Levels of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin in bulk and aerosolized corn silage

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dutkiewicz J ; Gerencser VF ; May JJ ; Olenchock, Stephen A. ; Pratt DS ; Robinson VA ; Sorenson WG
• Description:
  Three samples of silage taken from the surface of a silo and from depths of 20 and 45 cm in the silo were studied for identification of the potential agents causing symptoms of organic dust toxic syndrome. The samples were examined by dilution plating before and after aerosolization in an acoustical dust generator. Aerosol samples were collected by liquid impinger and filter cassettes. The samples were examined for total aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, lactobacilli, listeriae, thermophilic actinomycetes, fungi, and endotoxin. Very high levels of total aerobic bacteria and fungi were found in the surface sample (up to 10(9) CFU/g in the bulk sample and up to 10(9) CFU/m3 after aerosolization), whereas the corresponding values from the deepest site were 100 to 50,000 times lower. Aspergillus fumigatus predominated among the fungi, whereas Bacillus and gram-negative organisms (Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Citrobacter, and Klebsiella species) prevailed among bacteria. Thermophilic actinomycetes occurred in numbers up to 10(7) CFU/g in the bulk samples, whereas anaerobic bacteria, lactobacilli, and listeriae were only few or absent. The concentration of endotoxin was high in the surface sample (up to 211.4 Endotoxin Units/mg) and about 200-fold lower in the sample from the deepest site. The results show that contact with dust from the surface of silage carries the risk of exposure to high concentrations of microorganisms, of which A. fumigatus and endotoxin-producing bacteria are the most probable disease agents. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Agriculture Bacteria Dust Endotoxins Fungi Microbiology Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Aerosol-particles Agricultural-industry Agricultural-products Agricultural-workers Bacterial-dusts Microorganisms Organic-dusts
• ISSN:
  0099-2240
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  55
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20040961
• Citation:
  Appl Environ Microbiol 1989 May; 55(5):1093-1099
• Contact Point Address:
  Jacek Dutkiewicz, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1989
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied and Environmental Microbiology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2038a9e5c07ae9f26f3e5fbec179536032e51c4946603b7cb7154f525826616ee17aaf25805f73fc147964497521933ec482880b254b4f33ab34b1d4b3fd1c50
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193648/cdc_193648_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.42 MB ]