TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of bioaerosol generation and sampling efficiency based on pantoea agglomerans
AU - Rule, Ana M.
AU - Schwab, Kellogg J.
AU - Kesavan, Jana
AU - Buckley, Timothy J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Aerosol Sciences Team at the US ARMY RDECOM Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (Dr. Jerry Bottiger) under the auspices of the US Army Research Office Scientific Services Program, administered by Battelle. The authors acknowledge Agnes Akinyemi and Kristen Gibson for their expert assistance and support regarding microbiological laboratory techniques.
PY - 2009/6
Y1 - 2009/6
N2 - This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aerosol generation, relative humidity, and method of sampling on the culturability of the vegetative bacteria Pantoea agglomerans (P. agglomerans) formerly known as Erwinia herbicola. This research has relevance both for the use of this organism as a biowarfare simulant and for bioaerosol exposure assessment and public health. The culturability of P. agglomerans was tested using a test chamber against two generating systems (Collison and Bubble nebulizers), two sampling systems (the all-glass impinger (AGI-30), and the BioSampler), three collection media (water, TSB, and PBS) and across a range of humidities. Results indicated that the Bubble nebulizer was 15% more efficient in generating viable P. agglomerans counts (p 0.05). No difference was observed in overall efficiency between sampling methods (p 0.05). However, as a collection media, PBS was observed to yield higher (p 0.01) viable counts compared to sterile deionized water. Relative humidity was found to strongly influence airborne P. agglomerans culturability. Culturable P. agglomerans was below the limit of detection for RH 15% and then increased in a log-linear fashion to humidities of 75%. This research will help identify optimal means for evaluation of environmentally sensitive airborne bacteria for purposes of exposure assessment and public health as well as homeland security.
AB - This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of aerosol generation, relative humidity, and method of sampling on the culturability of the vegetative bacteria Pantoea agglomerans (P. agglomerans) formerly known as Erwinia herbicola. This research has relevance both for the use of this organism as a biowarfare simulant and for bioaerosol exposure assessment and public health. The culturability of P. agglomerans was tested using a test chamber against two generating systems (Collison and Bubble nebulizers), two sampling systems (the all-glass impinger (AGI-30), and the BioSampler), three collection media (water, TSB, and PBS) and across a range of humidities. Results indicated that the Bubble nebulizer was 15% more efficient in generating viable P. agglomerans counts (p 0.05). No difference was observed in overall efficiency between sampling methods (p 0.05). However, as a collection media, PBS was observed to yield higher (p 0.01) viable counts compared to sterile deionized water. Relative humidity was found to strongly influence airborne P. agglomerans culturability. Culturable P. agglomerans was below the limit of detection for RH 15% and then increased in a log-linear fashion to humidities of 75%. This research will help identify optimal means for evaluation of environmentally sensitive airborne bacteria for purposes of exposure assessment and public health as well as homeland security.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67651163666&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67651163666&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02786820902806709
DO - 10.1080/02786820902806709
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:67651163666
SN - 0278-6826
VL - 43
SP - 620
EP - 628
JO - Aerosol Science and Technology
JF - Aerosol Science and Technology
IS - 6
ER -