Molecular biology methods in assessing occupational exposure to harmful biological agents
Journal Title: Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy - Year 2017, Vol 33, Issue 3
Abstract
All employers are responsible for ensuring safe working conditions for employees in their workplace. It is necessary to accurately identify and eliminate all hazards that are possible to remove and to ensure proper collective and personal protective measures. Among occupational hazards, biological agents are one of the most important. They are considered as the most frequent cause of occupational diseases in Poland. They can affect human body and cause various adverse health outcomes such as allergies, irritations, infections, toxicoses or even a cancer. Among them we can distinguish harmful microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi), human parasites and biologically active chemical compounds produced by microorganisms (e.g., fungal mycotoxins). Currently, the most frequent used laboratory procedures to identify biological hazards are culture-based, microscopic and biochemical methods. Despite their unquestionable advantages and widespread presence, these techniques have also important limitations. They only enable identification of microorganisms which are viable and capable to grow in laboratory conditions. As the studies have shown, such microorganisms constitute (in extreme cases) merely 1% of their population present in the environment. This paper presents an overview of molecular biology methods (based on DNA analysis) which allow the qualitative and quantitative identification of microorganisms, determining their biochemical features and enabling to obtain their environmental species profile without the need for their culturing in laboratory conditions. Application of these methods provides more accurate identification of microorganisms present in occupational environment, allowing more precise analysis of potential health risks derived from exposure to harmful biological agents.
Authors and Affiliations
ALEKSANDRA BAKAL, Rafał Górny, ANNA Ławniczek-Wałczyk, Marcin Cyprowski
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP229122
- DOI 10.5604/01.3001.0009.9478
- Views 122
- Downloads 0
Heksafluoropropen. Dokumentacja proponowanych dopuszczalnych wielkości
Heksafluoropropen (HFP) jest bezbarwnym gazem stosowanym głównie jako monomer do produkcji fluorowych polimerów termoplastycznych, a także środka gaśniczego – heptafluoropropanu. Został zaklasyfikowany pod względem zagr...
Ethyl carbamate. Documentation of proposed values of occupational exposure limits (OELs)
Ethyl carbamate (urethane, CAS 51-79-6) is a solid, odorless and soluble in water and organic solvents. In an environment it occurs as a natural product produced during alcoholic fermentationof foods and beverages contai...
Exposure to the electromagnetic field in the work space during the use of magnetotherapy or magnetostimulation devices. The method of in situ measurements of electromagnetic field – specific requirements
Labour law defines the obligation to identify and evaluate electromagnetic hazards in the vicinity of equipment and installations emit-ting an electromagnetic field (EM-field). Fol-lowing the regulation of ministry of la...
Trichlorek fosforylu. Dokumentacja dopuszczalnych wielkości narażenia zawodowego
Trichlorek fosforylu jest przezroczystą, bezbarwną lub żółtawą cieczą o nieprzyjemnym, ostrym zapachu. W kontakcie z wodą lub z parą wodną gwałtownie hydrolizuje, wydzielając chlorowodór i kwas fosforowy(V). Jest stosowa...
Znowelizowana metoda oznaczania pentachlorku fosforu w powietrzu na stanowiskach pracy
Metodę stosuje się do oznaczania pentachlorku fosforu w powietrzu na stanowiskach pracy.Metoda polega na przepuszczeniu znanej objętości badanego powietrza przez płuczkę ze szkłem spiekanym, zawierającą wodę. Oznaczanie...