liu, Shuai; Gu, Chunjie; Hu, Huimin; Tang, Zhengkun; Zhang, Yaopeng; Xu, Chenye; Li, Fang

doi:10.1007/s11356-020-11297-8

Cited by 49 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…The schematic diagram of vertical transmission is shown in Figure 2. When flushing the toilet, the pressure generated by flushing would cause the fluorescent microspheres to form aerosols [11][12][13], partly into the bathroom and partly into the sewage pipe. The simulated virus aerosol into the bathroom entered the air duct through the exhaust fan.…”

Section: Cross-layer Vertical Transmission Caused By Sewage and Exhaust Pipe Of The Bathroommentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation Studies Provide Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a Multi-Story Building via Air Supply, Exhaust and Sanitary Pipelines

Zhang¹,

Li²,

Wang³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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A cross-layer non-vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in a quarantine hotel in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China in June 2021. To explore the cross-layer transmission path and influencing factors of viral aerosol, we set up different scenarios to carry out simulation experiments. The results showed that the air in the polluted room can enter the corridor by opening the door to take food and move out the garbage, then mix with the fresh air taken from the outside as part of the air supply of the central air conditioning system and re-enter into different rooms on the same floor leading to the same-layer transmission. In addition, flushing the toilet after defecation and urination will produce viral aerosol that pollutes rooms on different floors through the exhaust system and the vertical drainage pipe in the bathroom, resulting in cross-layer vertical transmission, also aggravating the transmission in different rooms on the same floor after mixing with the air of the room and entering the corridor to become part of the air supply, and meanwhile, continuing to increase the cross-layer transmission through the vertical drainage pipe. Therefore, the air conditioning and ventilation system of the quarantine hotel should be operated in full fresh air mode and close the return air; the exhaust volume of the bathroom should be greater than the fresh air volume. The exhaust pipe of the bathroom should be independently set and cannot be interconnected or connected in series. The riser of the sewage and drainage pipeline of the bathroom should maintain vertical to exhaust independently and cannot be arbitrarily changed to horizontal pipe assembly.

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Section: Cross-layer Vertical Transmission Caused By Sewage and Exhaust Pipe Of The Bathroommentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation Studies Provide Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a Multi-Story Building via Air Supply, Exhaust and Sanitary Pipelines

Zhang¹,

Li²,

Wang³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…The wastewater treatment is composed of (i) pretreatment, where the wastewater comes from the sewer systems and then coarse solids are removed; (ii) primary treatment to remove suspended solids by physical (sedimentation) and chemical methods (coagulation-flocculation); (iii) secondary treatment to remove suspended and dissolved solids by anaerobic and aerobic processes; (iv) finally, tertiary treatment to remove dissolved particles through chemical oxidation with chlorine or ozone, and physical treatments with filtration (Lou et al, 2021). Workers and nearby residents are vulnerable to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) because they are exposed to bioaerosols that can contain a wide variety of bacterial, viral and fungal species; therefore, exposure to bioaerosols in WWTPs generates occupational health risks for workers.…”

Section: Wastewater Treatment Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bioaerosols are atmospheric microparticles suspended or attached to dust or water droplets (Burdsall et al, 2021;Calero-Cáceres et al, 2019;Lou et al, 2021). They are composed of fungi, bacteria, viruses, pollen, plant debris, endotoxins, allergens and mycotoxins and originate in a wide variety of productive activities: markets, slaughter of animals, waste management, wastewater treatment; indoor activities in hospitals and laboratories (Bruni et al, 2019;Burdsall et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to cultivable bacteria represent only up to 20% of the total bacterial diversity, more recent studies in the literature have focused on DNA-based detection systems, which allow the examination of all microorganisms (live, dead and non-culturable)(Tian et al, 2020;Xu et al, 2020). The sampling of cultivable bioaerosols is based on impactors, where the microorganisms are collected directly on a culture medium, or by air filtration methods, where the microorganisms are collected on a filter(Gong et al, 2020;Lou et al, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Airborne Bacteria from Wastewater Treatment and their Antibiotic Resistance: A Meta-Analysis

Banchón¹

2021

J. Ecol. Eng.

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The treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater is a source for a large number of airborne microorganisms, which can be released at the environment during mechanical aeration. A meta-analysis of up to 14 industrial and municipal treatment plants was performed to determine the bacterial count in bioaerosols, as well as antibiotic resistance, at different stages of the wastewater treatment (pretreatment, primary, secondary and tertiary treatment), in comparison with bacterial counts of the ambient air surrounding the treatment plants. The highest contamination of the air with microorganisms was observed in the raw sewage inlet and at the biological reactor. In most analyzes, the air in the wastewater treatment plant was characterized by a higher content of microorganisms than at the control point. Bioaerosols from water treatment might be an important source of antibiotic resistance genes, which can be transported considerable distances and can represent a potential risk to humans. Therefore, employees should recognize the health risks associated with the absence of personal protective equipment, such as masks or respirators.

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“…On the other hand, the biological part, involving the activated sludge chambers, where the processes of aeration and mixing of wastewater take place, are the objects open to the atmosphere. These emissions are well known and documented in the scientific literature [Lou et al, 2021;Singh et al, 2021;. However, there are no scientific reports on the influence of bioaerosols from the outdoor air on the microbiological quality of indoor air in the premises of WWTP, including the rooms where the staff is present.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiological Quality of Indoor and Outdoor Air in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant - A Case Study

Staszowska¹

2022

J. Ecol. Eng.

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Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been recognized as a source of odors and microbial pathogens to the outdoor air. The results of many studies revealed that high amounts of microorganisms are not only present in the stream of wastewater or sludges but also in the bioaerosols that are generated during the different stages of the wastewater treatment. Hence, possible migration of biological contaminants into the interiors cannot be excluded. However, there is a knowledge gap in an assessment of the microbiological indoor air quality of the facilities located at WWTPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of outdoor microbial air contamination upon the indoor environment based on the determined outdoor to indoor (O/I) ratios. The sampling of airborne bacteria and fungi was conducted in three replications with the sedimentation and impaction method, during a one-year survey in ten technological and office buildings as well as their vicinity, at the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Lublin (Poland). Moreover, the cleanliness of hand contact surfaces in staff rooms was examined (Rodac plates). Additionally, API identification of bacteria and fungi was carried out. The highest concentration of total bacteria count (3617 CFU/m 3 ) and fungi in bioaerosols (5386 CFU/m 3 ) was detected in the air around the sewage pumping station, close to the aeration tanks. P. fluorescens was found in the air around the grit chamber (78 CFU/m 3 ). The majority of the examined indoor air samples were characterized with different levels of microbiological contamination -from non-polluted to moderately polluted. The number of total bacteria counts ranged from 180 to 4679 CFU/m 3 . The highest estimated indoor fungi concentration was 4022 CFU/m 3 . The controlled surfaces were mostly contaminated with the Actinomycetes and Coliform bacteria. No Salmonella sp. were detected. The bacteria from the Enetrobacteriaceae family were commonly isolated from the indoor and outdoor air samples. The obtained data can be used to devise further guidelines facilitating control and management of WWTP to avoid or minimize the staff exposure.

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The bioaerosols emitted from toilet and wastewater treatment plant: a literature review

Cited by 49 publications

References 69 publications

Simulation Studies Provide Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a Multi-Story Building via Air Supply, Exhaust and Sanitary Pipelines

Simulation Studies Provide Evidence of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a Multi-Story Building via Air Supply, Exhaust and Sanitary Pipelines

Airborne Bacteria from Wastewater Treatment and their Antibiotic Resistance: A Meta-Analysis

Microbiological Quality of Indoor and Outdoor Air in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant - A Case Study

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