DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants

Abstract Exposure to hazardous microorganisms during waste handling is a potential health concern. Molecular biological techniques provide means of profiling the microbial community at high taxonomic resolution, allow the identification of critical human pathogens on the species level and thereby ai...

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Main Authors: Elke Eriksen, Pål Graff, Alexander Eiler, Anne Straumfors, Anani Komlavi Afanou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93697-9
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author Elke Eriksen
Pål Graff
Alexander Eiler
Anne Straumfors
Anani Komlavi Afanou
author_facet Elke Eriksen
Pål Graff
Alexander Eiler
Anne Straumfors
Anani Komlavi Afanou
author_sort Elke Eriksen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Exposure to hazardous microorganisms during waste handling is a potential health concern. Molecular biological techniques provide means of profiling the microbial community at high taxonomic resolution, allow the identification of critical human pathogens on the species level and thereby aid the risk assessment of work tasks. The present study used high-throughput sequencing to characterise the microbiome in personal full-shift air samples collected at contemporary waste sorting plants (WSPs) and identified large variations in community composition within (alpha diversity) and between (beta diversity) WSPs. Seasonality did not contribute to differences in the community composition. Cladosporium sp. was dominant among fungi, whereas Aerococcus sp. was dominant among bacteria. The personal air-samples contained potential human pathogens, such as Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Enterobacteriaceae, that encompass strains with the potential to develop drug-resistance. This study provided characterization of the microbial community composition of personal bioaerosol samples and provided evidence for the occurrence of potential human pathogens in contemporary waste sorting plants. Furthermore, this study highlighted the potential of microbial metabarcoding to detect critical human pathogens that may be encountered in working environments.
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spelling doaj-art-9322d46797ee4ca1949fdc4a70222ab42025-08-20T02:56:16ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-93697-9DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plantsElke Eriksen0Pål Graff1Alexander Eiler2Anne Straumfors3Anani Komlavi Afanou4STAMI, National Institute of Occupational HealthSTAMI, National Institute of Occupational HealthSection for Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, Department of Biosciences, Centre for Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene, University of OsloSTAMI, National Institute of Occupational HealthSTAMI, National Institute of Occupational HealthAbstract Exposure to hazardous microorganisms during waste handling is a potential health concern. Molecular biological techniques provide means of profiling the microbial community at high taxonomic resolution, allow the identification of critical human pathogens on the species level and thereby aid the risk assessment of work tasks. The present study used high-throughput sequencing to characterise the microbiome in personal full-shift air samples collected at contemporary waste sorting plants (WSPs) and identified large variations in community composition within (alpha diversity) and between (beta diversity) WSPs. Seasonality did not contribute to differences in the community composition. Cladosporium sp. was dominant among fungi, whereas Aerococcus sp. was dominant among bacteria. The personal air-samples contained potential human pathogens, such as Aspergillus sp., Fusarium sp. and Enterobacteriaceae, that encompass strains with the potential to develop drug-resistance. This study provided characterization of the microbial community composition of personal bioaerosol samples and provided evidence for the occurrence of potential human pathogens in contemporary waste sorting plants. Furthermore, this study highlighted the potential of microbial metabarcoding to detect critical human pathogens that may be encountered in working environments.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93697-9Occupational exposureHigh-throughput sequencingHuman pathogensBacteriaFungi
spellingShingle Elke Eriksen
Pål Graff
Alexander Eiler
Anne Straumfors
Anani Komlavi Afanou
DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
Scientific Reports
Occupational exposure
High-throughput sequencing
Human pathogens
Bacteria
Fungi
title DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
title_full DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
title_fullStr DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
title_full_unstemmed DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
title_short DNA metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
title_sort dna metabarcoding and its potential in microbial risk assessment in waste sorting plants
topic Occupational exposure
High-throughput sequencing
Human pathogens
Bacteria
Fungi
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93697-9
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