Citation:

Impact/Purpose:

Stakeholders, researchers

Description:

NRMRL-RTP-P-526a Menetrez*, M.Y., Foarde, K.K., and Ensor, D.S. An Anilytical Method for the Measurement of Nonviable Bioaerosols. Journal of Air and Waste Management Association (Air and Waste Management Association) 51:1436-1442 (2001). EPA/600/J-01/344, Available: Journal of Air and Waste Management Association (journal), http://www.awma.org/pubs/. 06/26/2000 Exposures from indoor environments are a major issue for evaluating total long-term personal exposure to the fine fraction (<2.5 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter) of particulate matter (PM). It is widely accepted in the indoor air quality (IAQ) research community that biocontamination is one of the important indoor air pollutants. Major indoor air biocontaminants include mold, bacteria, dust mites, and other antigens. Once the biocontaminants or their metabolites become airborne, IAQ could be significantly deteriorated. The airborne biocontaminants or their metabolites can induce irritational, allergic, infectious, and chemical responses in exposed individuals. Biocontaminants such as some mold spores or pollin grains, because of their size and mass, settle rapidly within the indoor environment. Over time, they may become non-viable and fragmented by desiccation. Desiccated, non-viable fragments of organisms are common and can be toxic or allergenic depending on the specific organism or organism component. Once these smaller and lighter fragments of biological PM become suspended in air, they will have a tendency to stay suspended. Although some bioaerosols have been identified, few have been quantitatively studied for their prevalence within the total indoor PM with time or for their affinity to penetrate indoors. This paper describes a preliminary research effort to develop a methodology for the measurement of non-viable biologically based PM, analyzing for mold, dust mite, and ragweed antigens and endotoxins. Using a comparison of analytical methods, the research objectives include: (1) quantifying the relationship between outdoor and indoor levels of bioaerosols, and (2) determining the fraction of ambient and indoor PM that is biological.

Record Details: