Marine aerosol as a possible source for endotoxins in coastal areas

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2014-11, Vol.499, p.311-318
• Main Authors: Lang-Yona, Naama, Lehahn, Yoav, Herut, Barak, Burshtein, Noa, Rudich, Yinon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerosols; Aerosols - analysis; Air Microbiology; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Bacteria; Biological; Biological and medical sciences; Correlation; Cyanobacteria; Endotoxin; Endotoxins; Endotoxins - analysis; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Filter sampling; Genomes; genomic analysis; Health effects; Marine; Marine aerosols; Medical sciences; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.08.054

Marine aerosols, that are very common in the highly populated coastal cities and communities, may contain biological constituents. Some of this biological fraction of marine aerosols, such as cyanobacteria and plankton debris, may influence human health by inflammation and allergic reactions when inhaled. In this study we identify and compare sources for endotoxins sampled on filters in an on-shore and more-inland site. Filter analysis included endotoxin content, total bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and cyanobacteria genome concentrations as well as ion content in order to identify possible sources for the endotoxins. Satellite images of chlorophyll-a levels and back trajectory analysis were used to further study the cyanobacteria blooms in the sea, close to the trajectory of the sampled air. The highest endotoxin concentrations found in the shoreline site were during winter (3.23±0.17 EU/m3), together with the highest cyanobacteria genome (1065.5 genome/m3). The elevated endotoxin concentrations were significantly correlated with cyanobacterial levels scaled to the presence of marine aerosol (r=0.90), as well as to chlorophyll-a (r=0.96). Filters sampled further inland showed lower and non-significant correlation between endotoxin and cyanobacteria (r=0.70, P value=0.19), suggesting decrease in marine-originated endotoxin, with possible contributions from other sources of gram-negative non-cyanobacteria. We conclude that marine cyanobacteria may be a dominant contributor to elevated endotoxin levels in coastal areas. [Display omitted] •Comparison of endotoxin content in sampled marine aerosols in two sites: on-shore and coastal-inland.•Endotoxin annual distribution as well as bacterial genome content is analyzed.•Cyanobacteria are suggested as a source for endotoxins at coastal areas.•Satellite images and back trajectory analyses provide supporting evidence.