Purpose: This study analyzes airborne fungal spore data collected from 1,200 indoor environments to examine correlations between airborne spore concentration and surface mold growth in the same environments.
Methods: Sampling of airborne fungal spores was performed using a slit impaction method. Fungal spores in the air stream were collected onto glass slides. In the laboratory, the glass slide containing the sampling media were examined with optical light microscopy. Fungal spores were counted and identified and results were expressed as spores per cubic meter of air. Surface microbial samples were taken from the same indoor environment and categorized into various groups according to the levels of contamination. Using this method, 1,200 air and surface samples were taken and analyzed, and relationships between the two data sets were assessed.
Results: This study showed that there was a close correlation between onsite of surface mold growth and elevated airborne spore level. The data indicated that the detection of significant levels of airborne Aspergillus, Penicillium, Chaetomium, and Stachybotrys spores were a good indication of surface mold growth in the environment.
Significance: Surface microbial growth is an undesirable condition for food manufacturers. However, some surface microbial growth may be hidden or behind walls, making in time detection difficult. This study shows that sampling of airborne fungal spores may be helpful to locate hidden mold growth and assess microbial air quality.