Detection of Airborne
Stachybotrys chartarum Macrocyclic Trichothecene Mycotoxins in the Indoor Environment
T. L. Brasel, J. M. Martin, C. G. Carriker, S. C. Wilson, and D. C. Straus* Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas 79430
Received 9 March 2005/ Accepted 12 July 2005
The existence of airborne mycotoxins in mold-contaminated buildingshas long been hypothesized to be a potential occupant healthrisk. However, little work has been done to demonstrate thepresence of these compounds in such environments. The presenceof airborne macrocyclic trichothecene mycotoxins in indoor environmentswith known
Stachybotrys chartarum contamination was thereforeinvestigated. In seven buildings, air was collected using ahigh-volume liquid impaction bioaerosol sampler (SpinCon PAS450-10) under static or disturbed conditions.
An additionalbuilding was sampled using an Andersen GPS-1 PUF sampler modifiedto separate and collect particulates smaller than conidia. Fourcontrol buildings (i.e., no detectable
S. chartarum growth orhistory of water damage) and outdoor air were also tested. Sampleswere analyzed using a macrocyclic trichothecene-specific enzyme-linkedimmunosorbent assay (ELISA). ELISA specificity was tested usingphosphate-buffered saline extracts of the fungal genera
Aspergillus,
Chaetomium,
Cladosporium,
Fusarium,
Memnoniella,
Penicillium,
Rhizopus, and
Trichoderma, five
Stachybotrys strains, and theindoor air allergens Can f 1, Der p 1, and Fel d 1.
For testbuildings, the results showed that detectable toxin concentrationsincreased with the sampling time and short periods of air disturbance.Trichothecene values ranged from <10 to >1,300 pg/m
3 ofsampled air. The control environments demonstrated statisticallysignificantly (
P < 0.001) lower levels of airborne trichothecenes.ELISA specificity experiments demonstrated a high specificityfor the trichothecene-producing strain of
S. chartarum. Ourdata indicate that airborne macrocyclic trichothecenes can existin
Stachybotrys-contaminated buildings, and this should be takeninto consideration in future indoor air quality investigations.
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