Abstract
This field study investigated the relationship between indoor and outdoor concentrations of airborne actinomycetes, fungal spores, and pollen. Air samples were collected for 24 h with a button inhalable aerosol sampler inside and outside of six single-family homes located in the Cincinnati area (overall, 15 pairs of samples were taken in each home). The measurements were conducted during three seasons - spring and fall 2004, and winter 2005. The concentration of culturable actinomycetes was mostly below the detection limit. The median indoor/outdoor ratio (I/O) for actinomycetes was the highest: 2.857. The indoor of fungal and pollen concentrations followed the outdoor concentrations while indoor levels were mostly lower than the outdoor ones. The I/O ratio of total fungal spores (median = 0.345) in six homes was greater than that of pollen grains (median = 0.025). The low I/O ratios obtained for pollen during the peak ambient pollination season (spring) suggest that only a small fraction penetrated from outdoor to indoor environment. This is attributed to the larger size of pollen grains. Higher indoor concentration levels and variability in the I/O ratio observed for airborne fungi may be associated with indoor sources and/or higher outdoor-to-indoor penetration of fungal spores compared to pollen grains.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 37-47 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Indoor Air |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 2006 |
Scopus Subject Areas
- Environmental Engineering
- Building and Construction
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Keywords
- Bacteria
- Bioaerosol
- Exposure
- Fungal spore
- Indoor
- Outdoor
- Pollen
