ABSTRACT
Airborne biological agents have always been a matter of concern in agriculture, biotechnology, industrial settings, and the indoor environment (Deacon, 2006). Each of these environments presents unique exposure based on the nature of the encountered biological agent, the microbial concentrations, the modes of exposure, and the susceptibility of the exposed population. Acceptable levels of airborne microorganisms have not been established, and the sampling methods and analytical techniques employed to assess airborne biological contaminants are varied and nonstandardized (Vesper et al., 2005). Selection of sampling and analytical methods depends upon the nature of the information that is sought; there is no one ideal sampling or analytical method. Combinations of sampling and analytical methods can provide a wide range of data that can be effectively adopted to different environmental settings.
