State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Material & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China.
Water Res. 2019 Feb 1;149:596-606. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.11.027. Epub 2018 Nov 14.
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are major sources of airborne bacteria, which could pose health risks to WWTP workers and surrounding residents. In this study, air samples were collected from various treatment facilities of a typical WWTP. Community compositions of airborne bacteria were identified by high-throughput sequencing technique. SourceTracker was used to determine the percentages of airborne bacteria from wastewater, sludge, ambient air, and other environment. Health risks associated with airborne bacteria were estimated based on the average daily dose rates (ADD) of exposure by inhalation and skin contact. Concentrations of airborne bacteria varied in a wide range of 23-4878 CFU/m. The main emission sources of airborne bacteria were treatment facilities with aeration, mechanical agitation, and located indoors. For treatment facilities located indoors, higher percentages of airborne bacteria were associated with wastewater and sludge, while more airborne bacteria were originated from the ambient air for outdoor installations. Opportunistic pathogens such as Micrococcus, Bacteroides, Chryseobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter, were detected in airborne bacteria. Inhalation was the main pathway for on-site workers exposure to airborne bacteria. Due to the presence of opportunistic pathogens, strict control measures should be employed in WWTPs to reduce the infection risks.
污水处理厂（WWTPs）是空气中细菌的主要来源，这可能对 WWTP 工人和周围居民的健康构成威胁。在这项研究中，从一个典型的 WWTP 的各种处理设施中收集了空气样本。通过高通量测序技术鉴定了空气中细菌的群落组成。SourceTracker 用于确定来自废水、污泥、环境空气和其他环境的空气中细菌的百分比。根据吸入和皮肤接触暴露的平均日剂量率（ADD）来估计与空气中细菌相关的健康风险。空气中细菌的浓度在 23-4878CFU/m 的范围内变化很大。空气中细菌的主要排放源是带有曝气、机械搅拌的处理设施，并且位于室内。对于位于室内的处理设施，与废水和污泥相关的空气中细菌的百分比更高，而对于户外设施，更多的空气中细菌来源于环境空气。在空气中细菌中检测到了微球菌、拟杆菌、黄杆菌、假单胞菌和不动杆菌等机会性病原体。对于现场工人来说，吸入是暴露于空气中细菌的主要途径。由于存在机会性病原体，应在 WWTP 中采取严格的控制措施，以降低感染风险。
