Application of the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index in Finland.

Martin Täubel,Juha Pekkanen,Anne M Karvonen,Anne Hyvärinen,Stephen Vesper,Tiina Reponen,C A Elkins

doi:10.1128/aem.02785-15

Abstract

The environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI) metric was previously developed to quantify mold contamination in U.S. homes. This study determined the applicability of the ERMI for quantifying mold and moisture damage in Finnish residences. Homes of the LUKAS2 birth cohort in Finland were visually inspected for moisture damage and mold, and vacuumed floor dust samples were collected. An ERMI analysis including 36 mold-specific quantitative PCR assays was performed on the dust samples (n = 144), and the ERMI metric was analyzed against inspection-based observations of moisture damage and mold. Our results show that the ERMI was significantly associated with certain observations of visible mold in Finnish homes but not with moisture damage. Several mold species occurred more frequently and at higher levels in Finnish than in U.S. homes. Modification of the ERMI toward Finnish conditions, using a subsample of LUKAS2 homes with and without moisture damage, resulted in a simplified metric based on 10 mold species. The Finnish ERMI (FERMI) performed substantially better in quantifying moisture and mold damage in Finnish homes, showing significant associations with various observations of visible mold, strongest when the damage was located in the child's main living area, as well as with mold odor and moisture damage. As shown in Finland, the ERMI as such is not equally well usable in different climates and geographic regions but may be remodeled to account for local outdoor and indoor fungal conditions as well as for moisture damage characteristics in a given country.

Highlights

IntroductionA study relying on standardized building inspections reported signs of current or previous moisture fault in 80% of residences, with Ͼ50% of these homes being in need of repair [1]
Moisture problems in Finnish homes are common
We show a basic agreement of the environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI) with inspection-confirmed, visible mold observations in Finnish homes but not with moisture damage

Summary

Introduction

A study relying on standardized building inspections reported signs of current or previous moisture fault in 80% of residences, with Ͼ50% of these homes being in need of repair [1]. The ERMI metric has been used in many studies in the United States as a predictor of moisture damage, mold contamination, and asthma [12,13,14,15]. The categorization of the ERMI mold species and groups into water damage (group 1) and normal background (group 2) molds was developed in a restricted sample of moisture-damaged and reference homes in a confined geographical area in the United States (Cleveland, OH) [11]. The applicability of the ERMI metric in different countries or regions with differences in climatic conditions, building stocks, and characteristics of moisture damage and mold con-

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