Particle Size Matters: Distribution, Source, and Seasonality Characteristics of Airborne and Pathogenic Bacteria in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a crucial source of bioaerosols, which account for both environmental and health hazards. Although various culture-based studies on bioaerosols have been reported, little knowledge remains about distribution and potential risks for more omnipresent non-culturable bacterial aerosols. Here, in summer, an eight-stage Andersen air sampler was applied to capture particles of various sizes from the atmospheric environment of eight treatment units from two WWTPs in northeastern China. Particles of various sizes in aeration tank (AT) were sampled in autumn and winter. The abundance and community composition of the bacterial aerosols were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In order to explore the importance of particle size on community composition of bacterial aerosols, this study investigated the particle size distribution of bacterial aerosols in different treatment units. The results indicated that the sludge dewatering room was the major source of bacterial aerosols in both WWTPs, with the abundance of stage VII (0.65–1.1 μm) demonstrating a 4-fold to 9-fold increase when compared to any other treatment unit. The highest relative abundance of bacterial aerosols was in autumn, while the lowest was found in winter. However, most particles detected in autumn were larger than 4.7 µm in diameter, while submicron particles (less than 1.1 µm, over 40%) were detected primarily in winter. The most 15 dominant bacterial aerosol genera in were observed at submicron level, and about half of the genera (6 and 8) were detected as human pathogens, suggesting their easier penetration to human respiratory tracts. This study demonstrates that size distribution characteristics should be crucial information for the comprehensive assessment of the potential health risks of bacterial aerosols from WWTPs.