Occupational exposure to microorganisms can be associated with adverse health outcomes. In this study, we assessed exposure to bioaerosols in two biowaste pretreatment plants in Denmark, which differed in location (city or countryside) and how they were built (‘closed-off processes’ or ‘open processes’). Bioaerosol exposures were characterized by microbial concentrations in personal, stationary, sedimented dust, and hand samples, and their size distribution was assessed. Furthermore, species were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and inhalable dust, endotoxin, biofilm production, the total inflammatory potential, and fungicide resistance to four fungicides (amphotericin B, caspofungin acetate, itraconazole, voriconazole) were determined. Bacterial and fungal concentrations were on average (GM) in the order of 10⁴ cfu/m³, but ranged from 10² to 10⁸ cfu/m³. Several species which may cause health problems were identified. Personal endotoxin exposures were on average 28 EU/m³, but both personal and stationary samples ranged from 0.6 to 2035 EU/m³. Bioaerosols had the potential to form biofilms and to induce inflammation as measured in a human cell line. Exposures were higher in the plants that outdoor reference values. Higher exposures were found in the ‘open process’ plant, such as in microbial concentrations, species richness, endotoxin, biofilm production, and the total inflammatory potential. Six out of 28 tested Aspergillus fumigatus isolates were resistant to fungicides (amphotericin B and voriconazole). In conclusion, there is a high exposure to bioaerosols during work in biowaste pretreatment plants, however, results also suggests that how the plant is built and functions may affect the exposures.

职业暴露于微生物可能与不利的健康结果有关。在这项研究中，我们评估了丹麦两个生物废物预处理厂的生物气溶胶暴露情况，它们的位置（城市或乡村）和建造方式（“封闭过程”或“开放过程”）不同。生物气溶胶暴露的特征在于个人、静止、沉积灰尘和手样本中的微生物浓度，并评估了它们的大小分布。此外，通过基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱 (MALDI-TOF MS) 和可吸入粉尘、内毒素、生物膜产生、总炎症潜能和杀菌剂对四种杀菌剂（两性霉素 B 、醋酸卡泊芬净、伊曲康唑、伏立康​​唑）进行测定。⁴ cfu/m ³，但范围从 10 ²到 10 ⁸ cfu/m ³。确定了几种可能导致健康问题的物种。个人内毒素暴露平均为 28 EU/m ³，但个人和固定样本的范围为 0.6 至 2035 EU/m ³。生物气溶胶有可能形成生物膜并诱发人类细胞系中的炎症。暴露在室外参考值的植物中更高。在“开放过程”工厂中发现了更高的暴露量，例如微生物浓度、物种丰富度、内毒素、生物膜产生和总炎症潜力。28 个经过测试的烟曲霉中有 6 个分离株对杀菌剂（两性霉素 B 和伏立康唑）具有抗性。总之，在生物废物预处理厂工作期间，生物气溶胶的暴露量很高，但是，结果还表明，工厂的建造方式和功能可能会影响暴露量。