ASHRAE IJHVAC 16-2

Abstract

<strong>INTRODUCTION</strong> <br>It is well known that fungal growth produces emissions as a result of secondary metabolic processes (Horner and Miller 2003). These microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) represent a variety of chemical classes including alcohols, amines, aldehydes, ketones, sulfides, and many other hydrocarbons (Claeson et al. 2006; Lancker et al. 2008). Therefore, in order to effectively apply MVOC analysis to building investigations, MVOCs that are identified as mold-indicators must be unique. In other words, the MVOCs should not be among the hundreds of common chemicals that emit from building materials and consumer products but should be specific indicators of mold growth. While the literature contains studies that have been performed to identify MVOC emissions on building materials contaminated with mold, many of them do not reference the use of un-inoculated materials (negative controls); thus, it is not clear that these measured emissions are from the mold itself. Also critical to the success of a MVOC sampling paradigm are parameters associated with MVOC levels such as ventilation rates and amounts of mold growth; previous studies suggest that indoor emissions may be diluted too quickly to reliably detected (Schleibinger et al. 2005; Schleibinger et al. 2008). Identification of specific target compounds may provide an opportunity to increase the sensitivity of the analytical method and detect MVOCs when even a minimal amount of mold is present. Hence, extremely important and novel components of this research are the determination and validation of an MVOC sampling and analysis method. <br>The objectives of this research were (1) to develop a database of MVOCs that are associated with types of mold growth found in problem building environments and that would be useful in determining the presence of hidden mold growing in indoor environments and (2) to accurately determine MVOC emissions from building materials inoculated with mold and exposed under simulated realistic environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, and ventilation air change rate).