Surgical Face\nMask as an Air Sampling Device for Assessing\nPersonal Exposure to Airborne Antimicrobial Resistance Gene-Bearing\nBacteria

In\nthis study, we assessed the feasibility of using a surgical\nface mask as a sampling device to collect airborne antimicrobial resistance\ngenes (ARGs). The method entails collection of ARG-bearing microbes\non face masks, followed by their DNA extraction and quantification\nby qPCR analysis. Analysis of masks worn by volunteers showed an apparent\nmask wearing time-dependent accumulation of 16S rRNA gene and select\nARGs trapped on masks, highlighting the applicability of the method\nin monitoring personal ARG exposure through inhalation. The sampling\nmethod was then validated for reproducibility and compared with a\nfilter-based sampling method before application in different environmental\nsettings to further assess personal exposure to ARGs. In comparison\nwith the filter-based method, our new sampling method does not require\na sampling pump and is more user-friendly. More importantly, it records\nARG exposure down to the personalized level; thus, it may be used\nin routine monitoring of occupational exposure and surveillance of\nARG concentrations in indoor environments.