الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Microbial air pollutants have increased attention of the world in the recent study because of their serious effects on human health and the environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate microbial air quality (bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi) in adjacent and at different downwind distances at wastewater treatment plant (Zenein plant) and municipal biosolid waste landfill (Shoubramant landfill), and to find out their relationships with sampling points and how they vary with meteorological and seasonal factors. Airborne microbial composition was studied using a liquid impinger sampler during the period from June 2006 to June 2007. Air quality was evaluated using two microbiological contamination indices: the global index of microbiological contamination per m3 (GIMC per m3) and the amplification index (AI). Airborne microbial concentrations were usually higher downwind than upwind. The maximum downwind concentrations were 2.922×105 and 8.554×105 colony forming unit per cubic meter of air (CFU/m3) for bacteria, 1.92×103 and 7.36×103 CFU/m3 for actinomycetes and 1.664×104 and 1.088×104 for fungi at wastewater treatment plant and landfill site, respectively . AI demonstrates that concentrations at downwind distances always superior to those of the upwind. There were no distinct correlation patterns found between air-microorganisms and weather conditions; the correlations differed according to the type of organism. The downwind microbial concentrations did not reach to the background ones, which raise the question about health risk. Human activity, type of organisms and meteorological factors were the main criteria controlling the temporal variations of microorganisms in the air. It is important to monitor microbial air quality near potential sources of bioaerosol emissions. In Egypt, detailed and systematic data is lacking on airborne microorganisms associated with waste application facilities.