Bioaerosols in the Barcelona subway system.
Subway systems worldwide transport more than 100 million people daily; therefore, air quality on station platforms and inside trains is an important urban air pollution issue. We examined the microbiological composition and abundance in space and time of bioaerosols collected in the Barcelona subway system during a cold period. Quantitative PCR was used to quantify total bacteria, Aspergillus fumigatus, influenza A and B, and rhinoviruses. Multitag 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to assess bacterial community composition and biodiversity. The results showed low bioaerosol concentrations regarding the targeted microorganisms, although the bacterial bioburden was rather high (104bacteria/m3). Airborne bacterial communities presented a high degree of overlap among the different subway environments sampled (inside trains, platforms, and lobbies) and were dominated by a few widespread taxa, with Methylobacterium being the most abundant genus. Human-related microbiota in sequence dataset and ascribed to potentially pathogenic bacteria were found in low proportion (maximum values below 2% of sequence readings) and evenly detected. Hence, no important biological exposure marker was detected in any of the sampled environments. Overall, we found that commuters are not the main source of bioaerosols in the Barcelona subway system.
Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Blanes, Spain.
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Triadó-Margarit
Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.
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Veillette
Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.
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Duchaine
Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada.
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Talbot
Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
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Amato
Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
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Minguillón
Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
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Martins
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, TMB Santa Eulalia, Barcelona, Spain.
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de Miguel
Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Blanes, Spain.
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Casamayor
Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
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Moreno
D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D064307:Microbiota; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D011890:Railroads; D012229:Rhinovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013030:Spain
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
airborne bacterial community; bioaerosol; culture-independent approach; indoor air quality; indoor microbial ecology; subway system