title: Air-sampled Filter Analysis for Endotoxins and DNA Content.
abstract: Outdoor aerosol research commonly uses particulate matter sampled on filters. This procedure enables various characterizations of the collected particles to be performed in parallel. The purpose of the method presented here is to obtain a highly accurate and reliable analysis of the endotoxin and DNA content of bio-aerosols extracted from filters. The extraction of high molecular weight organic molecules, such as lipopolysaccharides, from sampled filters involves shaking the sample in a pyrogen-free water-based medium. The subsequent analysis is based on an enzymatic reaction that can be detected using a turbidimetric measurement. As a result of the high organic content on the sampled filters, the extraction of DNA from the samples is performed using a commercial DNA extraction kit that was originally designed for soils and modified to improve the DNA yield. The detection and quantification of specific microbial species using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) analysis are described and compared with other available methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science; Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute.
authors.forename: Naama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lang-Yona
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science.
authors.forename: Yinon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mazar
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science; yinon.rudich@weizmann.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yinon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rudich
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D061808:Air Filters; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013048:Specimen Handling
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D004731:Endotoxins; D004247:DNA