Proposal for a biological environmental monitoring approach to be used in libraries and archives

In cultural-heritage-related indoor environments, biological particles represent a hazard not only for cultural property, but also for operators and visitors. Reliable environmental monitoring methods are essential for examining each situation and assessing the effectiveness of preventive measures. We propose an integrated approach to the study of biological pollution in indoor environments such as libraries and archives. This approach includes microbial air and surface sampling, as well as an investigation of allergens and pollens. Part of this monitoring plan has been applied at the Palatina Library in Parma, Italy. However, wider collections of data are needed to fully understand the phenomena related with biological contamination, define reliable contamination threshold values, and implement appropriate preventive measures

Air microbial sampling: the state of the art

Air microbial sampling is a subject of great interest in different fields of human activity; however, generally accepted indications, concerning both the sampling methods to be used and the interpretation of the results, are still lacking. The whole theme is greatly debated and several problems remains to be solved. The aim of this article is to provide knowledge relating to the problems associated with air microbial sampling, underlining the aspects to be considered in order to choice the sampling method on the basis of the objective of the sampling itself and on the knowledge of the characteristics and limits of the different methods

Effect of mobile unidirectional air flow unit on microbial contamination of air in standard urologic procedures.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the most feared complications of surgery. New instrumentation is being developed to reduce deposition of bacteria. METHODS: We investigated 45 major surgical procedures (21 radical nephrectomies [RN] and 24 radical retropubic prostatectomies [RRP]) in our urology department during 2007. In about one-half of the interventions, an ultraclean air flow mobile (UAF) unit was used. Bacterial sedimentation was evaluated by nitrocellulose membranes placed on the instrument tray and by settle plates positioned at four points in the operating room. In 27 operations, an additional membrane was located near the incision. RESULTS: Bacterial counts on the nitrocellulose membranes during RN were 230 colony-forming units (cfu)/m(2)/h with the UAF unit and 2,254 cfu/m(2)/h without the unit (p = 0.001). During RRP, the values were 288 cfu/m(2)/h and 3,126 cfu/m(2)/h respectively (p = 0.001). The membrane placed near the incision during RN showed a microbial count of 1,235 cfu/m(2)/h with the UAF unit and 5,093 cfu/m(2)/h without the unit (p = 0.002); during RRP, the values were 1,845 cfu/m(2)/h and 3,790 cfu/m(2)/h, respectively (difference not significant). Bacterial contamination detected by settle plates during RN showed a mean value of 2,273 cfu/m(2)/h when the UAF unit was used and 2,054 cfu/m(2)/h without the unit; during RRP, the values were 2,332 cfu/m(2)/h and 2,629 cfu/m(2)/h with and without the UAF unit, respectively (NS). No statistically significant differences were detected in the clinical data registered in patients operated on under standard conditions and while the UAF unit was functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The UAF appears able to reduce microbial contamination at the operating table, reaching a bacterial number obtained in ultraclean operating theatres

The New Incinerator in Parma and the News from Newspapers - The Importance of Communication in Terms of "Environment and Health"

Objective is the evaluating of news concerning the incinerator in Parma and assessing any potential information gap, which could be addressed by institutional communication. Articles from both online and printed newspapers were selected, then underwent to double-blind review and were further evaluated also by a non-partisan expert. 2,390 articles were found through 'Google News' (incinerator, waste-to-energy plant, Parma); 96 of these were selected according to the relevance of the theme, then they were categorized as 'informative', 'scientific', 'political', 'socio-political' and 'economic' by all three evaluators. Such classification was finally contextualized depending on the type of newspaper. The agreement was considered using Cohen's kappa statistic. Within the 96 articles, 3 were economic, 34 political, 29 socio-political, 28 informational and only 2 scientific. The articles were further categorized by type of newspaper: 1% economic, 1% political, 5.2% environmentalist, 15.6% self-defined independent, 35.4% national and 41.7% local newspapers. This review shows that both local and national press are interested in the topic at issue, nevertheless it reveals a lack of scientific information. This analysis has not found articles in which the institutions directly involved have been consulted. Thus it would be desirable to have a greater mutual cooperation between the press and such institutions