Abstract

Airborne microorganisms, or bioaerosols, may be present in the workplace and have a major impact on workers’ health. Current techniques for detecting and differentiating microorganisms require significant time and resources.

New devices and techniques that can detect and instantaneously measure the concentration of microorganisms have recently been developed. They have potential applications in occupational health and safety (OHS) because they are able to detect microorganisms quickly based on their fluorescence/Raman spectrum. However, lack of evidence on the subject is hindering the use of fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy techniques for identifying microorganisms.

This activity is intended to verify the applicability of fluoresence and Raman spectroscopy techniques for detecting and differentiating OHS-specific microorganisms in conditions similar to work environments, i.e. in the form of dust deposits or airborne dust.