Biological contaminants in wastewater treatment plants Abstract Workers in wastewater treatment plants run the risk of exposure to biological contaminants such as bacteria and moulds. Several municipalities and regional health boards have expressed interest in obtaining reliable data on exposure levels to these agents at different workstations. Using proven methods, the IRSST measured contaminant levels at various workstations in the four largest wastewater treatment plants in Québec. Mean total bacteria concentrations exceeded the exposure limit at a few of the 80 sampling stations. The concentration of Gram-negative bacteria exceeded the exposure limit at only one station. The mean concentration of moulds exceeded the equivalent concentration in outdoor air at several stations. The microbiological quality of outdoor air did not appear to be affected by the operations at these plants. Produced Under this Project Scientific Reports Biological contaminants in wastewater treatment centres Research Report: R-163 Guide and Tools Wastewater-related biological hazards Technical document: DT-004 Scientific Publications Aeromicrobial analyses in a wastewater treatment plantLavoie J., Pineau S., Geneviève MarchandSource : in Aerobiology, M. Muilenberg, H. Burge (éd.), New-York, N.Y., CRC Press, Lewis Publishers, 1996, p. 81-87Évaluation des bioaérosols dans une usine de traitement des boues des eaux uséesLavoie J.Source : in Congrès de l'Association pour l'hygiène industrielle au Québec / AHIQ (16e : 4-6 mai, 1994 : Québec, Canada), 1994, p. 111-118Évaluation de l'exposition aux bioaérosols dans les stations de traitement des eaux uséesLavoie J.Source : Vecteur Environement, vol. 33, no 3, 2000, p. 43-50Évaluation de l’exposition aux bioaérosols dans les stations de traitement des eaux uséesLavoie J.Source : in Salon des technologies environnementales du Québec (29-31 mars 2000 : St-Hyacinthe, Canada), 2000, p. 394-405Les risques biologiques reliés aux eaux uséesGilbert D., Lavoie J.Source : Montréal, APSAM, Fiche technique / APSAM, no 19, 1999, 4 p., (http://www.apsam.com/pdf/fiche/FT19.pdf)Contaminants biologiques dans les centres de traitement des eaux uséesLavoie J., Geneviève Marchand, Pépin C., Beaudet Y., Lachapelle G.Source : in Une fenêtre sur... les défis et outils de l'an 2000 : Congrès de l'Association québécoise pour l'hygiène, la santé et la sécurité du travail / AQHSST, (19e : 28-30 mai, 1997 : Jonquière, Canada), p. 55-64Aeromicrobial Analyses in a Wastewater Treatment PlantLavoie J., Pineau S., Geneviève MarchandSource : in Annual Symposium of the Pan-American Aerobiology Association (June 1991 : Ann Arbor), 1991 Additional Information Type: Project Number: 0095-3110 Status: Completed Year of completion: 1997 Research Field: Chemical and Biological Hazard Prevention Team: Jacques Lavoie (IRSST)