Ziaei Somayyeh, Sarkhosh Maryam, Saeidi Mahdi, Sarkhoshkalat MohammadMahdi
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
1-Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 2;15(1):22706. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-08196-8.
Exposure to bioaerosols has been associated with various health issues, including infectious diseases, acute toxicity, allergies, and cancer. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of bacterial and fungal bioaerosols in Mashhad, Iran, and examine their correlation with PM levels in outdoor air. Bioaerosol samples were collected at six locations using active sampling techniques. The concentration of airborne bacteria ranged from 36.66 to 89.49 CFU/m³, while fungal concentrations varied between 52.31 and 102.59 CFU/m³. The most frequently identified bacterial species were Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, whereas Aspergillus and Penicillium species were the dominant fungi. A strong positive correlation was observed between bacterial aerosol concentrations and PM levels, while airborne fungal concentrations exhibited a moderate positive correlation with PM. The strong association between bacterial bioaerosols and PM suggests that increased bacterial levels are linked to higher dust concentrations, a pattern consistent with findings from other dust-prone regions worldwide. The HQ values of bioaerosols in six sampling sites were all lower than 1. However, the association between higher bioaerosol concentrations and elevated PM levels suggests possible interactions between microbial aerosols and air pollutants. This study underscores the importance of continuous bioaerosol monitoring to mitigate public health risks, particularly in densely populated urban areas where exposure is more pronounced. Additionally, bioaerosols play a role in the natural cycling of biological materials.
接触生物气溶胶与多种健康问题相关，包括传染病、急性毒性、过敏和癌症。本研究旨在评估伊朗马什哈德市细菌和真菌生物气溶胶的浓度，并研究它们与室外空气中颗粒物（PM）水平的相关性。使用主动采样技术在六个地点采集生物气溶胶样本。空气中细菌的浓度范围为36.66至89.49 CFU/m³，而真菌浓度在52.31至102.59 CFU/m³之间变化。最常鉴定出的细菌种类是表皮葡萄球菌和大肠杆菌，而曲霉属和青霉属是主要的真菌。观察到细菌气溶胶浓度与PM水平之间存在强正相关，而空气中真菌浓度与PM呈中度正相关。细菌生物气溶胶与PM之间的强关联表明细菌水平的增加与更高的灰尘浓度有关，这一模式与全球其他易产生灰尘地区的研究结果一致。六个采样点生物气溶胶的危害商（HQ）值均低于1。然而，较高的生物气溶胶浓度与升高的PM水平之间的关联表明微生物气溶胶与空气污染物之间可能存在相互作用。本研究强调了持续进行生物气溶胶监测以降低公共卫生风险的重要性，特别是在人口密集的城市地区，暴露更为明显。此外，生物气溶胶在生物物质的自然循环中发挥作用。
