Aerosolized Enteric Bacteria and Viruses Generated by Spray Irrigation of Wastewater*

Abstract

Field investigations on the dispersion of aerosolized enteric bacteria and viruses generated by wastewater sprinkler irrigation were carried out at agricultural communities in Israel. One hundred and fifty-four air samples were taken in the vicinity of wastewater irrigated fields by two different methods: 1. Anderson multistage impactor air samplers and 2. High Volume Cyclone Scrubbers (HVCS). All night samples at 730 m. were positive for bacterial indicator organisms. 10% of the air samples by HVCS were presumptively positive for enteric viruses including 3 out of 24 samples taken at 730 m. downwind from the wastewater sprinkler fields. In 31% of the virus positive samples, none of the three bacterial indicators were detected. These findings suggest that aerosolized enteric viruses are more resistant to hostile environmental factors than the airborne bacterial indicator organisms. * This study was supported by a grant from the USEPA (CR 80-6416, Project officers: Mr. Walter Jakubowsky and Dr. Elmer Akin). It has not been subject to the Agency's peer and policy review and thus does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.