Critical working tasks and determinants of exposure to bioaerosols and MVOC at composting facilities.

Airborne bioaerosols and Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOC) concentrations were simultaneously monitored at a composting facility and the main determinants of atmospheric concentrations were characterised, in order to help protect workers from potential adverse health effects. Microorganisms and MVOC were sampled during various process stages and working tasks, both on site at the two units (green waste and biowaste), and at the border of the composting facility. Ambient monitorings were performed at sampling points deemed representative of occupational exposures for critical working tasks, and additional individual samplings were done on workers for MVOC.

Exposure to carcinogenic air pollutants among policemen working close to traffic in an urban area.

Objective: This study evaluates individual airborne exposure to gaseous and particulate carcinogenic pollutants in a group of policemen working close to traffic in the center of Grenoble, France.

Methods: Sixty-two personal active air samples were collected during the workshifts of eight policemen in summer and in winter during the occurrence of the thermal inversion phenomenon. Seventeen stationary air samples were monitored in the policemen's work area during the same period with the same sampling devices as used for the personal samples.