Marie-Ève Dubuis

Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec

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Caroline Duchaine

Université Laval

Marc Veillette

Université Laval

Hamza Mbareche

University of Toronto

Nathalie Turgeon

Université Laval

Geneviève Marchand

Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail

Laetitia Bonifait

Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail

Guy Boivin

Université Laval

Jacques Lavoie

Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail

Joseph Zayed

Université de Montréal

Nathan Dumont-Leblond

Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec

Cooperative Institutions

Université Laval

Université de Montréal

Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec

Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail

McGill University

Lung Institute

Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal

Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec

Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine

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Fungal bioaerosols in biomethanization facilities

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (2018)

Hamza Mbareche Marc Veillette Marie-Ève Dubuis Bouchra Bakhiyi Geneviève Marchand

Biomethanization is a new technology used for green-waste valorization where organic waste is biodegraded by microbial communities under anaerobic conditions. The main product of this type of anaerobic digestion is a biogas used as an energy source. Moving and handling organic waste may lead to the emission of high concentrations of bioaerosols. High exposure levels are associated with adverse health effects amongst green environment workers. Fungal spores are suspected to play a role in many respiratory illnesses. There is a paucity of information related to the detailed fungal diversity in biomethanization facilities. The aim of this study was to provide an in-depth description of fungal bioaerosols in biomethanization work environments using a next-generation sequencing approach combined with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Two biomethanization facilities treating different wastes were visited during the sampling campaign (n = 16). Quantification of Penicillium/Aspergillus and Aspergillus fumigatus revealed a greater exposure risk during summer for both facilities visited. Concentrations of Penicillium and Aspergillus were similar in all work areas in both biomethanization facilities. Taxonomy analyses showed that the type of waste treated affects the fungal diversity of aerosols emitted. Although eight classes were evenly distributed in all samples, Eurotiomycetes were more dominant in the first facility and Agaricomycetes were dominant in the second one. A large diversity profile was observed in bioaerosols from both facilities showing the presence of pathogenic fungi. The following fungi detected are known allergens and/or are opportunistic pathogens: Aspergillus, Malassezia, Emericella, Fusarium, Acremonium, and Candida. Daily exposure to these fungi may put workers at risk. The information from this study can be used as a reference for minimizing occupational exposure in future biomethanization facilities. Implications: Biomethanization is a new technology used for green-waste valorization where organic waste is biodegraded by microbial communities. Effective waste management is increasingly recognized as a strategic approach for achieving newly created regulations concerning the disposal of organic residues; therefore, an expansion of facilities is expected. Workers' exposure to diverse fungal communities is certain, as fungi are ubiquitous and necessary in organic matter decomposition. Monitoring this occupational exposure is important in order to prevent workers' health problems.

Indoor bioaerosol

Bioaerosol

Acremonium

Aspergillus versicolor

10.1080/10962247.2018.1492472

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Citations (23)

Workers' exposure to bioaerosols from three different types of composting facilities

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2017)

Laetitia Bonifait Geneviève Marchand Marc Veillette Hamza Mbareche Marie-Ève Dubuis

Composting is a natural dynamic biological process used to valorise putrescible organic matter. The composting process can involve vigorous movements of waste material piles, which release high concentrations of bioaerosols into the surrounding environment. There is a lack of knowledge concerning the dispersal of airborne microorganisms emitted by composting plants (CP) as well as the potential occupational exposure of composting workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the workers exposure to bioaerosols during working activities in three different types of composting facilities (domestic, manure, carcass) using two different quantification methods (cultivation and qPCR) for bacteria and moulds concentrations. As expected, even if there are differences between all CP frameworks, independently of the type of the raw compost used, the production of bioaerosols increases significantly during handling activities. Important concentrations of mesophilic moulds and mesophilic bacteria were noted in the working areas with a respective maximal concentration of 2.3 × 105 CFU/m3 and 1.6 × 105 CFU/m3. A. fumigatus and thermophilic Actinomycetes were also detected in all working areas for the 3 CP. This study emphases the risks for workers to being in contact with aerosolized pathogens such as Mycobacterium and Legionella and more specifically, L. pneumophila. The presence of high concentration of these bacteria in CP suggests a potential occupational health risk. This study may lead to recommendations for the creation of limits for occupational exposure. There is a need for identifying the standards exposure limits to bioaerosols in CP and efficient recommendation for a better protection of workers' health.

Indoor bioaerosol

Bioaerosol

Mesophile

10.1080/15459624.2017.1335054

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Condensation sampler efficiency for the recovery and infectivity preservation of viral bioaerosols

Aerosol Science and Technology (2021)

Jodelle Degois Marie-Ève Dubuis Nathalie Turgeon Marc Veillette Caroline Duchaine

A better description of airborne transmission routes of viruses that are responsible for nosocomial infections requires efficient and accurate sampling methods that allow the preservation of viral integrity and infectivity. The aim of this project was to compare the virus collection efficiency of traditional filter sampling using cassettes with water-based condensation sampling through laminar flow. Bacteriophages MS2, PhiX174, Phi6, and PR772 as well as an influenza virus were nebulized in an aerosol chamber. Bioaerosols were simultaneously collected on polycarbonate (PC) filters (0.8 μm pore diameter) loaded into 37-mm closed-face cassettes (CFCs) and with a condensation-based sampler (Spot Sampler™) which collected bioaerosols in a liquid buffer. Concentrations of bacteriophages and influenza were analyzed at two different sampling times (60 min and 4 h) both by culture (infectivity preservation) and qPCR (efficiency of recovery) to compare the performance of the two samplers. PhiX174 showed better recovery with the Spot Sampler™ for both sampling times and PR 772 showed better relative genome recovery with CFC sampling after 60 min. In addition, use of the Spot Sampler™ led to better preservation of infectivity for all the viruses including influenza, with the exception of phage MS2 after 4 h of sampling. In future work, the Spot Sampler™ could be tested in hospital environments to better understand airborne transmission routes of viruses, or in in-vitro setups to assess the efficiency of virucidal air treatment.Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research

Indoor bioaerosol

Bioaerosol

Infectivity

Airborne Transmission

10.1080/02786826.2021.1889960

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Positive no-touch surfaces and undetectable SARS-CoV-2 aerosols in long-term care facilities: An attempt to understand the contributing factors and the importance of timing in air sampling campaigns

American Journal of Infection Control (2021)

Nathan Dumont-Leblond Marc Veillette Luc Bhérer Karine Boissoneault Samira Mubareka

Long-term care facilities (LTCF) are environments particularly favorable to coronavirus disease (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic outbreaks, due to the at-risk population they welcome and the close proximity of residents. Yet, the transmission dynamics of the disease in these establishments remain unclear.Air and no-touch surfaces of 31 rooms from 7 LTCFs were sampled and SARS-CoV-2 was quantified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Air samples were negative but viral genomes were recovered from 20 of 62 surface samples at concentrations ranging from 13 to 36,612 genomes/surface. Virus isolation (culture) from surface samples (n = 7) was negative.The presence of viral RNA on no-touch surfaces is evidence of viral dissemination through air, but the lack of airborne viral particles in air samples suggests that they were not aerosolized in a significant manner during air sampling sessions. The air samples were collected 8 to 30 days after the residents' symptom onset, which could indicate that viruses are aerosolized early in the infection process. Additional research is needed to evaluate viral viability conservation and the potential role of direct contact and aerosols in SARS-CoV-2 transmission in these institutions.

Aerosolization

Pandemic

Isolation

10.1016/j.ajic.2021.02.004

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Citations (40)

High and low flowrate sampling of airborne influenza in hospital rooms during three outbreaks

Journal of Aerosol Science (2021)

Marie-Ève Dubuis Jodelle Degois Marc Veillette Nathalie Turgeon Bianka Paquet-Bolduc

Electret

10.1016/j.jaerosci.2021.105824

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Bioaerosols concentrations in working areas in biomethanization facilities

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (2017)

Marie-Ève Dubuis Hamza Mbareche Marc Veillette Bouchra Bakhiyi Joseph Zayed

This study sought to fill the gap in information about the type and the concentration of bioaerosols present in the air of biomethanization facilities (BF). Evaluation of bioaerosol composition and concentration was achieved in two biomethanization facilities located in Eastern Canada, during summer and winter. In order to have a thorough understanding of the studied environment, the methodology combined culture of bacteria and molds, qualitiative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for specific microorganisms, endotoxin quantification, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) for bacterial diversity. Results revealed that workers in biomethanization facilities are exposed to bioaerosols and pathogenic microorganisms similar to those found in composting plants. However, human exposure levels to bioaerosols are lower in BF than in composting plants. Despite these differences, use of personal protective equipment is recommended to lower the risks of health problems.Biomethanization is a new technology used in eastern Canada for waste management. In the next few years, it is expected that there will be an expansion of facilities in response of tight governmental regulations. Workers in biomethanization facilities are exposed to various amounts of bioaerosols composed of some harmful microorganisms. Therefore, monitoring this occupational exposure could be an interesting tool for improving worker's health.

Indoor bioaerosol

Bioaerosol

10.1080/10962247.2017.1356762

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Citations (22)

A next generation sequencing approach with a suitable bioinformatics workflow to study fungal diversity in bioaerosols released from two different types of composting plants

The Science of The Total Environment (2017)

Hamza Mbareche Marc Veillette Laetitia Bonifait Marie-Ève Dubuis Yves Benard

Indoor bioaerosol

Bioaerosol

Fungal Diversity

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.235

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Citations (63)

A systematic review of the implications of construction materials on occupants’ physical and psychological health

Building and Environment (2024)

Erika Yukari Nakanishi Patrick Poulin Pierre Blanchet Marie-Ève Dubuis Myriam Drouin

10.1016/j.buildenv.2024.111527

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Citations (6)

Ozone inactivation of airborne influenza and lack of resistance of respiratory syncytial virus to aerosolization and sampling processes

PLoS ONE (2021)

Marie-Ève Dubuis Étienne Racine Jonathan M. Vyskocil Nathalie Turgeon Christophe Tremblay

Influenza and RSV are human viruses responsible for outbreaks in hospitals, long-term care facilities and nursing homes. The present study assessed an air treatment using ozone at two relative humidity conditions (RHs) in order to reduce the infectivity of airborne influenza. Bovine pulmonary surfactant (BPS) and synthetic tracheal mucus (STM) were used as aerosols protectants to better reflect the human aerosol composition. Residual ozone concentration inside the aerosol chamber was also measured. RSV's sensitivity resulted in testing its resistance to aerosolization and sampling processes instead of ozone exposure. The results showed that without supplement and with STM, a reduction in influenza A infectivity of four orders of magnitude was obtained with an exposure to 1.70 ± 0.19 ppm of ozone at 76% RH for 80 min. Consequently, ozone could be considered as a virucidal disinfectant for airborne influenza A. RSV did not withstand the aerosolization and sampling processes required for the use of the experimental setup. Therefore, ozone exposure could not be performed for this virus. Nonetheless, this study provides great insight for the efficacy of ozone as an air treatment for the control of nosocomial influenza A outbreaks.

Aerosolization

Infectivity

Disinfectant

Bioaerosol

10.1371/journal.pone.0253022

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Citations (13)

Exposition des travailleurs aux bioaérosols dans les usines de biométhanisation des matières organiques putrescibles

Marie-Ève Dubuis

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