scholarly journals Indoor fungal contamination as a biological risk factor

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-518
Author(s):  
E V Khaldeeva ◽  
N I Glushko ◽  
S A Lisovskaya ◽  
V R Parshakov ◽  
G G Khaidarova
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Composition Analysis ◽  
Fungal Contamination ◽  
Fungal Community Composition ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Biological Risk Factor ◽  
And Control

Aim. To assess the degree of fungal contamination and the species composition of the fungal microbiota of residential apartments in Kazan Methods. A mycological study of 90 air samples and 60 samples from sites of fungal biodeterioration from the residential buildings of Kazan was carried out using cultural and microscopic methods. Results. The presence of micromycetes fungi were detected in 90% of air samples and 100% of samples from sites of biodeterioration. Higher fungal species diversity was noted in the sites, compared with air samples. Fungal concentrations in indoor air varied between 8 and 360 CFU/m3. Fungal community composition analysis of the sites of biodeterioration showed that the surfaces were more frequently contaminated by undemanding and capable of growth at different moisture levels fungal species (Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., Rhizopus stolonifer). The resulting fungal plaque can create conditions favorable for aggressive fungal species that actively damage materials (Chaetomium spp., Acremonium spp., Aureubasidium spp). Allergenic fungi, as well as potentially pathogenic and toxin-forming species, were widespread in the air that can be a health risk factor. A quantitative assessment of air mycobiota indicated the moderate level of fungal contamination. Conclusion. The presence of potentially pathogenic, allergenic and biodegradable fungal species in the sites of biodeterioration has been confirmed, as well as the relationship between airborne fungal contamination and the spread of fungi in indoors, confirming the need to prevent fungal biodeterioration and control indoor air quality.

scholarly journals Models for residential indoor pollution loads due to material emissions under dynamic temperature and humidity conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 11002
Author(s):  
Carsten Rode ◽  
John Grunewald ◽  
Zhenlei Liu ◽  
Menghao Qin ◽  
Jianshun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Proper Understanding ◽  
Volatile Organic ◽  
Quality Design ◽  
Demand Controlled Ventilation ◽  
And Control ◽  
Pollution Loads

The IEA EBC Annex 68 project on “Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings” has been recently completed. The project considered indoor air pollution loads in dwellings, particularly how such pollutants are emitted in dependency of the hygrothermal conditions: temperature, moisture and air flows. Thus, a proper understanding of the mutual interactions between hygrothermal conditions and pollutants was needed to obtain optimal paradigms for demand-controlled ventilation. The project adopted a similarity approach for modelling the transports of moisture and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in materials, and thereby it was possible to provide a comprehensive set of data and tools whereby the indoor atmospheric conditions of buildings can be optimized, e.g. with respect to the need for ventilation. The paper explains the experimental and modelling approach and presents a summary of the results.

scholarly journals Loading Rates of Dust and Bioburden in Dwellings in an Inland City of Southern Europe

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 378
Author(s):  
Carla Viegas ◽  
Marta Dias ◽  
Beatriz Almeida ◽  
Estela Vicente ◽  
Carla Candeias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indoor Air ◽  
Microbial Contamination ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Malt Extract ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Fungal Contamination ◽  
Loading Rates ◽  
Colony Forming Units ◽  
Dust Loading ◽  
Total Bacteria

Sampling campaigns indoors have shown that occupants exposed to contaminated air generally exhibit diverse health outcomes. This study intends to assess the deposition rates of total settleable dust and bioburden in the indoor air of dwellings onto quartz fiber filters and electrostatic dust collectors (EDCs), respectively. EDC extracts were inoculated onto malt extract agar (MEA) and dichloran glycerol (DG18) agar-based media used for fungal contamination characterization, while tryptic soy agar (TSA) was applied for total bacteria assessment, and violet red bile agar (VRBA) for Gram-negative bacteria. Azole-resistance screening and molecular detection by qPCR was also performed. Dust loading rates ranged from 0.111 to 3.52, averaging 0.675 μg cm−2 day−1. Bacterial counts ranged from undetectable to 16.3 colony-forming units (CFU) m−2 day−1 and to 2.95 CFU m−2 day−1 in TSA and VRBA, respectively. Fungal contamination ranged from 1.97 to 35.4 CFU m−2 day−1 in MEA, and from undetectable to 48.8 CFU m−2 day−1 in DG18. Penicillium sp. presented the highest prevalence in MEA media (36.2%) and Cladosporium sp. in DG18 (39.2%). It was possible to observe: (a) settleable dust loadings and fungal contamination higher in dwellings with pets; (b) fungal species considered indicators of harmful fungal contamination; (c) Aspergillus section Candidi identified in supplemented media with voriconazole and posaconazole; (d) specific housing typologies and (e) specific housing characteristics influencing the microbial contamination.

Mycotoxins in the ventilation systems of four schools in Finland

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Hintikka ◽  
R. Holopainen ◽  
A. Asola ◽  
M. Jestoi ◽  
M. Peitzsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indoor Air ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Penicillic Acid ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Ventilation Ducts ◽  
Chaetoglobosin A ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor ◽  
Ventilation Systems

Some fungal species have been listed as a problem causing fungi in indoor air and most of this group are known to produce mycotoxins. So far, mycotoxins have been found in building materials and in samples representing settled indoor air dust, as well in air samples from industrial or agricultural environments. The present paper presents the results of a mycological study and mycotoxin analyses of dust collected from mechanical ventilation systems in four school buildings in southern Finland. The aim of this work was to answer the question 'Are there mycotoxins in ventilation systems and if so, from where do they originate?' A total of 40 mycotoxins representing indoor and outdoor sources alike were screened in this study, while cultivable fungi were screened using four different cultivation media. Mycotoxins were present in all ventilation systems studied, both in the supply and the exhaust systems examined. The mycotoxins found included satratoxins, verrucarol, trichodermol, enniatins, beauvericin, penicillic acid, sterigmatocystin, chaetoglobosin A, and aflatoxins B1. The mycotoxins were present in minute quantities (pg-ng/g or pg-ng/cm2). The fungal genera associated with respective mycotoxins were found in most of the same sources. Since much the same mycotoxins could be established in both exhaust and supply air systems, it would appear that the mycotoxins found in the schools studied do not for the most part originate from sources within the building but are either normal artefacts of incoming supply air or concentrate or are perhaps produced within the ventilation systems due to infrequent changing of filters and maintenance/cleaning of ventilation ducts and associated parts of the systems.

scholarly journals Profiles of Airborne Fungi in Buildings and Outdoor Environments in the United States

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 1743-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian G. Shelton ◽  
Kimberly H. Kirkland ◽  
W. Dana Flanders ◽  
George K. Morris
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
The United States ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Outdoor Air ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
Public Health Practitioners ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

ABSTRACT We examined 12,026 fungal air samples (9,619 indoor samples and 2,407 outdoor samples) from 1,717 buildings located across the United States; these samples were collected during indoor air quality investigations performed from 1996 to 1998. For all buildings, both indoor and outdoor air samples were collected with an Andersen N6 sampler. The culturable airborne fungal concentrations in indoor air were lower than those in outdoor air. The fungal levels were highest in the fall and summer and lowest in the winter and spring. Geographically, the highest fungal levels were found in the Southwest, Far West, and Southeast. The most common culturable airborne fungi, both indoors and outdoors and in all seasons and regions, were Cladosporium, Penicillium, nonsporulating fungi, and Aspergillus. Stachybotrys chartarum was identified in the indoor air in 6% of the buildings studied and in the outdoor air of 1% of the buildings studied. This study provides industrial hygienists, allergists, and other public health practitioners with comparative information on common culturable airborne fungi in the United States. This is the largest study of airborne indoor and outdoor fungal species and concentrations conducted with a standardized protocol to date.

scholarly journals Microbiological, Health and Comfort Aspects of Indoor Air Quality in a Romanian Historical Wooden Church

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 9908
Author(s):  
Florin Marcu ◽  
Nicolaie Hodor ◽  
Liliana Indrie ◽  
Paula Dejeu ◽  
Marin Ilieș ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
National Consciousness ◽  
Fungal Contamination ◽  
Fungal Load ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
Penicillium Spp ◽  
The Church ◽  
Very High

Monitoring the indoor microclimate in old buildings of cultural heritage and significance is a practice of great importance because of the importance of their identity for local communities and national consciousness. Most aged heritage buildings, especially those made of wood, develop an indoor microclimate conducive to the development of microorganisms. This study aims to analyze one wooden church dating back to the 1710s in Romania from the microclimatic perspective, i.e., temperature and relative humidity and the fungal load of the air and surfaces. One further aim was to determine if the internal microclimate of the monument is favorable for the health of parishioners and visitors, as well as for the integrity of the church itself. The research methodology involved monitoring of the microclimate for a period of nine weeks (November 2020–January 2021) and evaluating the fungal load in indoor air as well as on the surfaces. The results show a very high contamination of air and surfaces (>2000 CFU/m3). In terms of fungal contamination, Aspergillus spp. (two different species), Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., Mucor spp., Penicillium spp. (two different species) and Trichopyton spp. were the genera of fungi identified in the indoor wooden church air and Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp. (two different species) and Botrytis spp. on the surfaces (church walls and iconostasis). The results obtained reveal that the internal microclimate not only imposes a potential risk factor for the parishioners and visitors, but also for the preservation of the wooden church as a historical monument, which is facing a crisis of biodeterioration of its artwork.

scholarly journals Monitoring and control of particulate matter in indoor air: A review

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anshu Gupta ◽  
Meena Bhandari
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Particle Concentration ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Particle Generation ◽  
Fine Particulate ◽  
Ventilation Strategies ◽  
And Control

The review discusses the sources and concentrations of particulate matter in different microenvironments, their effect on human health, monitoring and their possible control measures particularly in office and residential buildings. Effect of various ventilation strategies on particulate concentration in air has been discussed. The calculations suggest that if the outdoor particle concentration is not more than 5-10 times the indoor particle generation rate, ventilation could be a very effective tool to control the indoor particle concentration. For coarse particles the choice of ventilation strategy is not very crucial, but for fine particulate slow rate of ventilation is more effective.

scholarly journals Diversity and Toxigenicity of Mycobiota in Grain Corn: A Case Study at Pioneer Grain Corn Plantations in Terengganu, Malaysia

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Siti Nur Ezzati Yazid ◽  
Wan Jing Ng ◽  
Jinap Selamat ◽  
Siti Izera Ismail ◽  
Nik Iskandar Putra Samsudin
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Fusarium Verticillioides ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Fungal Colonization ◽  
Plant Debris ◽  
Fungal Contamination ◽  
And Control

Malaysia has begun to locally mass-cultivate grain corn to reduce import dependency for animal feed industries. Since the Malaysian tropical climate constantly exposes grain corn to fungal colonization and mycotoxin production by mycotoxigenic species, it is, therefore, important to investigate the presence of fungal species, especially the mycotoxigenic strains in the Malaysian grain corn agroecosystem. In the present work, corn kernel, tassel, plant debris, and soil were collected from two pioneer grain corn farms (Kampong Dadong, KD; Rhu Tapai, RT), and morphological and molecular identifications were conducted. A total of 131 fungal isolates from 30 fungal species were recovered. Both KD and RT yielded log 4.7–6.7 CFU/g total fungal loads. Fusarium verticillioides was predominant in both farms, followed by the phytopathogenic Lasiodiplodia theobromae and the mycotoxigenic Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, F. incarnatum, and F. proliferatum. Mycotoxin analyses by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that among 30 mycotoxigenic isolates tested for aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, HT-2, T-2, ochratoxins A, and zearalenone, approximately 25 of the isolates could produce at least one mycotoxin in vitro. The present work serves as a baseline for more comprehensive research to better predict and control fungal contamination and the subsequent mycotoxin accumulation in Malaysian grain corn agroecosystems.

scholarly journals IEA EBC Annex 68 – Consequences on ventilation and hygrothermal operation of buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 2069 (1) ◽  
pp. 012184
Author(s):  
C. Rode ◽  
D. Zukowska ◽  
J. Kolarik
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Moisture Transfer ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Quality Design ◽  
And Control ◽  
Demand Control ◽  
Transfer Properties

Abstract The objective of the IEA EBC Annex 68 Project, “Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings”, has been to develop the fundamental basis for optimal design and control strategies for good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in highly energy efficient residential buildings. Focus has been on emission of chemical pollutants from building products and use of ventilation to alleviate IAQ effects. The question has been whether new paradigms for demand control should be developed based on knowledge from this project. The paper gives an overview of the project’s activities with regards to: - Gathering of laboratory and field data on pollution sources in buildings. - Formulation of a so-called “similarity approach” to predict emissions of volatile organic compounds based on knowledge from moisture transfer properties. - Gathering of a set of contemporary models to simulate the combined heat, air, moisture and pollution conditions of buildings and their assemblies. Based on this background, the project has identified and described an extended set of amenable ways to optimize the provision of ventilation and air-conditioning and to assess possibilities to bring this knowledge into practice. The paper gives an overview of the suggested solutions and their conditions.

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