Background: Particulate matter (PM) exposure is an important health risk, both in daily life and in the workplace. It causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and results in 800,000 premature deaths per year worldwide. In earlier research, we assessed workers’ information needs regarding workplace PM exposure, the properties and effects of PM, and the rationale behind various means of protection. We also concluded that workers do not always receive appropriate risk communication tools with regards to PM, and that their PM knowledge appears to be fragmented and incomplete. Methods: We considered several concepts for use as an educational material based on evaluation criteria: ease of use, costs, appropriateness for target audiences and goals, interactivity, implementation issues, novelty, and speed. We decided to develop an educational folder, which can be used to inform employees about the properties, effects and prevention methods concerning PM. Furthermore, we decided on a test setup of a more interactive way of visualisation of exposure to PM by means of exposimeters. For the development of the folder, we based the information needs on our earlier mental models-based research. We adjusted the folder based on the results of ten semi-structured interviews evaluating its usability. Results: The semi-structured interviews yielded commentaries and suggestions for further improvement, which resulted in a number of alterations to the folder. However, in most cases the folder was deemed satisfactory. Conclusion: Based on this study, the folder we developed is suitable for a larger-scale experiment and a practical test. Further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of the folder and the application of the exposimeter in a PM risk communication system.
Abstract Aureobasidium is omnipresent and can be isolated from air, water bodies, soil, wood, and other plant materials, as well as inorganic materials such as rocks and marble. A total of 32 species of this fungal genus have been identified at the level of DNA, of which Aureobasidium pullulans is best known. Aureobasidium is of interest for a sustainable economy because it can be used to produce a wide variety of compounds, including enzymes, polysaccharides, and biosurfactants. Moreover, it can be used to promote plant growth and protect wood and crops. To this end, Aureobasidium cells adhere to wood or plants by producing extracellular polysaccharides, thereby forming a biofilm. This biofilm provides a sustainable alternative to petrol-based coatings and toxic chemicals. This and the fact that Aureobasidium biofilms have the potential of self-repair make them a potential engineered living material avant la lettre.
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Dark homogenous fungal-based layers called biofinishes and vegetable oils are keyingredients of an innovative wood protecting system. The aim of this study was todetermine which of the vegetable oils that have been used to generate biofinishes onwood will provide carbon and energy for the biofinish-inhabiting fungus Aureobasidiummelanogenum, and to determine the effect of the oil type and the amount of oil on thecell yield. Aureobasidium melanogenum was cultivated in shake flasks with differenttypes and amounts of carbon-based nutrients. Oil-related total cell and colony-formingunit growth were demonstrated in suspensions with initially 1% raw linseed,stand linseed, and olive oil. Oil-related cell growth was also demonstrated with rawlinseed oil, using an initial amount of 0.02% and an oil addition during cultivation. Nilered staining showed the accumulation of fatty acids inside cells grown in the presenceof oil. In conclusion, each tested vegetable oil was used as carbon and energysource by A. melanogenum. The results indicated that stand linseed oil provides lesscarbon and energy than olive and raw linseed oil. This research is a fundamental stepin unraveling the effects of vegetable oils on biofinish formation.
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