10th International Aerosol Conference
September 2 - September 7, 2018
America's Center Convention Complex
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Abstract View


Bioaerosols Emissions from Open Waste Dumpsites: A case study of Olusosun Open Waste Dumpsite, Lagos Nigeria

GODWIN AKPEIMEH, Louise Fletcher, Barbara Evans, Member IPHEE, University of Leeds

     Abstract Number: 1233
     Working Group: Aerosol Exposure

Abstract
Introduction
In a bid to balance the high global rate of urbanization and the rate of municipal solid waste generation resulting from that urbanisation, the sustainable development goal (SDG) 11.6 aims to reduce the per capita environmental impact of cities by paying attention to air quality and municipal solid waste management. Unfortunately, most developing countries do not have the infrastructure to properly manage their municipal solid waste despite recording the highest rate of urbanization in the world. As a result, government authorities in these countries resort to open dumping as a cheap method for managing municipal solid waste. The bitter consequence of this is seen in the health and environmental impacts resulting from such treatment methods, one of which is bioaerosols emission.

Method
To assess the bioaerosols emission levels at open dumpsites, bioaerosol concentrations were measured at Olusosun open waste dumpsite, Lagos, Nigeria for 13 weeks. Air samples were collected across four points on the dumpsite using a six-stage Anderson sampler and an SKC Button sampler. Air samples were analyzed for total bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, Aspergillus fumigatus and total fungi.

Results
Gram-negative bacteria (Mean 1.6 × 103 CFU/m3, 310-3394 CFU/m3) showed the highest concentration as measured by the six-stage Anderson sampler and was followed by mesophilic bacteria (Mean 1.3 × 103 CFU/m3, 1.95× 102 - 3×103 CFU/m3), Total fungi (Mean 4.3×102 CFU/m3, 1.7-8.4 ×103 CFU/m3) and Aspergillus fumigatus (Mean 1.19 ×102 CFU/m3, 6× 100 -3.39× 102 CFU/m3). However, the result from the personal sampler indicated a higher bioaerosols exposure (100-1000 times more) from the activities they were engaged in, such as scavenging (gram-negative bacteria 3.0×106 CFU/m3, Total Bacteria 1.17 ×106, Aspergillus fumigatus 6.75 ×104); site monitoring (gram-negative bacteria 2.1×105 CFU/m3, Total Bacteria 6.0 ×105, Aspergillus fumigatus 3.0 ×105); waste sorting (gram-negative bacteria 1.74 ×106 CFU/m3, Total Bacteria 4.8 ×105, Aspergillus fumigatus 9.0 ×104 ). Analysing the participle size distribution, up to 77% of breathable particles emitted during dumpsite activities were within 0.65- 3.3 µm which could penetrate the lungs down to the alveoli.

Conclusion:
• Scavenging activity constitutes the highest exposure to bioaerosols as compared to other activities such as sorting and site monitoring (waste worker) carried out at open waste dumpsites.
• Gram-negative bacteria were higher across the dumpsite, which was also the highest pathogenic agent downwind of the dumpsite.
• The use of personal sampling and sampling with Anderson six-stage sampler, give better results on exposure levels as compared the Anderson six stage sampler alone as commonly used.