MICROBIAL ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING IN MUSEUMS: PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION OF GRAPHIC COLLECTIONS (original) (raw)
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Significance of air humidity and air velocity for fungal spore release into the air
Atmospheric Environment. Part A. General Topics, 1991
Our previous field studies have shown that the presence of molds in buildings does not necessarily mean elevated airborne spore counts. Therefore, we investigated the release of fungal spores from cultures of Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium sp. and Cladosporium sp. at different air velocities and air humidities. Spores of A. fumigatus and Penicillium sp. were released from conidiophores already at air velocity of 0.5 m s -t, whereas Cladosporium spores required at least a velocity of t.0 m s -z. Airborne spore counts of A. fumigatus and Penicillium sp. were usually higher in dry than moist air, being minimal at relative humidities (r.h.) above 70%, while the effect of r.h. on the release of Cladosporium sp. was ambivalent. The geometric mean diameter of released spores increased when the r.h. exceeded a certain level which depends on fungal genus. Thus, spores of all three fungi were hygroscopic but the hygroscopicity of various spores appeared at different r.h.-ranges. This study indicates that spore release is controlled by external factors and depends on fungal genus which can be one reason for considerable variation of airborne spore counts in buildings with mold problems.
Fungal Growth and Aerosolization from Various Conditions and Materials
Fungal Infection, 2019
Microorganisms, especially fungi, from damp indoor environments are known to be one of the main causes of degradation of indoor air quality and can pose serious health hazard to occupants because of the production of airborne particles. Particles produced during microbial growth include both living and non-living particles, which can be submicrometer in size. Individuals are exposed to fungi from various sources and in various conditions. The exposure may occur when the fungi grow in hidden areas and on materials that are in common areas and released under various conditions. The proliferation of fungi detected in a particular area depends on the species of fungi, the growth material and the conditions under which they are grown and released. Fungi aerosolized from any growth material include intact spores, which grow when deposited on favorable material surfaces and other fragments of the growth ranging from a few millimeters to micrometers in size. The types and amounts of intact spores and fragments aerosolized depend on factors such as air velocity blowing over the growth surface, the type of substrate, type of fungi, and relative humidity of the growth and the age of the fungal growth.
A microbial survey of the museal airborne fungal biodeteriogens
2017
espanolTangible cultural heritage is exposed to multiple environmental risk factors able to affect its integrity and cultural function. Such factors are physical, chemical and also microbiological. Fungal biodeterioration is known to cause aesthetical and structural damage to materials, the effect increasing in the case of improper depositing or accidents like floods or water leakage. At the same time, air contamination with different fungal spores can add more a risking factor for heritage goods safety. Tracing of air biocontamination has a double significance: protection of museum` workers health from hazardous bio-aerosols and the control of the presence of biodeteriogens able to decompose museum pieces. The present paper will present the methodology used for the detection of the fungal species in the air of an ethnographical museum in Romania, in storage rooms, as well as in exposition rooms. Preliminary results show the predominance of fungal genera with known cellulolytic acti...
International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2013
and the role of environmental conditions. Aeromycological study in university libraries. The role of environmental conditions. Aeromycological study in university libraries. An approach to the relationship between the fungal spore concentrations in air and the environmental conditions. ABSTRACT The fungal spore concentration (FSC) in air is a risk for human health. This work studied the FSC in university libraries and the effect of environmental factors on it. A total de 347 samples were obtained using a Microbio MB2 ® Aerosol Sampler. The wind speed (WS), cross wind (CW), temperature (T), relative humidity (HR), barometric pressure (BP) and dew point (DP), were recorded with a weather station Kestrel ® 4500. The data analysis found a negative correlation between FSC and BP, HR, and DP; a positive correlation between FSC and WS and CW; while the parameter T showed negative or positive correlation with FSC, depending on region or sampling time. Eleven fungal genera were found and three identified as Aspergillus niger, A. tamarii and A.orizae. It was concluded that environmental variables can change differently the FSC in air representing a risk to people's health.
Viable and not viable spore concentrations in National Gallery of Umbria (Italy)
2021
The conservation actions towards artworks holding a common patrimony for the community are of primary importance, but also those related to their "container" as museums, libraries or archives are to consider. Fungal spores and bacteria carried by air flows to the artwork surface can colonize it causing biodeterioration through physical and/or chemical alterations of the materials with the irreversible loss of their value. The quality control of the indoor air surrounding the historic building is essential, as well as for the protection and conservation of the artwork, also for the protection of the health of operators and visitors. The aim of this study was to monitor airborne fungal particles, through volumetric spore traps, for improving the knowledge about the conservation and protection of artworks in the museum environment analysing the principal relationships between indoor environmental conditions and potentially biodeteriogen fungal spore growth. The evidence of no...
Aerosol Science and Technology, 1995
The aerodynamic size distributions of particles of major fungal genera or groups, i.e., Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and yeasts, were studied in real exposure situations in mold problem and reference dwellings. A new calculation method was used to estimate respiratory deposition of fungal particles on the basis of the measured data. The major fungal genera had their maximum concentrations in the size range 2.1-3.3 pm, where alveolar deposition for particles > 0.5 p m also has a maximum. According to respiratory deposition calculations for the most obvious breathing patterns in the home environment, 30%-50% of fungal particles would he deposited in the nose and 30%-40% in the alveoli during nasal breathing, whereas 70% would be deposited in the alveoli during oral breathing. More Aspergillus species spores were estimated to deposit in the alveoli for occupants of mold problem versus reference dwellings whereas for yeasts the situation was reversed. Comparison of airborne fungal particle concentrations and numbers of deposited particles between mold problem and reference dwellings indicated that more accurate estimation of exposure to fungal particles is possible if one considers both particle concentration and size. (> 5 pm) fungal particles (e.g., Altemaria spp.) deposited in the nasal or extrathoracic regions of the respiratory system. On the other hand, allergic alveolitis requires small fungal particles (< 5 pm, e.g., Aspergillus spp.) that penetrate to the alveoli (Lacey and Crook, 1988; Burge, 1989). The physical diameters of fungal particles are well known, e.g., Penicillium chtysogenum is 3-4 p m in length and 2.8-3.8 p m in width (Samson and van Reenen-Hoekstra, 1988). However, d, determines fungal particle transport in air,
Grana, 2008
Historical collections held in ancient archives and libraries constitute a cultural and artistic heritage of inestimable value. These collections contain a series of organic materials which may alter and perish in time, especially if they are conserved in inadequate environmental conditions and without any specific precautionary devices to protect them from damage caused by chemical, biological and physical factors. It is essential to prevent 'at risk' situations to conserve library and archive heritage. Early detection of fungal spores and moulds in conservation environments will permit us to intervene at the infection site at the right moment and also to detect the micro-environments where climatic parameters are not suitable for conservation purposes.
Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2018
Biodeterioration is a topic of ever-growing concern and is particularly relevant in the context of cultural heritage conservation, since artworks and monuments provide diversified ecological niches for microorganism colonization. Despite all the gathered knowledge in recent years, current established norms and accepted contamination thresholds have a prominent focus on human health and air quality preservation. Nonetheless they still are not enough or are not adequately applied for cultural heritage preservation. In the light of this study within a very important Museum from Coimbra (Portugal), the current knowledge and accepted norms are discussed. Despite the meticulous control of environmental parameters inside this art repository, the presence of fungal colonies was unexpectedly detected on wooden sculptures and paintings that were deposited inside a custom-built room. Contaminated art objects were sampled for fungal isolation and identification, along with seasonal indoor air sampling, for a one-year period. Molecular biology methods complemented with morphological observation were used for the identification of fungal organisms. Direct sampling of 8 contaminated paintings allowed the retrieval of 10 fungal isolates (3 different genera and 4 different species). In addition, 19 fungal isolates (5 different genera and 9 different species) were retrieved from 7 contaminated wooden sculptures. The air sampling process provided a total of 150 isolates (24 different genera and 43 different species), from which the most common genera were Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium, and the most frequent species were Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Penicillium copticola and P. corylophilum. Although the number of airborne CFU was considerably low in all seasons, some fungal species with known biodeterioration capability and adverse human health effects were found. The relevance of air contamination monitoring as a single tool for biodeterioration risk assessment is discussed, as are the currently available norms and recommendations. Preventive measures are advised and considerations are made regarding potentially more effective approaches.
Determination of fungal spore release from wet building materials
Indoor Air, 2003
The release and transport of fungal spores from water-damaged building materials is a key factor for understanding the exposure to particles of fungal origin as a possible cause of adverse health effects associated to growth of fungi indoors. In this study, the release of spores from nine species of typical indoor fungi has been measured under controlled conditions. The fungi were cultivated for a period of 4-6 weeks on sterilized wet wallpapered gypsum boards at a relative humidity (RH) of approximately 97%. A specially designed small chamber (P-FLEC) was placed on the gypsum board. The release of fungal spores was induced by well-defined jets of air impacting from rotating nozzles. The spores and other particles released from the surface were transported by the air flowing from the chamber through a top outlet to a particle counter and sizer. For two of the fungi (Penicillium chrysogenum and Trichoderma harzianum), the number of spores produced on the gypsum board and subsequently released was quantified. Also the relationship between air velocities from 0.3 to 3 m/s over the surface and spore release has been measured. The method was found to give very reproducible results for each fungal isolate, whereas the spore release is very different for different fungi under identical conditions. Also, the relationship between air velocity and spore release depends on the fungus. For some fungi a significant number of particles smaller than the spore size were released. The method applied in the study may also be useful for field studies and for generation of spores for exposure studies.