Assessment of Bioaerosol Generation and Sampling Efficiency Based on Pantoea agglomerans

Details

• Personal Author:
  Buckley TJ ; Kesavan J ; Rule AM ; Schwab KJ
• Description:
  This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aerosol generation, relative humidity, and method of sampling on the culturability of the vegetative bacteria Pantoea agglomerans (P. agglomerans) formerly known as Erwinia herbicola. This research has relevance both for the use of this organism as a biowarfare simulant and for bioaerosol exposure assessment and public health. The culturability of P. agglomerans was tested using a test chamber against two generating systems (Collison and Bubble nebulizers), two sampling systems (the all-glass impinger (AGI-30), and the BioSampler), three collection media (water, TSB, and PBS) and across a range of humidities. Results indicated that the Bubble nebulizer was 15% more efficient in generating viable P. agglomerans counts (p = 0.05). No difference was observed in overall efficiency between sampling methods (p > 0.05). However, as a collection media, PBS was observed to yield higher (p = 0.01) viable counts compared to sterile deionized water. Relative humidity was found to strongly influence airborne P. agglomerans culturability. Culturable P. agglomerans was below the limit of detection for RH < 15% and then increased in a log-linear fashion to humidities of 75%. This research will help identify optimal means for evaluation of environmentally sensitive airborne bacteria for purposes of exposure assessment and public health as well as homeland security. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Humidity Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Aerosol Generators Aerosol Particles Bacteria Bacterial Cultures Bioaerosols Sampling Methods
• ISSN:
  0278-6826
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  43
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062782
• Citation:
  Aerosol Sci Technol 2009 Jun; 43(6):620-628
• Contact Point Address:
  Ana M. Rule, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 615 N. Wolfe St. E-6628. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
• Email:
  arule@jhsph.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• Performing Organization:
  Johns Hopkins University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Aerosol Science and Technology
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1f167f9c390c6a9a42107922e9aa4e3d598b7ae9099238735d5c71c8dd6b708d2fa69302f0f4084407f2a622c9c1c877219a59cb3254ffb1274ccb3dc7b715bf
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225971/cdc_225971_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 610.02 KB ]