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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2000, p. 1899-1904, Vol. 66, No. 5
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Mycotoxins in Crude Building Materials from Water-Damaged Buildings

Tapani Tuomi,1,* Kari Reijula,1 Tom Johnsson,1 Kaisa Hemminki,2 Eeva-Liisa Hintikka,1 Outi Lindroos,1 Seija Kalso,3 Pirkko Koukila-Kähkölä,4 Helena Mussalo-Rauhamaa,5 and Tari Haahtela5

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Uusimaa Regional Institute, FIN-00370 Helsinki,1 City of Vantaa Environment Center, FIN-01300 Vantaa,2 City of Helsinki Environment Center, FIN-00530 Helsinki,3 and HUCH Diagnostics, Mycological Laboratory,4 and Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases,5 Helsinki University Central Hospital, FIN-00250 Helsinki, Finland

Received 7 September 1999/Accepted 1 March 2000

We analyzed 79 bulk samples of moldy interior finishes from Finnish buildings with moisture problems for 17 mycotoxins, as well as for fungi that could be isolated using one medium and one set of growth conditions. We found the aflatoxin precursor, sterigmatocystin, in 24% of the samples and trichothecenes in 19% of the samples. Trichothecenes found included satratoxin G or H in five samples; diacetoxyscirpenol in five samples; and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol, verrucarol, or T-2-tetraol in an additional five samples. Citrinine was found in three samples. Aspergillus versicolor was present in most sterigmatocystin-containing samples, and Stachybotrys spp. were present in the samples where satratoxins were found. In many cases, however, the presence of fungi thought to produce the mycotoxins was not correlated with the presence of the expected compounds. However, when mycotoxins were found, some toxigenic fungi usually were present, even if the species originally responsible for producing the mycotoxin was not isolated. We conclude that the identification and enumeration of fungal species present in bulk materials are important to verify the severity of mold damage but that chemical analyses are necessary if the goal is to establish the presence of mycotoxins in moldy materials.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Uusimaa Regional Institute, Arinatie 3 A, FIN-00370 Helsinki, Finland. Phone: 358-9-4747926. Fax: 358-9-5061087. E-mail: tapani.tuomi{at}occuphealth.fi.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2000, p. 1899-1904, Vol. 66, No. 5
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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