title: [Determining the emission of microorganisms from biofilters and emission concentrations at the site of composting areas].
abstract: In order to assess source emissions and dispersal of airborne culturable microorganisms from composting plants, measurements at three composting plants have been carried out. The downwind concentrations of dispersed microorganisms differed greatly, depending on the type of plant design. At 200 metres downwind from the totally enclosed composting plant, levels of spore concentrations of thermotolerant fungi and Aspergillus fumigatus, which may be regarded as characteristic for composting operations, were not above the magnitude of background concentrations. In contrast, spore concentrations in excess of the background level occurred within 500 metres of the partly open plant. Moreover, the ranges of airborne concentrations at similar distances from the enclosed plant were much smaller relative to the partly open plant. Measurement of source emissions from biofilters showed concentrations in the raw and purified gases in the range of up to three orders of magnitude. The operational characteristics of the plants generally contributing to bioaerosol emissions on-site were found to have an influence on the concentration levels in the raw gas. A decrease in the microbiological parameters which may be regarded as specific for composting operations, was attributed to a reduced rate of passage through the biofilters. The magnitude of reduction as well as the concentrations varied greatly.
authors.affiliation: Landesumweltamt Nordrhein-Westfalen.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Graulich
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Göttlich
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005374:Filtration; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D012037:Refuse Disposal