Temporal and spatial variation of indoor and outdoor airborne fungal spores, pollen, and (1→3)-β-d-glucan

Abstract

Characterizing the variation in bioaerosol concentrations is important for the estimation of health effects associated with bioaerosols and planning exposure assessment strategies. This investigation was conducted in order to develop a better understanding of exposure to fungal spores, pollen, and (1?3)-b-D-glucan, by determining the variations of their concentrations between and within homes. In the study, 24-h air sampling was performed on five consecutive days in four Cincinnati area homes. The samples (a total of 160) were taken simultaneously in four different rooms inside each home and at four different outside locations near the home using Button Personal Inhalable Aerosol Samplers. The relative sizes of the between-and within-home variability to the total variability were calculated for each outcome. The relative sizes of the betweenand within-home variability in indoor air ranged from 0.10 to 0.52 and 0.09 to 0.10, respectively. For outdoor air, the between-and within-home variability ranged from 0.27 to 0.50 and 0.09 to 0.10, respectively. Thus, the ranges of within-home variability, both indoors and outdoors, were much less than the variability between different homes. The results suggest that, if long-term sampling methods are employed to characterize the bioaerosol exposure for a population, the sampling should be repeated in a larger number of homes as an alternative to replicate sampling in a fewer number of homes. When characterizing exposure within one home, the sampling should be repeated in different rooms, rather than repeating it on different days.

Visually observed mold and moldy odor versus quantitatively measured microbial exposure in homes

“…Microbial concentrations measured in this study can be compared with those we have obtained in three previous studies using the same sampling and analysis methods (Reponen et al, 2007; Crawford et al, 2009; Adhikari et al, 2010). The geometric mean concentrations of endotoxin and (1–3)-β-D-glucan in the current study were about the same as those measured by our group in the three earlier studies.…”

Arabitol and Mannitol as Tracer for Fungal Contribution to Size-Differentiated Particulate Matter of Rural Atmospheric Aerosols

“…The mean mass concentration of mannitol and arabitol was higher in coarse particle and this was mainly due to the agglomeration of fungal spores and soil resuspension during the study period. Airborne fungal spores contributed potentially to the organic carbon of the atmospheric PMs, mainly in the coarse aerosol as compared to fine aerosol during winter and this was might be due to the agglomeration of fungal spores [16], [19]. The total concentration of mannitol in both size fractions is high as compared to arabitol.…”

Primary biological aerosol particles in the atmosphere: a review

“…Fungal spores and fragments are understood to be one of the most common classes of airborne PBAP in a number of environments (Womiloju et al, 2003;Elbert et al, 2007;Bauer et al, 2008b;Crawford et al, 2009). Fungi are comprised of vegetative mycelia that consist of a large number of branched hyphae and grow in virtually every ecosystem on Earth and are also capable of efficient aerosolisation (Adhikari et al, 2009).…”