Characterization of size segregated fungal bioaerosols in and around a Sugar Mill of Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Abstract Suspended particles of biological origin that comprising of virus, animal debris, fungal spores known as bioaerosols have become a major concern in the past decades. The present study reports the concentration and size distribution of fungal bioaerosol in around a sugar mill situated in the Muzaffarnagar region of Uttar Pradesh, India. The sampling was performed in the winter months when the mill used to be operational mode. The highest mean fungal concentration was observed at the cutter site (4022 ± 321 cfu/m3) and lowest at storage site (832 ± 85 cfu/m3). The maximum and minimum concentration of fungal bioaerosol was observed during January (3090 ± 174 cfu/m3) and March (629 ± 69 cfu/m3) respectively. During the entire sampling period the fine fraction of fungal bioaerosol was observed to be significantly high at all the sites, whereas coarse fraction was lower. The association between fine and coarse fractions of bioaerosols showed a very strong positive relationship. The levels of fungal bioaerosol and their association with the meteorological parameters in sugar mill were also conducted. A positive association with the relative humidity and wind speed were observed at significant level p<0.05 whereas a negative relation was observed with temperature at p < 0.05. The lifetime average daily dose was calculated for both inhalation and dermal, among them LADDinhalation is ~5 times over LADDdermal. The health risk index was observed as <1 for both inhalation and dermal route whereas HIinhalation value was 105 times higher than the HIdermal value. The dominant fungus found in the air of examined dwellings was Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp., and Alternaria spp., which occurred predominantly at all the sites during the months of the sampling period.