Detection of pathogenic bioaerosols and occupational risk in a Philippine landfill site

Payatas landfill site is one of the major dumpsites in the Philippines. In this study, the landfill was evaluated regarding the presence and concentration of pathogenic bacterial aerosols through culture and molecular techniques. Bioaerosols are biological airborne particles that may or may not cause diseases. Active sampling was done using MAS-100 Air Sampler from both indoor and outdoor locations. To test the accuracy of the culture method, those that were presumptively identified as Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were subjected to molecular analysis using 16s rRNA sequencing, and as a result, they were identified as different species. The exposure assessment done by interview showed matches among prevalent diseases. The results of this study can be used as a basis for creating standards and regulations for workers' and residents' safety and health in the landfill site.