Table 4.

Bioaerosol-components in farming environment

Substance	Method of determination
Allergens	Antibody-based assays (sandwich) ELISA
Bacteria and Vira	Viable sampling, microscopic analysis of samples, Non culture-based microbiological markers or surrogate markers such as endotoxin (Gram negatives), muramic acid (Gram positives) DNA or RNA based molecular methods ranging from qPCR to 16S microbiome or full metagenomic analysis C
Endotoxin	Classical “LAL-test” (kinetic chromogenic test) or recombinant factor C assay
Beta(1 → 3) glucan	Factor G pathway of the LAL-test or poly-/monoclonal antibody assays (ELISA)
Pyrogenic activity	Whole blood assay (outcome: IL-1β, IL-6 release)
Moulds	Cultivation of fungi Non culture-based microbiological marker Surrogate markers like ergosterol or extra-cellular polysaccharides specific for Pen/Asp (EPS) DNA or RNA based molecular methods ranging from qPCR to ITS or full metagenomic analysis
Fungal fragments	Non-gonomorphic particles (Halogen immunoassay)
Mycotoxins	ELISA LC–MS (indirect assessment by analyzing settle dust) Biomonitoring