Aspergillus spp. presence on mechanical protection gloves from the waste sorting industry. Issue 11 (1st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Viegas, Carla; Dias, Marta; Almeida, Beatriz; Carolino, Elisabete; Viegas, Susana
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene. Volume 17:Issue 11/12(2020)
• Page Start: 523
• Page End: 530
• Publication Date: 2020-12-01
• Subjects: Aspergillus spp -- culture based-methods -- mechanical protection gloves -- RT-PCR -- toxigenic potential -- waste sorting unit; Industrial hygiene -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Occupational Health -- Periodicals; Environmental Exposure -- Periodicals; Environmental Health -- Periodicals; Occupational Exposure -- Periodicals; Hygiène industrielle -- Périodiques; Hygiène du milieu -- Périodiques; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 613.62
• DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2020.1834113
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-9624

Abstract

Abstract: The organic material present on waste sorting units serve as a substrate for different microorganisms, increasing workers' exposure to Aspergillus spp. This study intends to assess the Aspergillus spp. contamination on Mechanical Protection Gloves (MPG) from different workstations and understand the role of MPG in workers' exposure to these genera. Sixty-seven used MPG were collected from different workstations and extracts were seeded on malt extract agar (MEA) supplemented with chloramphenicol (0.05%) and dichloran glycerol (DG18). The same extracts were used for the molecular detection of fungal species/strains, with reported toxigenic potential, namely Aspergillus sections ( Circumdati, Flavi, Fumigati, and Nidulantes ). Among Aspergillus spp., the sections with the highest prevalence on MEA were Nigri (88.29%) and Fumigati (8.63%), whereas on DG18 were Nigri (31.79%) and Circumdati (30.77%). Aspergillus section Circumdati was detected in 22 MPG samples by RT-PCR (32.84%), Fumigati in 59 samples (88.06%), Nidulantes in 61 samples (91.05%), and Flavi in 6 samples (8.96%). It was showed that, even with daily replacement, MPG presented Aspergillus spp. contamination. Thus, a more regular replacement of MPG and the adoption of complementary hygienic procedures by workers are critical to guarantee workers' protection in this occupational environment.