Patterns in Volatile Organic Compounds in Dust from Moldy Buildings

Abstract

Abstract Of the ca. 80 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified from moldy building materials, 40 were identified as possible microbial metabolites or their derivatives. Thermal desorption of dust from visibly mold-contaminated rooms resulted in the identification of 55 tentative microbial VOCs (MVOCs). Principal component analysis of peak areas for 20 W O C s from dust samples allowed the classification of rooms according to their contamination by mold growth. Bacterial flora in the dust was similar for mold-contaminated and control rooms and only a few actinomycete colonies were observed. Mold flora in dust from moldy rooms was dominated by Penicillium commune(palitans), P. chrysogenum and Aspergillus versicolor. Some MVOCs (or their derivatives) from moldy building materials were also identified in dust from mold-infested rooms and from pure cultures of the three dominant mold species grown on a rich laboratory substrate.