The Measurement of Ambient Bioaerosol Exposure

摘要

Monitoring of ambient bioaerosol concentrations through the characterization of outdoor particulate matter (PM) has only been performed on a limited basis in North Carolina (NC) and was the goal of this research.Ambient samples of PM2.5 (line) and PM_(10-2.5) (coarse) were collected for a six-month period and analyzed for mold,endotoxins and protein.PM2.5 and PM_(10-2.5) concentrations of these bioaerosols were reported as a function of PM mass,as well as volume of air sampled.The mass of PM2.5 was almost twice that of the PM_(10-2.5);however,the protein and endotoxin masses were greater in the coarse than the fine PM indicating an enrichment in the coarse PM.The protein and mold results demonstrated a seasonal pattern,both being higher in the summer than in the winter.Except for an occasional excursion,the endotoxin data remained fairly constant throughout the six months of the study.