title: Identification of volatile markers for indoor fungal growth and chemotaxonomic classification of Aspergillus species.
abstract: Microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) were collected in water-damaged buildings to evaluate their use as possible indicators of indoor fungal growth. Fungal species isolated from contaminated buildings were screened for MVOC production on malt extract agar by means of headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Some sesquiterpenes, specifically derived from fungal growth, were detected in the sampled environments and the corresponding fungal producers were identified. Statistical analysis of the detected MVOC profiles allowed the identification of species-specific MVOCs or MVOC patterns for Aspergillus versicolor group, Aspergillus ustus, and Eurotium amstelodami. In addition, Chaetomium spp. and Epicoccum spp. were clearly differentiated by their volatile production from a group of 76 fungal strains belonging to different genera. These results are useful in the chemotaxonomic discrimination of fungal species, in aid to the classical morphological and molecular identification techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. vivipolizzi@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Polizzi
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Svetlana V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Malysheva
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Saeger
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Peteghem
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Picco
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Kimpe
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D005658:Fungi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006798:Housing; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015415:Biomarkers; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds