Airborne fungi as biocontaminants at two Milan underground stations

• Published in: International biodeterioration & biodegradation Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 43 - 47
• Main Authors: Picco, Anna Maria, Rodolfi, Marinella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Barking Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air fungal spora; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Alternaria; Biological and medical sciences; Cladosporium; Cryptococcus neoformans; Environment. Living conditions; Epicoccum; Indoor aerobiology; Italy, Milan; Medical sciences; Milan underground stations; Penicillium; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Italy; Europe; Milan underground stations; Air fungal spora; Indoor aerobiology; Fungi; Cryptococcus neoformans; Penicillium; Cladosporium; Alternaria; Aerosols; Fungi Imperfecti; Air; Subway station; Biological contamination; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0964-8305; 1879-0208
• DOI: 10.1016/S0964-8305(00)00047-0

The viable or culturable air spora of two Milan underground stations and of the squares above has been investigated during a one-year study. Aerobiological data were collected by semi-quantitative method. Outdoor results show the presence of four dominant genera, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Epicoccum and Alternaria, whose presence varied throughout the year. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated in Duomo Square. Indoor sampling shows to what extent the mycoflora of an indoor environment can depend both on the fungal spora coming from outside and the capacity of the fungi to colonize the different sublayers found indoors.