• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.265-275
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of biological hazards in waste handling industries. Methods: We selected 3 recyclable waste sorting plants(RWS), 2 food recycling plants(FR), 1 landfill area(LA) and 1 waste incineration plant(WI). Total airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with single stage impactor and gelatin filters. Endotoxin and glucan were measured with polycarbonate filters in total and respirable dust. Results: The geometric mean of airborne bacterial concentration was the highest in FR($3,273CFU/m^3$), followed by LA, RWS, and WI as 1,334, 934, and $860CFU/m^3$. The fungal concentrations were 6,031, 5,052, 3,307, and $713CFU/m^3$ in RWS, WI, FR, and LA, respectively. By process, WI pit showed the highest concentrations of bacteria, fungi, and endotoxin, followed by inside of bulldozer in LA. The indoor to outdoor ratios of bacteria, fungi, endotoxin and glucan were 2.3, 4.0, 2.3, and 5.0 in RWS, 29.5, 4.9, 7.6, and 5.0 in FR, 5.3, 8.7, 26.8, and 9.5 in WI, respectively. Conclusions: We found that biological hazards, specifically bacteria in FR, fungi in RWS and endotoxin in WI pit and bulldozer at LA, should be controlled to prevent worker's respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.2 s.83
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• pp.120-126
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• 2005

To assess exposure of allergy patients to a biological environment, measurements were made of levels of airborne bacteria and fungi, house dust endotoxin and mite allergens in homes of 7 allergy patients and 12 healthy families. Concentrations of airborne total bacteria and the ratio of indoor and outdoor concentrations(I/O) in allergy patient's homes were high compared to non-allergy houses. But no significant differences could be shown for the concentration of spores of viable fungi and staphylococcus in indoor air between the homes of allergic patients and healthy families. The results of investigation on house dust mites, Dermatophagoids farinae were detected in all mattress samples and the levels in the allergy patient's homes were generally high, with individual measurements exceeding $2{\mu}g/g$ dust found in $30\%$ samples. In contrast with, Dermatophagoids pteronyssinus were detected in only $60\%$ samples and the concentrations were very low. The levels of endotoxin in dust samples collected from the allergy patient's home mattresses were higher than those of control houses. There was a positive correlation between the endotoxin levels and the house dust mite allergens.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.190-191
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• 2009

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.288-293
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• 2007

To evaluate effects of airborne microorganisms in fresh cut processing plant, microorganisms in air, equipments, raw material, water and final product were isolated and identified using Vitek (R)2 compact system. Airborne microorganisms were isolated from 1000L air using air sampler for floating microorganisms and plate count agar for falling microorganisms. And contaminated microorganisms of equipment, water, and product were isolated from plate count agar plate. Total plate counts for floating and falling, raw material, equipments and final product were $10^2-10^3CFU/m^3,{\sim}10^1CFU/plate,\;10^3CFU/g,{\sim}10^4CFU/cm^2\;and\;10^4CFU/g$, respectively. From the result of isolated microorganism identification from raw material to final product, airborne microorganisms could affect the flora of final product.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.174-184
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to improve the working environment by identifying the work satisfaction of the cleaning workers of the aircraft and measuring and assessing the harmful factors of the cleaning process. Methods: We asked 23 cleaning companies for questionnaires and got 100 answers from 5 companies. The A-E Airline health manager has been contacted to establish a site survey schedule. The in-flight and lounge were measured using direct reading equipment. The harmful factor to be measured are noise, dust, temperature, volatile organic compound, total airborne bacteria, and total airborne bacteria. Results: Uncomfortable positions when replacing blanket, cleaning the table, and cleaning the floor have been identified as factor that reduce work satisfaction. Noise when replacing newspapers and cleaning toilets has been identified as a factor that lowers work satisfaction. Temperature and humidity were found to reduce work satisfaction during in-flight disinfection. Measurements of aircraft cabin and lounge with direct read equipment have shown that none of the items exceed the exposure criteria. Conclusions: As a result of measuring direct-reading equipment, no items exceeded the exposure criteria for each harmful factor. A clear survey of the working environment is required based on the results, and additional research is needed using personal sample measurement.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.188-194
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• 2005

To assess microbiological indoor air quality in schools, concentrations of viable airborne microorganisms were monitored at classrooms and corridors of 3 middle or high schools in Ulsan. Airborne microorganisms were sampled at various situations during a semester (class-hour, lunchtime, after school) and during a vacation with an impaction-type air sampler. During the semester, the number of bacteria was the highest at lunchtime in corridor with an average of $1,111\;MPN/m^{3}$ and lowest at class-hour in corridor with an average of $132\;MPN/m^{3}$. During the vacation, the bacterial concentrations at classrooms and corridors were only $5{\%}$ and $27{\%}$ of the values during class-hours of the semester, respectively. Among the colonies tested, $60{\%}$ were identified as relatively harmless Micrococcus species and $12{\%}$ were Staphylococcus species. During the semester, the average values of fungal concentrations at each situation ranged from 105 to $213\;MPN/m^{3}$, and the values during the vacation were $32\;MPN/m^{3}$ at classrooms and $83\;MPN/m^{3}$ in corridors. Fungal genera such as Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus were identified from the colonies. The obtained data can be considered as a step to set a guideline for bioaerosols in indoor environment of schools.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.38-49
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• 2011

Bioaerosols generated from wastewater treatment plants may create health risks for plant workers and nearby residents. To determine the levels of culturable airborne bacteria and fungi in bioaerosols, samples were seasonally collected above and near the aeration tanks of one feces-urine and three sewage treatment plants in Ulsan, Korea with an impaction-type sampler. In the feces-urine treatment plant, concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria were between $1.3({\pm}0.2){\times}10^3$ and $2.6({\pm}1.2){\times}10^4$ MPN/$m^3$ above the aeration tank and between $1.7({\pm}1.0){\times}10^2$ and $7.2({\pm}2.2){\times}10^3$ MPN/$m^3$ near the aeration tank. Coliform bacteria were detected both above and near the aeration tank. In cases of sewage treatment plant, the numbers of heterotrophic bacteria ranged from $1.9({\pm}1.2){\times}10^1$ to $1.8({\pm}1.2){\times}10^4$ MPN/$m^3$ above the aeration tank and from $5.0({\pm}2.8){\times}10^0$ to $6.6({\pm}2.0){\times}10^3$ MPN/$m^3$ near the aeration tank. At reference sites, the concentrations of heterotrophs in ambient air were measured between $7.0{\times}10^0$ and $2.7{\times}10^1$ MPN/$m^3$. When we isolated and tentatively identified heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas luteola was the most dominant species in bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants, whereas the most abundant one in reference samples was Micrococcus sp. When we measured fungal concentrations in bioaerosols, they were rather similar regardless of sampling locations and seasons, and such genera as Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Penicillium were commonly identified.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2012

Bioaerosols generated from composting facilities and landfills may create health risks for workers and nearby residents. To determine the levels of culturable airborne bacteria and fungi in bioaerosols, samples were seasonally collected at a composting facility and a landfill in Ulsan, Korea with an impaction-type sampler. Concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria averaged (in $MPN/m^3$) $6.5{\times}10^3$ (range $1.5{\times}10^2-1.5{\times}10^4$) in the composting facility and $3.9{\times}10^3$ (range $6.0{\times}10^1-9.3{\times}10^3$) at the entrance of the facility. These concentrations were 460 and 280 times higher than those of reference sites. Coliform bacteria were detected both inside and entrance of the facility. On the landfill, heterotrophic bacterial concentrations averaged (in $MPN/m^3$) $4.9{\times}10^2$ (range $1.7{\times}10^2-1.0{\times}10^3$), while they averaged $3.7{\times}10^2$ (range $4.8{\times}10^1-1.3{\times}10^3$) at the parking lot of the landfill. These concentrations were 35 and 26 times higher than those of reference sites. When we isolated and tentatively identified heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas luteola was the most dominant species in bioaerosols from the composting facility, whereas the most abundant one in reference samples was Micrococcus sp. Average concentrations of airborne fungi were measured between $4.8{\times}10^2$ and $7.9{\times}10^2\;MPN/m^3$ depending on sites, which were 2.1-3.4 times higher compared to those of reference sites. While Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Penicillium were commonly identified fungal genera, genus Aspergillus was identified only in bioaerosols from the composting facility.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.361-365
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• 2011

To evaluate the indoor air quality of food manufacturing plants, the presence of viable bacteria and fungi was assessed in the indoor air of the facilities at which 9 food items were manufactured. Air samples were collected from the general zone, low clean zone and clean zone of each factory with an air sampler, in combination with plate counts agar using for bacteria, and dichloran-glycerol agar for fungi. The samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 4 to 7 days. After culture, the colony forming units (CFU) on each plate were counted and corrected with a positive hole conversion table. The average concentration of bacteria was $2.2{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the general zone, $1.2{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the low clean zone and $7.3{\times}10^2\;CFU/m^3$ in the clean zone. The average concentration of fungal microbes was $2.5{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the general zone, $2.6{\times}10^3\;CFU/m^3$ in the low clean zone, and $2.0{\times}10^2\;CFU/m^3$ in the clean zone. No meaningful differences were detected between the general zone and the low clean zone, but the clean zone had significantly lower concentrations than the other zones. Additionally, the identification of the fungi was performed according to morphological method using a giant culture and slide culture. The fungi were identified as belonging to 18 genera, and the genera Cladosporium(33%), Penicillium(29%) and Aspergillus(26%), predominated. Aspergillus isolates were identified to species level, and A. ochraceus, a mycotoxigenic species, was identified. As part of the effort to control the quality of the indoor air of food manufacturing plants, our results show that continued studies are clearly warranted.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2022

Background: Airborne fungi are ubiquitous in the air and exposure to an airborne fungus can be a significant risk factor. The composition of fungi has been potentially important for human health, especially for respiratory diseases like asthma and atopic dermatitis. Therefore, we attempted to ascertain what kind of airborne fungi affect human health at a nationwide level. Objectives: This study was carried out to provide information on indoor fungi distribution at multi-use facilities throughout South Korea. Methods: We classified our data by region and public facility after collection, cultivation, and identification via the sequencing of the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region. We investigated whether or not the proliferation of HaCaT cells was affected by the identified airborne fungi. Results: In our data, the most isolated airborne fungi by region were Penicillium spp (Seoul, Daegu), Periconia sp (Gyeonggi-do), Iprex sp (Gangwon-do), Phanerochaete sp (Busan), Bjerkandera sp (Gwangju), and Aspergillus sp (Jeju-do). In the public facilities, the most detected fungi were Cladosporium sp (public transport), Penicillium sp (apartment house, retail market, financial institution, karaoke room), Bjerokandera sp (underground parking lot, public toilet, medical institution), Periconia sp (retail store), and Fusarium sp (general restaurant). Next, we selected twenty airborne fungi to examine their cytotoxicity and proliferation of human skin cells. In this experiment, the proliferation of the cells was influenced by most of the identified fungi. In case of the cytotoxicity test, most genera except for Rhodotorula sp and Moesziomyces sp showed cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells. Conclusions: The distribution of mold in the indoor air in multi-use facilities in South Korea differs from region to region, and this is an indicator that should be considered in future health impact studies. In addition, as a result of culturing about 20 types of bacteria dominant in indoor air, it was found that most (90%) inhibit the growth of skin cells, which can be harmful to health. An in-depth study of the health effects of floating fungi is needed.