Microbiological consequences of indoor composting

• Published in: Indoor air Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 605 - 613
• Main Authors: Naegele, A., Reboux, G., Vacheyrou, M., Valot, B., Millon, L., Roussel, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2016; Hindawi Limited; Wiley
• Subjects: Acarus siro; Aerosols - analysis; Air Microbiology; Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis; Aspergillus; Aspergillus - isolation & purification; Aspergillus versicolor; Bins; Bioaerosols; Case-Control Studies; Cladosporium; Cladosporium - isolation & purification; Cladosporium sphaerospermum; Composting; Composting - methods; Composting - statistics & numerical data; Dust - analysis; Dust collectors; Dwellings; Ecology, environment; Electrostatic dust collector; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Garbage; Health; Household wastes; Housing; Indoor air; Indoor air quality; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Mites; Molds; Penicillium; Penicillium - isolation & purification; Streptomyces; Streptomyces - isolation & purification; Time Factors; Wallemia sebi; Waste bin; Wastes; Waste bin; Mites; Molds; Composting; Electrostatic dust collector; Indoor air
• ISSN: 0905-6947; 1600-0668
• DOI: 10.1111/ina.12242

Recycling of organic waste appeals to more and more people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological contamination around organic waste bins at three distances over a 12‐month period. Contamination near the customary trash of control households was evaluated at the beginning to ensure that there is no recruitment bias. Air samples using the MAS 100 impactor were carried out in 38 dwellings that do household waste composting and in 10 dwellings of controls. Collection of particles by CIP 10 rotating cup sampler and dust samples collected by electrostatic dust collector cloths were acquired in dwellings that do household waste composting. Samples were analyzed by culture and by real‐time quantitative PCR. Information about dwelling characteristics and inhabitant practices was obtained by a standardized questionnaire. The genera most often isolated were Penicillium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Streptomyces. Near the organic waste bins, bioaerosol samples showed an increase of Acarus siro (P = 0.001). Sedimented dust analyses highlighted an increase of A. siro, Wallemia sebi, Aspergillus versicolor, and Cladosporium sphaerospermum concentrations after a 12‐month survey compared to the beginning. Composting favors microorganism development over time, but does not seem to have an effect on the bioaerosol levels and the surface microbiota beyond 0.5 m from the waste bin.