Endotoxin emissions from commercial composting activities
Lead Research Organisation:
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Sch of Applied Sciences
Abstract
Bioaerosols are airborne particles of microbial, plant or animal origin and may be thought of as 'organic dust'. There is a growing recognition amongst scientists that there are potential health risks associated with inhalation of bioaerosols. These health risks include infections and irritations of the respiratory system. There is evidence that bioaerosols are generated at some waste facilities and therefore scientific research is needed to find the best way of managing these facilities to minimise health risks to the people who work there and also people living nearby. This project aims to develop new knowledge of a specific bioaerosol component of concern known as endotoxin. Endotoxin is a chemical produced by certain bacteria. It is well known that endotoxins can cause lung damage if breathed in. What is not known is the extent of the risk to the public from endotoxin released from composting facilities. This project aims to find out how much endotoxin is released from composting facilities, how far it will travel and whether the concentrations found in air from compost facilities can harm the health of people living close to these facilities.
Publications
Deacon L
(2009)
Endotoxin emissions from commercial composting activities.
in Environmental health : a global access science source
Deacon L
(2009)
Particle size distribution of airborne Aspergillus fumigatus spores emitted from compost using membrane filtration
in Atmospheric Environment
Liu J
(2011)
Evaluation of inflammatory effects of airborne endotoxin emitted from composting sources.
in Environmental toxicology and chemistry
Pankhurst LJ
(2011)
Spatial variations in airborne microorganism and endotoxin concentrations at green waste composting facilities.
in International journal of hygiene and environmental health
Tamer Vestlund A
(2014)
Morphological classification of bioaerosols from composting using scanning electron microscopy.
in Waste management (New York, N.Y.)
Description | Environment Agency engagement |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Contribution to Environment Agency technical guidance document and to staff training |
Description | Defra waste evidence |
Amount | £168,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | WR 1121 |
Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2011 |
End | 12/2012 |
Description | Composting industry talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk sparked questions and discussion afterwards None known |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |