AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Emissions and Dispersion Bioaerosol in Four Sites During Spring-Summer at Tijuana, Mexico
LILIA HURTADO, Guillermo Rodriguez, Miguel Zavala, Penelope Quintana, Luisa Molina, Bertha Landeros, Mirna Brito, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Tijuana, Mexico
Abstract Number: 421 Working Group: Bioaerosols
Abstract In every field of activity in which the organic material is handled, emissions of dust, gases, odors and bioaerosols are present, has become a major public concern because of the possible effects on the health of workers and local residents. Pathogenic airborne microorganisms may also have public health consequences.
The bioarosols emission measurement were carried out at four sites considered as possible sources of bioaerosols, that during the spring-summer in a treatment plant wastewater, landfill, livestock management and suburban Tijuana river. Air samples were taken with the air sampler M Air T (Millipore), at different distance from the center of activity at each site. Cultivation methods based on the viable count of mesophilic bacteria, total and fecal coliforms, enterococci and other pathogenic bacteria. During sampling, temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity and wind speed were measured. Higer concentration of microorganisms in the wastewater and river Tijuana a maximum of 2.4 x10$^6 and 4.3 x 10$^6 CFU/m$^3 respectively were observed. The highest dispersion of airborne microorganisms to 10 meters in all sampling sites. A gradual decrease of bioaerosols dispersion as advanced in the distance to 100 meters with an average of 54.3% reduction of total and fecal coliforms, 47% enterococci, 31% decrease in other organisms. This study concludes that these sites are generating of bioaerosols and weather conditions are an important factor for dispersing to nearby towns, although these concentrations gradually decrease, are still present and may represent a health problem.