Microbial growth inside insulated external walls as an indoor air biocontamination source.
The association between moisture-related microbial growth (mesophilic fungi and bacteria) within insulated exterior walls and microbial concentrations in the indoor air was studied. The studied apartment buildings with precast concrete external walls were situated in a subarctic zone. Actinomycetes in the insulation layer were found to have increased concentrations in the indoor air. The moisture content of the indoor air significantly affected all measurable airborne concentrations.
Pessi
Anna-Mari
AM
Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland. anna-mari.pessi@utu.fi
Suonketo
Jommi
J
Pentti
Matti
M
Kurkilahti
Mika
M
Peltola
Kaija
K
Rantio-Lehtimäki
Auli
A
D000192:Actinomycetales / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000391:Air Microbiology; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003081:Cold Climate; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000382:microbiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006798:Housing