Effects on perceived air quality and symptoms of exposure to microbially produced metabolites and compounds emitted from damp building materials

• This work investigated perceived air quality and health effects fromexposure to low to high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emittedfrom damp building materials and a mixture of molds growing on the materials.A mixture of Wallemia sebi, Fusarium culmorum, Penicillium chrysogenum,Ulocladium botrytis, and Aspergillus versicolor was inoculated on pine wood andparticle board. In Study 1, each of 27 participants took part in two exposureconditions, one with air from molds growing on building materials (low levels ofemissions from the building materials and the mold mixture) and one with blankair, both conditions during 60 min. In Study 2, each of 24 participants wasexposed (10 min) four times in a 2 · 2 design randomly to air from moldybuilding materials (high levels) and blank, with and without nose-clip. Theparticipants rated air quality and symptoms before, during, and after eachexposure. Self-reported tear-film break-up time and attention and processingspeed (Study 1) was also measured. Exposure to high VOC levels increased thereports of perceived poor air quality, and in the condition without nose-clipenhanced skin symptoms were also noted. No such outcome was observed whenexposing the participants to low VOC levels.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Psychology

Psykologi

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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