Tolvanen Outi, Nykänen Jenni, Nivukoski Ulla, Himanen Marina, Veijanen Anja, Hänninen Kari
University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, P.O. Box 35, 40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Waste Manag. 2005;25(4):427-33. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2005.02.011.
Bioaerosols (microbes, dust and endotoxins) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were determined in the working air of a drum composting plant treating source-separated catering waste. Different composting activities at the Oulu drum composting plant take place in their own units separated by modular design and constructions. Important implication of this is that the control room is a relatively clean working environment and the risk of exposure to harmful factors is low. However, the number of viable airborne microbes was high both in the biowaste receiving hall and in the drum composting hall. The concentration (geometric average) of total microbes was 21.8 million pcs/m3 in the biowaste receiving hall, 13.9 million pcs/m3 in the drum composting hall, and just 1.4 million pcs/m3 in the control room. Endotoxin concentrations were high in the biowaste receiving hall and in the drum composting hall. The average (arithmetic) endotoxin concentration was over the threshold value of 200 EU/m3 in both measurement locations. In all working areas, the average (arithmetic) dust concentrations were in a low range of 0.6-0.7 mg/m3, being below the Finnish threshold value of 5 mg/m3. In the receiving hall and drum composting hall, the concentrations of airborne microbes and endotoxins may rise to levels hazardous to health during prolonged exposure. It is advisable to use a respirator mask (class P3) in these areas. Detected volatile organic compounds were typical compounds of composting plants: carboxylic acids and their esters, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and terpenes. Concentrations of VOCs were much lower than the Finnish threshold limit values (Finnish TLVs), many of the quantified compounds exceeded their threshold odour concentrations (TOCs). Primary health effects due VOCs were not presumable at these concentrations but unpleasant odours may cause secondary symptoms such as nausea and hypersensitivity reactions. This situation is typical of composting plants where the workers are exposed to dozens of VOCs simultaneously. The odour units (OU/m3) were measured using olfactometer. The numbers were 23,000 OU/m3 at the output end of the composting drum and 6300 OU/m3 in the exhaust pipe. Inside the composting hall, the number of odour units was 500 and 560 OU/m3.
对一家处理源头分类餐饮垃圾的滚筒式堆肥厂的工作空气进行了生物气溶胶（微生物、灰尘和内毒素）和挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）的测定。奥卢滚筒式堆肥厂的不同堆肥活动在各自通过模块化设计和建筑分隔的单元中进行。这一情况的重要影响在于，控制室是一个相对清洁的工作环境，接触有害因素的风险较低。然而，在生物垃圾接收厅和滚筒式堆肥厅中，空气中存活微生物的数量都很高。生物垃圾接收厅中总微生物的浓度（几何平均值）为2180万pcs/m³，滚筒式堆肥厅中为1390万pcs/m³，而控制室中仅为140万pcs/m³。生物垃圾接收厅和滚筒式堆肥厅中的内毒素浓度较高。在这两个测量地点，内毒素的平均（算术）浓度均超过了200 EU/m³的阈值。在所有工作区域，平均（算术）灰尘浓度处于0.6 - 0.7 mg/m³的低范围，低于芬兰5 mg/m³的阈值。在接收厅和滚筒式堆肥厅，长时间暴露期间空气中微生物和内毒素的浓度可能会上升到对健康有害的水平。在这些区域建议使用防毒面具（P3级）。检测到的挥发性有机化合物是堆肥厂的典型化合物：羧酸及其酯类、醇类、酮类、醛类和萜类。VOCs的浓度远低于芬兰阈限值（芬兰TLVs），但许多定量化合物超过了它们的阈值气味浓度（TOCs）。在这些浓度下，VOCs对健康的主要影响不太可能，但难闻的气味可能会引起恶心和过敏反应等次要症状。这种情况在堆肥厂很典型，在那里工人会同时接触到数十种VOCs。使用嗅觉计测量了气味单位（OU/m³）。堆肥滚筒输出端的数值为23000 OU/m³，排气管中的数值为6300 OU/m³。堆肥厅内的气味单位数值分别为500和560 OU/m³。
