GENERATION OF RESPIRABLE BIOAEROSOLS IN PLUMES FROM PLUNGING WATER: APPLICATION TO BALLAST WATER DISCHARGE

摘要

Ballast water plunging from international ship holds into fresh receiving waters can generate wind-transportable bioaerosols. Infective microbes are most likely to be collected onto the film cap surfaces of the larger entrained bubbles, up to 1 millimeter diameter and larger, and fragmented into respirable particles between 1 and 10 micrometers diameter. Ballast water plume-generated aerosols also can deliver substantial numbers of ultrafine particles, which might trigger lung responses and/or toxic reactions. There is a need for viable bioaerosol collection equipment that can process larger volumes in shorter times than currently available bio-samplers.