Characterization of Mold and Moisture Indicators in the Home

Abstract

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 1: 826–839 ISSN: 1545-9624 print / 1545-9632 online Copyright c ⃝2004 JOEH, LLC DOI: 10.1080/15459620490890332 Characterization of Mold and Moisture Indicators in the Home Negar Mahooti-Brooks,1 Eileen Storey,1 Chin Yang,2 Nancy J. Simcox,1 William Turner,3 and Michael Hodgson4 1University of Connecticut Health Center, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 2P&K Micriobiology Services, Inc., Cherry Hill, New Jersey 3Turner Building Science, LLC, The H.L. Turner Group Inc., Concord, New Hampshire 4Veterans Health Administration, Occupational Health Program, Washington, D.C. As studies increasingly support the presence of health risks associated with mold and moisture, understanding fungal con- centrations and physical measurements as they relate to the microenvironment becomes more important. We conducted a cross-sectional study in the homes of 64 subjects. The primary objective of this study was to use trained inspectors’ list of indicators in rooms (bathroom, bedroom, and basement) and determine whether these indicators are associated with higher fungal levels or physical measurements. A new category for combining the concentrations of fungal species, referred to as moisture indicator fungi (MIF), is used in the analysis. Our results show that basements with a musty odor, efflorescence, water sources, or mold have a two- to threefold increase in fungalconcentrationsoverbasementswithouttheseindicators. The regression model for the basement was highly predictive of indoor MIF concentrations (r2 = .446, p = .017). Basement water sources are substantial predictors of indoor total fungi, MIF, and Aspergillus/Penicillium spp. MIF concentrations are higher in homes with basement water sources, and most no- tably, the increase in MIF concentrations is significant in other living spaces (bathroom and bedroom) of the dwelling. Base- ment water sources are important moisture/mold indicators