2010,Can we use indoor fungi as bioindicators of indoor air quality?

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20655574

The intoxication probably results from a chronic exposure to volatile organic

compounds and mycotoxins produced by Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys.

2010 Sep 15;408(20):4285-95. Epub 2010 Jul 23.

Can we use indoor fungi as bioindicators of indoor air quality? Historical

perspectives and open questions.

Cabral JP.

Faculdade de Ciências & Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e

Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007

Porto, Portugal. jpcabral@...

Abstract

Microbiological analysis of atmospheres witnessed substantial technical

improvements in the 1940s to 1960s. May's cascade impactor and Hirst's spore

trap allowed the counting of total cells but had limited capacity for

identification of the spores. Bourdillon's sampler enabled the counting of

cultivable fungi and their identification. A great step forward was given with

the Andersen's six-stage impactor, which allowed discrimination of particles by

size, counting of cultivable cells, and species identification. This period also

witnessed the development of impingers, namely, the AGI-30 described by Malligo

and Idoine, and the three-stage model designed by K. R. May. The 1990s to 2000s

witnessed innovative discoveries on the biology of indoor fungi. Work carried

out in several laboratories showed that indoor fungi can release groups of

spores, individual spores and fungal fragments, and produce volatile organic

compounds and mycotoxins. Integrating all findings a holistic interpretation

emerged for the sick building syndrome. Healthy houses and buildings, with low

indoor humidity, display no appreciable indoor fungal growth, and outdoor

Cladosporium dominates. On the contrary, in sick houses and buildings, high

indoor humidity allows fungal growth (mainly of Penicillium and Aspergillus),

with concomitant release of conidia and fragments into the atmosphere. The

intoxication probably results from a chronic exposure to volatile organic

compounds and mycotoxins produced by Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys.

Very clean atmospheres are difficult to study by conventional methods. However,

some of these atmospheres, namely, those of hospital rooms, should be monitored.

Sedimentary sampling, chemical methods applied to impinger's collection liquid,

and selected molecular methods can be useful in this context. It was concluded

that fungi can be useful indicators of indoor air quality and that it is

important to deepen the studies of indoor atmospheres in order to promote air

quality, the health and well-being of all, and a better understanding of the

biology of indoor fungi.