Skórska Czesława, Sitkowska Jolanta, Krysińska-Traczyk Ewa, Cholewa Grazyna, Dutkiewicz Jacek
Department of Occupational Biohazards, Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Jaczewskiego 2, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2005;12(1):119-26.
The aim of this study was to determine the levels of microorganisms, dust and endotoxin in the air during various stages of valerian (Valeriana officinalis) roots processing by herb farmers and to examine the species composition of airborne microflora. Air samples were collected on glass fibre filters by use of personal samplers on 15 farms owned by valerian cultivating farmers, located in Lublin province (eastern Poland). The concentrations of total viable microorganisms (bacteria + fungi) in the air showed a marked variability and were within a range of 0.95-7,966.6 x 10(3) cfu/m (3). Though median was relatively low (10.75 x 10(3) cfu/m (3)), on 4 farms the concentrations exceeded the level of 10(5) cfu/m (3) and on 1 farm the level of 10(6) cfu/m (3). During the processing of valerian roots, distinct changes could be observed in the composition of airborne microflora. In the first stages of processing, the freshly dug and washed roots until shaking in the drying room, the most numerous were Gram-negative bacteria of the family Pseudomonadaceae (mostly Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas chlororaphis and Pseudomonas fluorescens). After drying, the dominant organisms were thermo-resistant endospore-forming bacilli (Bacillus spp.) and fungi, among which prevailed Aspergillus fumigatus. Altogether, 29 species or genera of bacteria and 19 species or genera of fungi were identified in the farm air during valerian processing, of these, 10 and 12 species or genera respectively were reported as having allergenic and/or immunotoxic properties. The concentrations of airborne dust and endotoxin on the examined farms were very large and ranged from 10.0-776.7 mg/m (3), and from 0.15-24,448.2 microg/m (3), respectively (medians 198.3 mg/m (3) and 40.48 microg/m (3)). In conclusion, farmers cultivating valerian could be exposed during processing of valerian roots to large concentrations of airborne microorganisms, dust and endotoxin posing a risk of work-related respiratory disease.
本研究的目的是测定草药种植农户在缬草（缬草属药用植物）根加工各阶段空气中的微生物、灰尘和内毒素水平，并检测空气微生物区系的物种组成。在位于波兰东部卢布林省的15个缬草种植农户拥有的农场中，使用个人采样器在玻璃纤维滤膜上采集空气样本。空气中总活菌数（细菌+真菌）的浓度显示出显著差异，范围在0.95 - 7,966.6×10³ cfu/m³之间。虽然中位数相对较低（10.75×10³ cfu/m³），但在4个农场中浓度超过了10⁵ cfu/m³，在1个农场中超过了10⁶ cfu/m³。在缬草根加工过程中，空气微生物区系的组成可观察到明显变化。在加工的第一阶段，从刚挖出并洗净的根到在干燥室中摇晃，数量最多的是假单胞菌科的革兰氏阴性菌（主要是嗜麦芽窄食单胞菌、绿针假单胞菌和荧光假单胞菌）。干燥后，优势微生物是耐热芽孢杆菌（芽孢杆菌属）和真菌，其中烟曲霉占主导。在缬草加工期间，农场空气中总共鉴定出29种或属细菌和19种或属真菌，其中分别有10种和12种或属被报告具有致敏和/或免疫毒性特性。在所检测的农场中，空气中灰尘和内毒素的浓度非常高，分别在10.0 - 776.7 mg/m³和0.15 - 24,448.2 μg/m³之间（中位数分别为198.3 mg/m³和40.48 μg/m³）。总之，种植缬草的农户在缬草根加工过程中可能会接触到高浓度的空气传播微生物、灰尘和内毒素，从而面临与工作相关的呼吸道疾病风险。
