Molds and mycotoxins in dust from water-damaged homes in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina

Abstract

Dust collected in New Orleans homes mold-contaminated because of the flooding after hurricane Katrina was analyzed for molds and mycotoxins. The mycoflora was studied by cultivation and quantitative PCR for selected molds. The most commonly found mold taxa were Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Verrucarol, a hydrolysis product of macrocyclic trichothecenes predominately produced by Stachybotrys spp. was identified in three dust sam- ples by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and sterigmatocystin (produced by various Aspergillus spp.) was found in two samples by high pres- sure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This is the first dem- onstration of mycotoxins in Katrina-associated dust samples. The analytical

Part of Mold & water-damaged buildings research, Mycotoxins research · Curated by Lauren Lowenstein, The Biotoxin Lady