Temperature and wind speed help fermentation-sourced microbiota reconstruct the airborne microbiota in the Chinese baijiu fermentation region

Abstract

Microorganisms are vital components of airborne particles and are closely linked to human health and industrial processes. As industrialization advances, factories are exacerbating their impact on environmental microbial communities, an area where our understanding remains limited. In this study, we investigated air microorganisms surrounding Chinese baijiu fermentation facilities, aiming to explore the dispersal mechanisms of fermentation-sourced microbiota and their potential impacts on local airborne microbial communities. The results revealed a significant overlap between microbial communities from fermentation processes and the surrounding air, with 14 genera commonly found in both habitats, suggesting widespread and substantial dispersal of factory microorganisms. Due to this dispersal, fermentation-sourced Saccharopolyspora and Streptomyces have become central nodes in the airborne microbial network. Environmental factors played a pivotal role in the microbiota dispersal process. Higher temperatures may facilitate microbial proliferation and increase the dispersal of fermentation microorganisms (r = 0.30, P < 0.01), while higher wind speeds may lead to a dilution effect and limit the uniform dispersal of microorganisms (r = −0.22, P < 0.05). Furthermore, air-resident microorganisms restricted the proliferation of fermentation microorganisms (r = −0.60, P < 0.001). These results confirm the modifying effect of fermentation facilities on environmental microbial communities and establish a theoretical foundation for optimizing factory site selection.