Assessment of Fungal Aerosols Dispersion from Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site: A Case Study of Karaj, Iran

Introduction: Fungal aerosols from landfill sites can play a fundamental role in environmental pollution and health. The present study aimed to assess the dispersion of fungal aerosols from municipal solid waste disposal site. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the concentration of fungal aerosols was determined in four geographical directions at distances of 250, 500, 750, and 1000 m around landfill site. Relative humidity and temperature were also measured. Moreover the concentration and type of the fungal taxa isolated from landfill site under different environmental and metrological conditions were evaluated. Results: The results showed that the maximum and minimum concentrations of fungal aerosol in the landfill site were 256.18 ± 59.7 CFU/m3 and 76.56 ± 23.2 CFU/m3, respectively. The most frequent fungi detected from municipal landfill site included Penicillium (43.67%), Cladosporium (33.54%), Yeast (7.60%), Aspergillus (5.91%), Curvularia (3.62%), Chrysosporium (1.57%), Alternaria (1.54%), Scopulariopsis (0.84%), and Ulocladium (0.60%) taxa. The maximum identified fungal aerosol concentration in the area around the solid waste landfill was 350 CFU/m3. Furthermore, the concentration of fungal aerosols in the environment was significantly related to relative humidity, wind direction, and temperature in spring and winter (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Municipal solid waste disposal site can be a potential source for fungal aerosol dispersion. Moreover, fungal aerosols concentration is correlated with wind direction and speed, relative humidity, and temperature.