10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Efficiency of a Biotrickling Filter to Reduce Bioaerosol Emissions from Pig Buildings
JONATHAN M. VYSKOCIL, Valérie Létourneau, Matthieu Girard, Ariane Lévesque, Caroline Duchaine, Université Laval
Abstract Number: 523 Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract Pig pathogens are released into the air by the exhaust fans of livestock buildings and may consequently contaminate nearby barns. The development of strategies to reduce bioaerosol emissions is then required as preventive measures. Outgoing air filtration systems can be used to reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases to other farms during viral or bacterial outbreaks. The present study aims to characterize the effectiveness of a biotrickling filter, an air treatment unit (ATU), developed by the Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA) to reduce the bacteria and viruses emitted from a pig building. The biotrickling filter consists of an inert filter media which supports a microbial community continuously fed through a nutrient solution sprayed over incoming air. Bioaerosols were sampled isokinetically and simultaneously upstream and downstream of two biotrickling filters (field replicates) using two high volume air samplers (Coriolisµ Biological Air Sampler, Bertin Corp.). Data recorded during each sampling include the temperature of air before and after the ATUs, the air flow rate within the ATUs, and the relative humidity of air entering the ATUs. The samples were collected in the summer, fall, and winter. A culture-based approach and molecular biology analyses were used to monitor microbial concentrations and populations captured and emitted by the biotrickling filter. Preliminary results show an increase in culturable bacteria downstream of the ATUs, but a decrease in total bacteria (qPCR). Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus, and Escherichia coli were quantified by qPCR. While C. perfringens and Enterococcus concentrations were below the limit of quantification, E. coli were detected in samples. Any factor associations with E. coli concentrations before and after the ATUs are yet to be resolved. Illumina MiSeq Next Generation Sequencing Biodiversity Analyzes will be used to determine if the biofilter bacteria are being released and examine pig pathogens that are being removed by the biotrickling filter. Quantification of archaea and porcine circovirus by qPCR will as well be conducted in the next months. Strategies to eliminate air contamination between pig buildings need to be developed and used in the field as air spreading of pig pathogens is possible and as biosecurity measures already in place are inefficient to eliminate the overall contamination risk.