The aim of this study was to compare the personal exposure to particles and bioaerosols with that measured by stationary samplers in the main microenvironments, i.e., the home and the workplace. A random sample of 81 elementary school teachers was selected from the 823 teachers working for two councils in eastern Finland for the winter time measurement period. Bioaerosol and other particles were collected on filters by button samplers using personal sampling and microenvironmental measurements in homes and workplaces. The 24-hour sampling period was repeated twice for each teacher. Particle mass, absorption coefficient of the filter and the concentration of viable and total microorganisms were analyzed from each filter. In this paper, the study design, quality assurance principles and results of particle and bioaerosol exposure are described. The results show that particle mass concentrations, absorption coefficient and fungi were higher in personal exposure samples than in home and workplace samples. Furthermore, these concentrations were usually lower in the home than in the workplace. Bacterial concentrations were highest in heavily populated workplaces, while the viable fungi concentrations were lowest in workplaces. The fungi and bacteria results showed high variation, which emphasises the importance of quality assurance (duplicates and field blanks) in the microbial field measurements. Our results indicate that personal exposure measurements of bioaerosols in indoor environments are feasible and supplement the information obtained by stationary samplers.

• fungi: assessment, sampling and analysis
• fungi: spore, aerosol

1. An approach to management of critical indoor air problems in school buildings
2. Effect of building frame and moisture damage on microbiological indoor air quality in school buildings
3. Induction of Cytotoxicity and Production of Inflammatory Mediators in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Spores Grown on Six Different Plasterboards
4. Isolation and identification of Aspergillus fumigatus mycotoxins on growth medium and some building materials  

1. Aerodynamic diameters and respiratory deposition estimates of viable fungal particles in mold problem dwellings
2. Aerodynamic versus physical size of spores: measurement and implication for respiratory deposition
3. Aerosol characteristics of airborne actinomycetes and fungi
4. Bioaerosol collection by a new electrostatic precipitator
5. Characteristics of airborne actinomycete spores
6. Collection of airborne microorganisms by a new electrostatic precipitator
7. Collection of airborne spores by circular single-stage impactors with small jet-to-plate distance
8. Collection of bioaerosol particles by impaction: effect of fungal spore agglomeration and bounce
9. Collection of fungal spores on air filters and spore reentrainment from filters into air
10. Comparison of concentrations and size distributions of fungal spores in buildings with and without mould problems
11. Control of exposure to airborne viable microorganisms during remediation of moldy buildings; report of three case studies
12. Development and evaluation of aerosol generators for biological materials
13. Effect of building frame and moisture damage on microbiological indoor air quality in school buildings
14. Effect of indoor sources on fungal spore concentrations and size distributions
15. Effect of relative humidity on the aerodynamic diameter and respiratory deposition of fungal spores
16. Evaluation of a new personal sampler for enumerating airborne spores
17. Everyday activities and variation of fungal spore concentrations in indoor air
18. Field Testing of New Aerosol Sampling Method With a Porous Curved Surface as Inlet
19. Fungal fragments as indoor air biocontaminants
20. Fungal spore source strength tester: laboratory evaluation of a new concept
21. Long-term sampling of airbome bacteria and fungi into a non-evaporating liquid
22. Performance of Air-O-Cell, Burkard, and Button samplers for total enumeration of airborne spores
23. Release of Streptomyces albus propagules from contaminated surfaces
24. Size distributions of airborne microbes in moisture-damaged and reference school buildings of two construction types
25. Techniques for dispersion of microorganisms into air
26. Total and culturable airborne bacteria and fungi in arid region flood-damaged residences
27. Viable fungal spores as indoor aerosols  

1. An approach to management of critical indoor air problems in school buildings
2. Analysis of moisture findings in the interior spaces of Finnish housing stock
3. Comparison of concentrations and size distributions of fungal spores in buildings with and without mould problems
4. Comparison of two-level and three-level classifications of moisture-damaged dwellings in relation to health effects
5. Control of exposure to airborne viable microorganisms during remediation of moldy buildings; report of three case studies
6. Effect of building frame and moisture damage on microbiological indoor air quality in school buildings
7. Effect of growth medium on potential of Streptomyces anulatus spores to induce inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity in RAW264.7 macrophages
8. Effect of indoor sources on fungal spore concentrations and size distributions
9. Effect of liner and core materials of plasterboard on microbial growth, spore-induced inflammatory responses, and cytotoxicity in macrophages
10. Everyday activities and variation of fungal spore concentrations in indoor air
11. Fungal spores as such do not cause nasal inflammation in mold exposure
12. Fungi and actinobacteria in moisture-damaged building materials - concentrations and diversity
13. Indoor air microbes and respiratory symptoms of children in moisture damaged and reference schools
14. Induction of Cytotoxicity and Production of Inflammatory Mediators in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Spores Grown on Six Different Plasterboards
15. Inlet sampling efficiency of bioaerosol samplers
16. Knowledge-based and statistically modeled relationships between residential moisture damage and occupant reported health symptoms
17. Microbes and moisture content of materials from damaged building
18. Moisture, mold and health in apartment homes
19. Performance of bioaerosol samplers: collection characteristics and sampler design considerations
20. Size distributions of airborne microbes in moisture-damaged and reference school buildings of two construction types
21. Skin-prick test findings in students from moisture- and mould-damaged schools: A 3-year follow-up study
22. Temporal and spatial variation of fungal concentrations in indoor air
23. The relationship between moisture or mould observations in houses and the state of health of their occupants
24. Validity of detection of microbial growth in buildings by trained dogs