Re: Re: Have a question Thank you for the links to important Polish papers, fungal fragments, endotoxin levels in buildings.

[Guest guest]

Dr Thrasher,

Thank you for the pointer!

Górny RL - I had never heard of his work until now. A lot of his full

papers ave available for download.

This fills in a blank area for me..

http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/aaem9907.htm

Ann Agric Environ Med 1999, 6, 45-51

APPLICATION OF THE CLASSIC LIMULUS TEST AND THE QUANTITATIVE KINETIC

CHROMOGENIC LAL METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF ENDOTOXIN CONCENTRATION IN

INDOOR AIR

Rafał L. Górny1, Jeroen Douwes2, Pieter Versloot2, Dick Heederik2,

Jacek Dutkiewicz3

1Department of Indoor Exposure Assessment, Institute of Occupational

Medicine and Environmental Health, Sosnowiec, Poland

2Environmental and Occupational Health Group, Wageningen University

and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands

3Department of Occupational Biohazards, Institute of Agricultural

Medicine, Lublin, Poland

Full text available in Adobe Acrobat format.Full text available in

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AAEM Home Page

Górny RL, Douwes J, Versloot P, Heederik D, Dutkiewicz J: Application

of the classic Limulus test and the quantitative kinetic chromogenic

LAL method for evaluation of endotoxin concentration in indoor air.

Ann Agric Environ Med 1999, 6, 45-51.

Abstract: The classic (gel-clot procedure) Limulus test (CLT) and the

quantitative kinetic chromogenic LAL method (KQCL) used for the

evaluation of bacterial endotoxin concentration in the indoor air of

dwellings were compared. The scientific procedure included analyses of

40 air samples supplemented by the analysis of 20 sample duplicates

(selected at random) which were taken during the fall season from 10

flats located in 3 towns of the Upper Silesian region (southern

Poland). The particulate aerosol probes were sampled by Harvard

impactor and Casella sampler. The same samples were analyzed in the

Netherlands using the quantitative kinetic chromogenic LAL method, and

in Poland using the classic Limulus test. Comparison of both methods

revealed that the quantitative kinetic chromogenic LAL method was more

precise, with better reproducibility (the coefficient of variation

between analyses of the main probe and its duplicate was over two

times smaller in the KQCL method than in the CLT method), fully

automated in the phase of analysis and data reading, and faster and

more effective than the classic Limulus test. Nevertheless, on the

basis of the obtained results, the usefulness of the classic Limulus

method for assessment of the degree of pollution of indoor air with

bacterial endotoxin seems to be confirmed as in the majority of

examined samples (21 out 40) the results obtained by both methods were

of the same order of magnitude, and in the remaining 19 samples did

exceed one order of magnitude. Thus, the data received by means of the

classic Limulus test may be regarded as acceptable.

Address for correspondence: Rafał L. Górny, PhD, Department of Indoor

Exposure Assessment, Institute of Occupational Medicine and

Environmental Health, Kościelna 13, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.

E-mail: r-gorny@...

Key words: endotoxin, classic Limulus test, quantitative kinetic

chromogenic LAL method, indoor air, dwellings.

also

http://www.aaem.pl/pdf/aaem9915.htm

Ann Agric Environ Med 1999, 6, 105-113

SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL BIOAEROSOLS IN INDOOR AIR

Rafal L. Gorny1, Jacek Dutkiewicz2, Ewa Krysinska-Traczyk2

1Department of Indoor Exposure Assessment, Institute of Occupational

Medicine and Environmental Health, Sosnowiec, Poland

2Department of Occupational Biohazards, Institute of Agricultural

Medicine, Lublin, Poland

Full text available in Adobe Acrobat format.Full text available in

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AAEM Home Page

Gorny RL, Dutkiewicz J, Krysinska-Traczyk E: Size distribution of

bacterial and fungal bioaerosols in indoor air. Ann Agric Environ Med

1999, 6, 105-113.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the size distribution

of bacteria and fungi occurring in the air of human dwellings. The

concentration and size distribution of particulate aerosol,

Gram-positive mesophilic bacteria, Gram-negative mesophilic bacteria

and fungi were examined in 60 flats situated in the Upper Silesia

conurbation, southern Poland. The investigated flats comprised three

quantitatively equal (20 flats each) groups: flats without additional

emission sources of particulate aerosol and microorganisms (Group I),

flats with persons who smoke at least one packet of cigarettes per day

(Group II), and flats located near steelworks (Group III). The

concentrations of four fractions of particulate aerosol were measured

by Harvard impactors (PM 2.5 and PM 10) as well as by cyclone HD and

37 mm filter disc holder (PM 5 and TSP). The concentrations of

bacteria and fungi were measured by a particle-sizing six-stage

Graseby-Andersen impactor. It was found that the concentrations of

particulate aerosol in examined flats were below 0.6 mg/m3 and the

concentrations of microorganisms were below the level of 104 cfu/m3.

The dominant bacteria present in the air of examined dwellings

(Micrococcus/Kocuria spp., Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp.,

Pseudomonadaceae, Aeromonas spp., Nocardia spp.) occurred mostly as

single particles in the dwellings without additional emission sources,

while in the air of dwellings inhabited by tobacco smokers, they often

formed aggregates composed of bacterial and dust particles. The fungi

dominant in the air of examined dwellings (Penicillium spp.,

Aspergillus spp., yeasts) occurred mostly as single particles.

Address for correspondence: Rafal L. Gorny, Ph.D., Department of

Indoor Exposure Assessment, Institute of Occupational Medicine and

Environmental Health, Koscielna 13, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. E-mail:

r-gorny@...

Key words: indoor air, bacteria, fungi, size distribution, particulate aerosol.

Ann Agric Environ Med 2004, 11, 185-197

FILAMENTOUS MICROORGANISMS AND THEIR FRAGMENTS IN INDOOR AIR

- A REVIEW

Rafal L. Gorny

Department of Biohazards, Institute of Occupational Medicine and

Environmental Health, Sosnowiec, Poland

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AAEM Home Page

Gorny RL: Filamentous microorganisms and their fragments in indoor air

- a review. Ann Agric Environ Med 2004, 11, 185-197.

Abstract: The paper summarizes the current state of knowledge

regarding the role of filamentous microorganisms (i.e., fungi and

actinomycetes) and their submicrometer propagules (fragments) in

formation of indoor bioaerosol. It discusses the importance of water

damages in buildings and the role of humidity as a cause of fungal and

actinomycetal contamination and subsequent deterioration of indoor

spaces. The importance of the size of airborne microbial propagules

for adverse health effects is broadly commented as well. Regarding the

microbial fragments, the method of their release from the contaminated

surfaces (including factors influencing their aerosolization, i.e.,

air velocity, colony structure, moisture conditions, vibration of the

surface, time factor), modern measurement techniques and newly

obtained results of the immunological reactivity of fragments are

discussed. The novel ideas concerning the dynamic description of the

release process of microbial propagules from their sources are also

presented.

Address for correspondence: Dr Rafal L. Gorny, Department of

Biohazards, Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental

Health, Koscielna 13, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland. E-mail:

r.gorny@...

Key words: indoor air quality, moisture, building materials,

biodeterioration, fungi, actinomycetes, fragments, release mechanisms,

immunological reactivity.

On Jan 2, 2008 8:40 PM, Jack Thrasher, Ph.D. <toxicologist1@...> wrote:

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> Dr. Kong'u is quite correct. The other aspect that mold cultures do not

> examine is the fine particulate matter (less than the size of hyphae and

> spores). The studies in Poland by Gorny and those in the U.S by Brael and

> Straus clearly demonsrate that the fine particulates contain many toxic

> compounds, including mycotoxins. If you are going to do air sampling, then

> also consider the fine (nanoparticulates) in the sampling protocol.

>

> Jack D. Thrasher, Ph.D.

> Toxicologist/Immunotoxicologist/Fetaltoxicologist

> www.drthrasher.org

> toxicologist1@...

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