Fungal genera identified from flooded wall cavities
Jenkins,L.C., and B. S., Sierck
2001
In "Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins: Health Effects, Assessment, Prevention and Control", Edited by Johanning, E., Boyd Printing, Albany, New York
water damaged walls, water intrusion, drywall, stud bay, fungal genera, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium.
Jenkins,L.C., and B. S., Sierck, (2001), "Fungal genera identified from flooded wall cavities", In "Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins: Health Effects, Assessment, Prevention and Control", Edited by Johanning, E., Boyd Printing, Albany, New York.
| ABSTRACT
Field investigators are often confronted with the situation of evaluating whether or not fungal amplification is present on the back side of drywall in walls which have sustained a moisture intrusion. When there is no visible source of fungal growth in a room with higher than expected levels of culturable fungi and a pathway exists for migration of fungal spores into the room, growth on the interior of the wall cavity must be considered. This study was conducted to assess if culturable air sampling of wall cavities is a valuable tool to assist in making this determination.
The fungal genera present in the wall cavities were determined by collecting air samples through a hole in the wall with an Anderson N6 stage impaction sampler on selective media with laboratory analysis. The goal of the study was to determine the fungal genera present in the inside of the wall cavities which have sustained a moisture intrusion (flood) and compare them to the fungal genera in wall cavities which have not sustained a water intrusion (non flooded).
The analysis results showed an increase in the total colony counts and a significant shift from Cladosporium species to Aspergillus/Penicillium species in the wall cavities which had sustained the water intrusion. Statistically, in the flooded wall cavities, the sum of Aspergillus and Penicillium is higher by more than three times the standard deviation. |
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Related Concepts
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Related Resources:
 Bioaerosols, Fungi and Mycotoxins, Ed. by Johanning, E.
"papers presented at the September, 1998 Third International Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York. clinical and epidemiological studies and technical reports on an emerging public health topic affecting people in indoor environments at work and at home."
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