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Effect of duct-cleaning detergents and disinfection substances on mould growth

Pasanen, P., Pasanen, A. L., Luoma, M., and Kalliokoski, P.
1993
Operating and maintaining buildings for health, comfort and productivity. Proceedings IAQ '93, Philadelphia, November , Teichman K Y Ed., ASHRAE, 139-142, 3 tabs, refs, ISBN 1 883413 13 3
duct cleaning, chemical cleaners, mould, fungus

Pasanen, P., Pasanen, A. L., Luoma, M., and Kalliokoski, P., (1993), "Effect of duct-cleaning detergents and disinfection substances on mould growth", Operating and maintaining buildings for health, comfort and productivity. Proceedings IAQ '93, Philadelphia, November , Teichman K Y Ed., ASHRAE, 139-142, 3 tabs, refs, ISBN 1 883413 13 3.
Abstract:
The accumulation of dust including fungi in ventilation ducts may diminish comfort or cause health problems. If moisture is available in ducts, microrganisms may proliferate rapidly in dust. Therefore, air ducts are usually cleaned periodically to diminish these problems. In addition to detergents, disinfectants are often used to enhance the cleaning efficiency. In this study, the effects of seven commercial cleaning and disinfecting agents were tested against the growth of Penicillium verrucosum, Aspergillus veriscolor, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Aureubasidium pullulans on agar. Three dilutions of each substance were made for the test; one or two of the dilutions were adjusted to the concentration range recommended by manufacturers. Ethyl alcohol (70%) and distilled water were used as controls. The diameters of inhibition areas were measured after four and ten days from the addition of substances. The inhibition effect of the substances varied with different strains. Penicillium verrucosum was the most tolerant fungus and none of the tested products had a long-term effect (10 days) on its growth. A. pulllulans was the weakest fungus against the substances. The effect of the highest concentration of six substances was stronger than that of ethanol (70%), but even their inhibition effect decreased with time. The lowest concentration of two substances had only a slight influence on mould growth. Thus, duct-cleaning agents seem to provide only short-term protection against fungal growth in ducts.

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Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Pasanen, P.
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland
  1. Can microbial volatile metabolites cause irritation at indoor air concentrations?
  2. Ergosterol content in various fungal species and biocontaminated building materials
  3. Fungal growth on wood surfaces at different moisture conditions in crawl spaces
  4. Fungal spore transport through a building structure
  5. Growth and volatile metabolite production of Aspergillus versicolor in house dust
  6. Microbial contamination of indoor air due to leakages from crawl space- a field study
  7. Significance of air humidity and air velocity for fungal spore release into the air
  8. Transport of fungal spores from crawl space to indoors
  9. Volatile compounds originating from mixed microbial cultures on building materials under various humidity conditions
  10. Volatile organic metabolites associated with some toxic fungi end their mycotoxins  
Pasanen, A. L.
Anna-Liisa Pasanen Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland. Phone: 358 17 163 157. Fax: 358 17 163 230. E-mail: annal.pasanen@uku.fi.
  1. A review: fungal exposure assessment in indoor environments
  2. Airborne mesophilici fungal spores in various residential environments
  3. Can microbial volatile metabolites cause irritation at indoor air concentrations?
  4. Critical aspects on the significance of microbial volatile metabolites as indoor air pollutants
  5. Ergosterol content in various fungal species and biocontaminated building materials
  6. Evaluation of indoor fungal exposure
  7. Fungal growth and survival in building materials under fluctuating moisture and temperature conditions
  8. Fungal microcolonies on indoor surfaces an explanation for the base-level fungal spore counts in indoor air
  9. Growth and volatile metabolite production of Aspergillus versicolor in house dust
  10. Occurrence and moisture requirements of microbial growth in building materials
  11. Sensory irritating potency of some microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) and a mixture of five MVOCs
  12. Sensory irritation of microbially produced volatile organic compounds in mice during repeated exposures
  13. Significance of air humidity and air velocity for fungal spore release into the air
  14. The relationship between measured moisture conditions and fungal concentrations in water-damaged building materials
  15. Volatile metabolites of Serpula lacrymans, Coniophora puteana, Poria placenta, Stachybotrys chartarum and Chaetomium globosum
  16. Volatile organic metabolites associated with some toxic fungi end their mycotoxins  
Luoma, M.
  1. Characterization of particulate emissions from occupant activities in offices  
Kalliokoski, P.
  1. Control of exposure to airborne viable microorganisms during remediation of moldy buildings; report of three case studies
  2. Ergosterol content in various fungal species and biocontaminated building materials
  3. Fungal microcolonies on indoor surfaces an explanation for the base-level fungal spore counts in indoor air
  4. Moisture conditions and fungi in wood and wood based material samples collected from damp buildings
  5. Significance of air humidity and air velocity for fungal spore release into the air  


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