{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T19:15:30Z","timestamp":1767986130772,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,27]],"date-time":"2017-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1514332800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa","award":["IPL\/2016\/BBIOR_ESTeSL"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["IPL\/2016\/BBIOR_ESTeSL"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Toxics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Swine production has been associated with health risks and workers\u2019 symptoms. In Portugal, as in other countries, large-scale swine production involves several activities in the swine environment that require direct intervention, increasing workers\u2019 exposure to organic dust. This study describes an updated protocol for the assessment of occupational exposure to organic dust, to unveil an accurate scenario regarding occupational and environmental risks for workers\u2019 health. The particle size distribution was characterized regarding mass concentration in five different size ranges (PM0.5, PM1, PM2.5, PM5, PM10). Bioburden was assessed, by both active and passive sampling methods, in air, on surfaces, floor covering and feed samples, and analyzed through culture based-methods and qPCR. Smaller size range particles exhibited the highest counts, with indoor particles showing higher particle counts and mass concentration than outdoor particles. The limit values suggested for total bacteria load were surpassed in 35.7% (10 out of 28) of samples and for fungi in 65.5% (19 out of 29) of samples. Among Aspergillus genera, section Circumdati was the most prevalent (55%) on malt extract agar (MEA) and Versicolores the most identified (50%) on dichloran glycerol (DG18). The results document a wide characterization of occupational exposure to organic dust on swine farms, being useful for policies and stakeholders to act to improve workers\u2019 safety. The methods of sampling and analysis employed were the most suitable considering the purpose of the study and should be adopted as a protocol to be followed in future exposure assessments in this occupational environment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/toxics6010005","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,27]],"date-time":"2017-12-27T11:16:00Z","timestamp":1514373360000},"page":"5","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":27,"title":["A Novel Multi-Approach Protocol for the Characterization of Occupational Exposure to Organic Dust\u2014Swine Production Case Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1545-6479","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Viegas","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica, Escola Nacional de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1600-560 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Tiago","family":"Faria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Universidade de Lisboa, E.N. 10 ao km 139,7, 2695-066 Bobadela LRS, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Monteiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1496-2609","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Liliana","family":"Caetano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, 1649-004 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4165-7052","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisabete","family":"Carolino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Anita","family":"Quintal Gomes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon Institute of Molecular Medicine, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1015-8760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Susana","family":"Viegas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAS, ESTeSL\u2014Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Sa\u00fade de Lisboa, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Lisboa, 1990-096 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o em Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica, Escola Nacional de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1600-560 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"31","article-title":"Environmental and health studies of farm workers in Swedish swine confinement buildings","volume":"46","author":"Donham","year":"1989","journal-title":"Br. 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