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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2002, p. 3522-3531, Vol. 68, No. 7
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3522-3531.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Fungal Fragments as Indoor Air Biocontaminants

Rafal L. Górny,1,{dagger} Tiina Reponen,1* Klaus Willeke,1 Detlef Schmechel,2 Enric Robine,3 Marjorie Boissier,3 and Sergey A. Grinshpun1

Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0056,1 Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505,2 Scientific and Technical Centre Building, F-77421 Marne-la-Vallée Cedex 02, France3

Received 23 January 2002/ Accepted 18 April 2002

The aerosolization process of fungal propagules of three species (Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium melinii, and Cladosporium cladosporioides) was studied by using a newly designed and constructed aerosolization chamber. We discovered that fungal fragments are aerosolized simultaneously with spores from contaminated agar and ceiling tile surfaces. Concentration measurements with an optical particle counter showed that the fragments are released in higher numbers (up to 320 times) than the spores. The release of fungal propagules varied depending on the fungal species, the air velocity above the contaminated surface, and the texture and vibration of the contaminated material. In contrast to spores, the release of fragments from smooth surfaces was not affected by air velocity, indicating a different release mechanism. Correlation analysis showed that the number of released fragments cannot be predicted on the basis of the number of spores. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with monoclonal antibodies produced against Aspergillus and Penicillium fungal species showed that fragments and spores share common antigens, which not only confirmed the fungal origin of the fragments but also established their potential biological relevance. The considerable immunological reactivity, the high number, and the small particle size of the fungal fragments may contribute to human health effects that have been detected in buildings with mold problems but had no scientific explanation until now. This study suggests that future fungal spore investigations in buildings with mold problems should include the quantitation of fungal fragments.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies, Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056. Phone: (513) 558-0571. Fax: (513) 558-2263. E-mail: Tiina.Reponen@uc.edu.

{dagger} Permanent address: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, July 2002, p. 3522-3531, Vol. 68, No. 7
0099-2240/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3522-3531.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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