The release of Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Penicillium melinii spores from agar and ceiling tile surfaces was tested under different controlled environmental conditions using a newly designed and constructed aerosolization chamber, This study revealed that all the investigated parameters, such as fungal species, air velocity above the surface, texture of the surface, and vibration of contaminated material, affected the fungal spore release. It was found that typical indoor air currents can release up to 200 spores cm(-2) from surfaces with fungal spores during 30-min experiments. The release of fungal spores from smooth agar surfaces was found to be inadequate for accurately predicting the emission from rough ceiling tile surfaces because the air turbulence increases the spore release from a rough surface. A vibration at a frequency of 1 Hz at a power level of 14 W resulted in a significant increase in the spore release rate. The release appears to depend on the morphology of the fungal colonies grown on ceiling tile surfaces including the thickness of conidiophores, the length of spore chains, and the shape of spores. The spores were found to be released continuously during each 30-min experiment. However, the release rate was usually highest during the first few minutes of exposure to air currents and mechanical vibration. About 71-88% of the spores released during a 30-min interval became airborne during the first 10 min.

• fungi: aerobiology, dispersion of spores,
• fungi: spore, aerosol

1. Filamentous microorganisms and their fragments in indoor air - A review
2. Fungal fragments as indoor air biocontaminants  

1. Aerosol characteristics of airborne actinomycetes and fungi
2. Bioaerosol collection by a new electrostatic precipitator
3. Characteristics of airborne actinomycete spores
4. Collection of airborne microorganisms by a new electrostatic precipitator
5. Collection of bioaerosol particles by impaction: effect of fungal spore agglomeration and bounce
6. Collection of fungal spores on air filters and spore reentrainment from filters into air
7. Development and evaluation of aerosol generators for biological materials
8. Effect of impact stress on microbial recovery on an agar surface
9. Effect of relative humidity on the aerodynamic diameter and respiratory deposition of fungal spores
10. Evaluation of a new personal sampler for enumerating airborne spores
11. Fungal fragments as indoor air biocontaminants
12. Improved aerosol collection by combined impaction and centrifugal motion
13. Inlet sampling efficiency of bioaerosol samplers
14. Long-term sampling of airbome bacteria and fungi into a non-evaporating liquid
15. Performance characteristics of the button personal inhalable aerosol sampler
16. Performance of Air-O-Cell, Burkard, and Button samplers for total enumeration of airborne spores
17. Performance of bioaerosol samplers: collection characteristics and sampler design considerations
18. Release of lead-containing particles from a wall enclosure
19. Release of Streptomyces albus propagules from contaminated surfaces
20. Techniques for dispersion of microorganisms into air