Distribution Characteristics and Potential Risks of Bioaerosol in Waste Transfer Station

Abstract

The waste transfer station (WTS) is an important link between the community and disposal terminals for municipal solid waste (MSW). While WTSs facilitate waste collection in communities, odorous gases and bioaerosols sometimes escape from them, negatively affecting their surroundings. In this study, the concentration, particle size distribution, pathogen population, and health risks of bioaerosols were analyzed at different locations in a transfer station. The results showed that the highest bioaerosol concentration was detected as 10,353 ± 3,701 CFU/m3, 5 m from the disposal site. A total of 53 bacterial and rickettsia pathogen species were detected, of which 39 were human pathogenic bacteria originating directly from the WTS. Health risk assessments indicated unacceptable levels of non-carcinogenic risk caused by bacterial aerosols for operational workers at the WTS work surface. In addition, bacterial aerosols may pose a severe health risk to children within a 15 m area of the WTS. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the control and risk reduction of bioaerosols in solid WTSs.The waste transfer station (WTS) is an important link between the community and the disposal terminal for municipal solid waste (MSW). While WTSs facilitate waste collection in communities, odorous gases and bioaerosols sometimes escape from them, negatively impacting the surroundings. In this study, the concentration, particle size distribution, pathogen population, and health risks of bioaerosols at different locations of a transfer station were analysed. Results showed that the highest bioaerosol concentration was detected as 10,353 ± 3,701 CFU/m3, 5 m away from the disposal site. A total of 53 bacteria and rickettsia pathogen species were detected, of which 39 species were human pathogenic bacteria originating directly from the WTS. Health risk assessments indicated unacceptable levels of non-carcinogenic risk caused by bacterial aerosols to operational workers at the WTS work surface. In addition, bacterial aerosols may pose a serious health risk to children within a 15 m area of the WTS. The results of this study will provide a scientific basis for the control and risk reduction of bioaerosols at solid WTSs.

Keywords: Waste transfer station, Bioaerosol, Potential pathogen, Source, Health risk assessment