New approach methods for assessing indoor air toxicity

Mannerström, Marika; Dvořáková, Marcela; Svobodová, Lada; Rucki, Marián; Kotal, Filip; Vavrouš, Adam; Vrbı́ková, Věra; Kejlová, Kristína; Jírová, Dagmar; Heinonen, Tuula

doi:10.1016/j.crtox.2022.100090

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…When there is 3–5% cell death, and it is statistically significant, the indoor air is somewhat toxic, i.e., indicative of the presence of slightly harmful toxicity in the building. Based on the previously published reports [ 22 , 23 , 31 ] and according to our unpublished clinical experience, we estimate that if the indoor air water samples evoke a 5–10% and statistically significant cell death at a 10% sample concentration, then this is a clear signal of the presence of toxic indoor air. Thus, it is our belief that when there is (statistically significant) >10% cell death, the indoor air should be regarded as highly toxic, and the occupants should vacate the building immediately.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…However, the relative humidity (RH%) and indoor air temperature influence the severity of the toxicity; if the room is very moist and the temperature is high, then the effects of exposure are markedly intensified. As far as we are aware, this is the only assay that takes several different toxic factors into account in the evaluation of indoor air quality [ 31 ]. The results from this study are in line with earlier findings showing that the ambient air present in a mold-contaminated building contains cytotoxic substances ( Table 1 , Table 3 and Table 4 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In Search of Clinical Markers: Indicators of Exposure in Dampness and Mold Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DMHS)

Vaali

Ekumi

Andersson

et al. 2023

JoF

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Potential markers were sought to diagnose mold hypersensitivity. Indoor air condensed water and human macrophage THP-1 test were applied to evaluate the buildings. Basophil activation tests (BAT) were conducted and mold-specific immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, and IgD) were measured in study subjects’ serum and feces. Exposed subjects reported markedly more symptoms from occupational air than controls. Basophils from exposed subjects died/lost activity at 225 times lower concentrations of toxic extracts from the target building than recommended in the common BAT protocol. Fecal IgG and IgD levels against Acrostalagmus luteoalbus and Aspergillus versicolor produced receiver operating curves (ROC) of 0.928 and 0.916, respectively, when plotted against the inflammation marker MRP8/14. Assaying serum immunoglobulin concentrations against the toxic Chaetomium globosum (MTAV35) from another building, a test control, did not differentiate study individuals. However, if liver metabolism produced the same core molecule from other Chaetomium globosum strains, this would explain the increased response in fecal immunoglobulins in the exposed. The altered immunoglobulin values in the samples of exposed when compared to controls revealed the route of mold exposure. The toxicity of indoor air condensed water samples, BAT and serology confirmed the severity of symptoms in the target building’s employees, supporting earlier findings of toxicity in this building.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Search of Clinical Markers: Indicators of Exposure in Dampness and Mold Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DMHS)

Vaali

Ekumi

Andersson

et al. 2023

JoF

Self Cite

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“…Indoor air problems may be due to technical problems such as malfunctioning ventilation, microbial impurities such as fungi associated with moisture damage [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ] or chemicals enriched in indoor air and dust [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. For example, some washing agents contain terpenoid-type odorants, such as limonene, which can react with indoor air ozone or oxidizing agents of disinfectants and form formaldehyde and other toxic carbonyl compounds such as glyoxal and methylglyoxal [ 21 , 22 ]. These compounds can be spread into the air as secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and thereby enter the human airways.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomonitoring of Indoor Air Fungal or Chemical Toxins with Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes

et al. 2023

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Bad indoor air quality due to toxins and other impurities can have a negative impact on human well-being, working capacity and health. Therefore, reliable methods to monitor the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous indoor air agents are needed. Here, we have used transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans nematode strains carrying stress-responsive fluorescent reporters and evaluated their ability to sense fungal or chemical toxins, especially those that are present in moisture-damaged buildings. Liquid-based or airborne exposure of nematodes to mycotoxins, chemical agents or damaged building materials reproducibly resulted in time- and dose-dependent fluorescent responses, which could be quantitated by either microscopy or spectrometry. Thus, the C. elegans nematodes present an easy, ethically acceptable and comprehensive in vivo model system to monitor the response of multicellular organisms to indoor air toxicity.

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Disposition of Aerosols of Isothiazolinone-Biocides: BIT, MIT and OIT

Lee

Park

Lee

et al. 2022

Toxics

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Biocides are widely used in everyday life, and accordingly, human exposure to them is inevitable. Especially, the inhalational exposure of humans to biocides and resultant respiratory toxicity are gaining public interest due to the recent catastrophe associated with humidifier disinfectants. Aerosolized chemicals are subject to gravitational deposition and chemical degradation. Therefore, the characterization of the disposition of aerosols is essential to estimate the inhalational exposure to biocides. Here, we compared the disposition of aerosols of one of the commonly used biocide classes, isothiazolinone-based biocides, BIT, MIT, and OIT. An acrylic chamber (40 cm × 40 cm × 50 cm) was created to simulate the indoor environment, and a vacuum pump was used to create airflow (1 LPM). Biocides were sprayed from a vertical nebulizer placed on the ceiling of the chamber, and the distribution of particle sizes and volume was measured using the Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) 3330 device. During and after the aerosol spraying, airborne biocides and those deposited on the surface of the chamber were sampled to measure the deposition using LC-MS/MS. As a result, the broad particle size distribution was observed ranging from 0.3 to 8 μm during the nebulization. The inhalable particle faction (>2 μm) of the isothiazolinones was 32–67.9% in number but 1.2 to 6.4% in volume. Most of the aerosolized biocides were deposited on the chamber’s surface while only a minimal portion was airborne (<1%) after the nebulization. More importantly, significant amounts of MIT and OIT were degraded during aerosolization, resulting in poor total recovery compared to BIT (31%, 71% vs. 97% BIT). This result suggests that some isothiazolinones may become unstable during nebulization, affecting their disposition and human exposure significantly.

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New approach methods for assessing indoor air toxicity

Cited by 3 publications

References 54 publications

In Search of Clinical Markers: Indicators of Exposure in Dampness and Mold Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DMHS)

In Search of Clinical Markers: Indicators of Exposure in Dampness and Mold Hypersensitivity Syndrome (DMHS)

Biomonitoring of Indoor Air Fungal or Chemical Toxins with Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes

Disposition of Aerosols of Isothiazolinone-Biocides: BIT, MIT and OIT

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