Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants
The aim of this work was to carry out long-term monitoring on the concentration and identification of phytopathogens in wood chip storage areas in urban-type heating plants. Three municipal heating plants in the central part of Slovakia were selected. The plants store biomass in large-capacity piles...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/4/707 |
| _version_ | 1797605434699284480 |
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| author | Martin Lieskovský Miloš Gejdoš |
| author_facet | Martin Lieskovský Miloš Gejdoš |
| author_sort | Martin Lieskovský |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this work was to carry out long-term monitoring on the concentration and identification of phytopathogens in wood chip storage areas in urban-type heating plants. Three municipal heating plants in the central part of Slovakia were selected. The plants store biomass in large-capacity piles with a volume of 4 to 5000 m<sup>3</sup>. Samples were obtained every year in the 2017–2022 period from the surface of the piles and from a depth of 0.5 m. Their moisture content was determined in the laboratory and the microbial analysis was performed by an accredited laboratory. The average number of colonies of phytopathogens did not differ significantly in individual years. The highest number of colony-forming units per gram was achieved by the species of the genera <i>Penicillium</i> and <i>Aspergillus</i>. In terms of occurrence in individual years and the frequency of occurrence in individual samples, the most frequently recorded species were <i>Mycelia Sterilia</i>, <i>Aspergillus brasiliensis</i>, <i>Aspergillus unguis</i>, and <i>Yeasts</i>. Based on the results achieved, in the future it will be necessary to establish legislative frameworks for these risks and, at least at the national level, work procedures for individual work activities, so that the health and life of the workers of the plants, as well as residents in the vicinity of this type of plant, are not endangered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:01:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-56448130dab946d280bc91f1fc2bd2cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:01:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-56448130dab946d280bc91f1fc2bd2cf2023-11-17T19:16:44ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-03-0114470710.3390/f14040707Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating PlantsMartin Lieskovský0Miloš Gejdoš1Department of Forest Harvesting, Logistics and Ameliorations, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, SlovakiaDepartment of Forest Harvesting, Logistics and Ameliorations, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, SlovakiaThe aim of this work was to carry out long-term monitoring on the concentration and identification of phytopathogens in wood chip storage areas in urban-type heating plants. Three municipal heating plants in the central part of Slovakia were selected. The plants store biomass in large-capacity piles with a volume of 4 to 5000 m<sup>3</sup>. Samples were obtained every year in the 2017–2022 period from the surface of the piles and from a depth of 0.5 m. Their moisture content was determined in the laboratory and the microbial analysis was performed by an accredited laboratory. The average number of colonies of phytopathogens did not differ significantly in individual years. The highest number of colony-forming units per gram was achieved by the species of the genera <i>Penicillium</i> and <i>Aspergillus</i>. In terms of occurrence in individual years and the frequency of occurrence in individual samples, the most frequently recorded species were <i>Mycelia Sterilia</i>, <i>Aspergillus brasiliensis</i>, <i>Aspergillus unguis</i>, and <i>Yeasts</i>. Based on the results achieved, in the future it will be necessary to establish legislative frameworks for these risks and, at least at the national level, work procedures for individual work activities, so that the health and life of the workers of the plants, as well as residents in the vicinity of this type of plant, are not endangered.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/4/707wood chipsstoragehealth risksphytopathogensheating plantswood biomass |
| spellingShingle | Martin Lieskovský Miloš Gejdoš Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants Forests wood chips storage health risks phytopathogens heating plants wood biomass |
| title | Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants |
| title_full | Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants |
| title_fullStr | Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants |
| title_short | Monitoring of Respiratory Health Risks Caused by Biomass Storage in Urban-Type Heating Plants |
| title_sort | monitoring of respiratory health risks caused by biomass storage in urban type heating plants |
| topic | wood chips storage health risks phytopathogens heating plants wood biomass |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/4/707 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martinlieskovsky monitoringofrespiratoryhealthriskscausedbybiomassstorageinurbantypeheatingplants AT milosgejdos monitoringofrespiratoryhealthriskscausedbybiomassstorageinurbantypeheatingplants |