NPL offers a service for the quantification of Aspergillus fumigatus airborne spore levels at composting sites using a highly sensitive rapid qPCR technique.

The key advantages of this monitoring service over traditional microbiological methods are:

• Short sampling times
  
  
• Rapid analysis
  
  
• High sensitivity and broad detection range
  
  
• Species specific
  
  
• Detects total spore count (viable and non-viable), which overcomes any issue of emission underestimation as a result of damage to the spores during collection
  
  
• Aids differentiation between background spore levels and site specific emissions

New NPL report published on Defra website

A new report produced by NPL, which describes a study of  the effectiveness of various techniques for monitoring bioaerosols released from composting sites, has been published on the Defra website. The study was entitled "Rapid and Responsive Monitoring Network for Bioaerosol Emissions (WR0605)" and its primary aim was to test part of a new, real-time monitoring network to quantify the emissions of biological species from composting and other waste management facilities. During this assessment the project focused on measuring the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.

Click here for more on the Rapid and Responsive Monitoring Network for Bioaerosol Emissions (WR0605) project.

Contact

For more information, please contact: bioanalytical_enquiries@npl.co.uk