Indoor Airborne Microbiome and Endotoxin: Meteorological Events and Occupant Characteristics Are Important Determinants

TY - JOUR

T1 - Indoor Airborne Microbiome and Endotoxin

T2 - Meteorological Events and Occupant Characteristics Are Important Determinants

AU - Amin, Hesham

AU - Šantl-Temkiv, Tina

AU - Cramer, Christine

AU - Finster, Kai

AU - Real, Francisco Gomez

AU - Gislason, Thorarinn

AU - Holm, Mathias

AU - Janson, Christer

AU - Jögi, Nils Oskar

AU - Jogi, Rain

AU - Malinovschi, Andrei

AU - Marshall, Ian P G

AU - Modig, Lars

AU - Norbäck, Dan

AU - Shigdel, Rajesh

AU - Sigsgaard, Torben

AU - Svanes, Cecilie

AU - Thorarinsdottir, Hulda

AU - Wouters, Inge M

AU - Schlünssen, Vivi

AU - Bertelsen, Randi J

PY - 2023/7/31

Y1 - 2023/7/31

N2 - Airborne bacteria and endotoxin may affect asthma and allergies. However, there is limited understanding of the environmental determinants that influence them. This study investigated the airborne microbiomes in the homes of 1038 participants from five cities in Northern Europe: Aarhus, Bergen, Reykjavik, Tartu, and Uppsala. Airborne dust particles were sampled with electrostatic dust fall collectors (EDCs) from the participants' bedrooms. The dust washed from the EDCs' clothes was used to extract DNA and endotoxin. The DNA extracts were used for quantitative polymerase chain (qPCR) measurement and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while endotoxin was measured using the kinetic chromogenic limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The results showed that households in Tartu and Aarhus had a higher bacterial load and diversity than those in Bergen and Reykjavik, possibly due to elevated concentrations of outdoor bacterial taxa associated with low precipitation and high wind speeds. Bergen-Tartu had the highest difference (ANOSIM R = 0.203) in β diversity. Multivariate regression models showed that α diversity indices and bacterial and endotoxin loads were positively associated with the occupants' age, number of occupants, cleaning frequency, presence of dogs, and age of the house. Further studies are needed to understand how meteorological factors influence the indoor bacterial community in light of climate change.

AB - Airborne bacteria and endotoxin may affect asthma and allergies. However, there is limited understanding of the environmental determinants that influence them. This study investigated the airborne microbiomes in the homes of 1038 participants from five cities in Northern Europe: Aarhus, Bergen, Reykjavik, Tartu, and Uppsala. Airborne dust particles were sampled with electrostatic dust fall collectors (EDCs) from the participants' bedrooms. The dust washed from the EDCs' clothes was used to extract DNA and endotoxin. The DNA extracts were used for quantitative polymerase chain (qPCR) measurement and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while endotoxin was measured using the kinetic chromogenic limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. The results showed that households in Tartu and Aarhus had a higher bacterial load and diversity than those in Bergen and Reykjavik, possibly due to elevated concentrations of outdoor bacterial taxa associated with low precipitation and high wind speeds. Bergen-Tartu had the highest difference (ANOSIM R = 0.203) in β diversity. Multivariate regression models showed that α diversity indices and bacterial and endotoxin loads were positively associated with the occupants' age, number of occupants, cleaning frequency, presence of dogs, and age of the house. Further studies are needed to understand how meteorological factors influence the indoor bacterial community in light of climate change.

KW - 16S rRNA and occupants’ age

KW - Northern Europe

KW - airborne microbiome

KW - meteorological data

KW - Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis

KW - Endotoxins/analysis

KW - Microbiota

KW - Animals

KW - Bacteria/genetics

KW - Dogs

KW - Dust/analysis

KW - RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85167815288

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.3c01616

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.3c01616

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37523308

SN - 0013-936X

VL - 57

SP - 11750

EP - 11766

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

IS - 32

ER -