Abstract

Manure-processing plants process surplus manure. Animal manure can contain bacteria and/or viruses. Although it is not known whether these plants release infectious agents that are harmful to people's health, local residents are concerned about this issue. RIVM is therefore working on a monitoring program for measuring pathogenic organisms originating from processed manure in the air outside these plants and this report provides the first step to this end. RIVM was commissioned by the Province of North-Brabant to carry out this research.

Measuring all the pathogens that may be present in air around manure treatment plants is a laborious task. However, certain groups of infectious agents behave similarly in manure and air. For this reason, RIVM has investigated which organisms could be good representatives of the various groups of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. If these ‘indicators’ are present in the air, the pathogens that originate from the plants can be identified more efficiently. The identified indicators are endotoxin and the bacteria Campylobacter, Clostridium, E. coli and Enterococci. Somatic coliphages are an indicator for the presence of viruses. RIVM also advises on which methods can best be used to measure the release of the indicators chosen.

RIVM recommends that air measurements be taken at varying distances from the plants in question because many pathogens die rapidly in the outside air. If there are pathogens in the air, the numbers at greater distances from a plant would be expected to be lower.