title: Applicability of the environmental relative moldiness index for quantification of residential mold contamination in an air pollution health effects study.
abstract: The Near-Road Exposures and Effects of Urban Air Pollutants Study (NEXUS) investigated the impact of exposure to traffic-related air pollution on the respiratory health of asthmatic children in Detroit, Michigan. Since indoor mold exposure may also contribute to asthma, floor dust samples were collected in participants homes (n = 112) to assess mold contamination using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI). The repeatability of the ERMI over time, as well as ERMI differences between rooms and dust collection methods, was evaluated for insights into the application of the ERMI metric. ERMI values for the standard settled floor dust samples had a mean ± standard deviation of 14.5 ± 7.9, indicating high levels of mold contamination. ERMI values for samples collected from the same home 1 to 7 months apart (n = 52) were consistent and without systematic bias. ERMI values for separate bedroom and living room samples were highly correlated (r = 0.69, n = 66). Vacuum bag dust ERMI values were lower than for floor dust but correlated (r = 0.58, n = 28). These results support the use of the ERMI to evaluate residential mold exposure as a confounder in air pollution health effects studies.
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6092-215X
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West M. L. King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vesper
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batterman
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6749-1252
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vette
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godwin
authors.affiliation: Community Action Against Asthma Partner, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chavez-Camarena
authors.affiliation: National Exposure Research Laboratory, United States Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002947:Cities; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust