Airborne microorganisms associated with waste management and recovery: biomonitoring methodologies.

This paper presents preliminary results from a year-long indoor bioaerosol monitoring performed in three working environments of a municipal composting facility treating green and organic waste. Composting, whereby organic matter is stabilized through aerobic decomposition, requires aeration, causing the dispersion of microbial particles (microorganisms and associated toxins). Waste can, therefore, become a potential source of biological hazard.

[The microbiological characterization of the bioaerosol and leachate from an urban solid refuse dump: preliminary data].

The present paper shows the results of an experimental study aimed at arranging a microbiological characterization of bioaerosol and leachate resulting from a sanitary landfill for solid urban waste situated near Rome. Bioaerosol sampling was performed by using the active sampling method referred to as surface air system, that is extensively used during indoor environmental monitoring. The microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) believed to be of relevance on bioaerosol and leachate with a view to hygienic risks, were investigated in order to estimate the potential risks to which the population and the workers can be exposed and consequently to allow corrective measures by monitoring campaigns of the examined matrices and by models of low environmental impact landfill.

[Health and hygiene aspects of the production of high-quality compost].

The present national and international trends about waste management favour recycling and recovery of waste either as materials or as energy. Therefore, it can be supposed that recycling activities of materials as for example the composting of urban waste organic fraction will be more and more encouraged in the future. Nevertheless, if we intend really to develop a market of recycling and recovery of waste, the quality of products obtained must be especially considered.

A comparison of methods for diarrhoeic shellfish poison detection.

Samples of diarrhoeic shellfish poison (DSP) mussels from several parts of the Italian Adriatic coastline were extracted and tested according to a number of different methods presently available, i.e. Yasumoto's mouse biotest, Kat's biotest, the ELISA test and the HPLC method.

Microcystin-like toxins in different freshwater species of Oscillatoria.

In January and September of 1989 and March 1990 blooms of Oscillatoria rubescens, Oscillatoria tenuis and Oscillatoria mougetii were found in Lake Simbirizzi and Lake Flumendosa in Sardinia, and in Lake San Puoto in the Lazio region of Italy. By using different extraction methods and HPLC analysis, two microcystin-like toxins (RR-like and YR-like), similar to some of the toxic compounds produced by the Cyanophycea Microcystis aeruginosa, were detected in these blooms.