Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.15269/JKSOEH.2019.29.3.351

Inactivation of Indoor Airborne Fungi Using Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma  

Paik, Namwon (School of Public Health, Seoul National University)
Heo, Sungmin (Energy and Environmental Affairs Group, POSCO)
Lee, Ilyoung (Institute of Air Science, Shinyoung Airtech, Inc)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene / v.29, no.3, 2019 , pp. 351-357 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate fungal contamination in a 31-year old university building in Seoul, Korea, and to study the inactivation of fungi using cold atmospheric pressure plasma(CAP). Methods: To investigate the fungal contamination in a university building, air samples were collected from five locations in the building, including two study rooms, a storage room, a laboratory, and a basement. The sampling was performed in a dry season(February to April) and in a wet season(July). To study the inactivation efficacy of fungi by CAP, airborne fungal concentrations were measured before and after the operation of the CAP generator. Results: Humidity was an important factor affecting fungal growth. The airborne fungal concentrations determined in the wet season(July) were significantly higher than those determined in the dry season(February to April). In the basement, the values determined in the dry and wet season were 319 and $3,403CFU/m^3$, respectively. The inactivation efficiency of fungi by CAP was 83-90% over five to nine days of operation. Conclusions: The university building was highly contaminated by airborne fungi, especially in summer. It is concluded that humidity is an important factor affecting fungal growth and CAP is a highly useful technique for inactivation of indoor airborne fungi.
Keywords
Cold atmospheric pressure plasma; CAP; fungi; indoor air; humidity;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Misra NN, Yadav B, Roopesh MS, Jo C. Cold plasma for effective fungal and mycotoxin control in foods: Mechanisms, inactivation effects, and applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 2019;18(1):106-120. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12398   DOI
2 Palmgren U, Strom G, Blomquist G, Malmberg P. Collection of airborne micro-organisms on nuclepore filters, estimation and analysis--CAMNEA method. J Appl Bacteriol 1986;61(5):401-406. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1986.tb04303.x   DOI
3 National Institute of Environmental Research(NIER). Official method for determination of indoor air: Determination of total concentration of airborne molds in indoor by the sampling method of impaction (NIER Public Notice 2017; No. 2017-58: ES 02702.1) p.1-18
4 Weltman KD & Woedtke Th von. Plasma medicine - Current state of research and medical application. Plasma Phys Control Fusion 2017;59:014031. DOI: 10.1088/0741-3335/59/1/014031   DOI
5 Pasanen AL, Kalliokoski P, Pasanen P, Jantunen MJ, Nevalainen A. Laboratory studies on the relationship between fungal growth and atmospheric temperature and humidity. Environment International 1991;17(4):225-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(91)90006-C   DOI
6 Rao CY, Burge HA, Chang JC. Review of quantitative standards and guidelines for fungi in indoor air. J Air Waste Manage Assoc 1996;46(9):899-908. DOI: 10.1080/10473289.1996.10467526   DOI
7 Soper DS. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) calculator -Oneway ANOVA from summary data [Software]. 2019 [Cited 2019 July 5]. http://www.danielsoper.com/statcalc
8 Wende K, Bekeschus S, Schmidt A, Jatsch L, Hasse S et al. Risk assessment of a cold argon plasma jet in respect to its mutagenicity. Mutat Res Genet Toxicol Environ Mutagen 2016;798-799:48-54. DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2016.02.003   DOI
9 World Health Organization (WHO): WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: dampness and mould. WHO Regional Office for Europe, Switzerland 2009. p. 1-228
10 Wu P, Su H, Ho H. A comparison of sampling media for environmental vial fungi collected in a hospital environment. Environmental Research 2000:82(3):253-257. DOI: 10.1006/enrs.1999.4017   DOI
11 Graves DB. The emerging role of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in redox biology and some implications for plasma applications to medicine and biology. J Phys D:Appl Phys 2012;45(26):263001(42). DOI: 10.1088/0022-3727/45/26/263001
12 Ha KC, Paik NW. Assessment of indoor and outdoor air quality through determination of microorganism. Korean Ind Hyg Assoc J 1991;1(1):73-81
13 Hashizume H, Ohta T, Takeda K, Ishikawa K, Hori M et al. Quantitative clarification of inactivation mechanism of Penicillium digitatum spores treated with neutral oxygen radical. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 2015;54(1S):01AG05. https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.54.01AG05
14 Hwang SH, Jang S, Park, WM, Park JB. Concentrations and identification of culturable airborne fungi in underground stations of the Seoul metro. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2016;23(20): 20680-20686. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7291-z   DOI
15 Jung SH, Paik NW. A study on airborne microorganism in hospital. Korean Ind Hyg Assoc J 1998;8(2):231-241
16 Kim K, Paik N, Kim Y, Yoo K. Bactericidal efficacy of non-thermal DBD plasma on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. J Korean Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2018;28(1):61-79 2018: 28(1): 61-79. https://doi.org/10.15269/JKSOEH.2018.28.1.61   DOI
17 Cho JH, Min KH, Paik NW: Temporal variation of airborne fungi concentrations and related factors in subway stations in Seoul, Korea. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2006;209:249-255. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2005.10.001   DOI
18 Lee GJ, Sim GB, Choi EH, Kwon YW, Kim JY et al. Optical and structural properties of plasma-treated Cordyceps bassiana spores as studied by circular dichroism, absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. J. Appl. Phys. 2015;117(2):023303. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4905194   DOI
19 Daniels SL. On the ionization of air for removal of noxious effluvia(air ionization of indoor environments for control of volatile and particulate contaminants with nonthermal plasma generated by dielectric-barrier discharge). IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 2002;30(4):1471-1481. DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2002.804211   DOI
20 Krueger AP, Reed EJ. Biological impact of small air ions: Despite a history of contention, there is evidence that small air ions can affect life processes. Science 1976;193:1209-1213   DOI
21 Lee N, Park S, Kim J, Kim K, Kim D. Inactivation efficacy of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma generator against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Korean J Healthc Assoc Infec Control Prev 2018;23(2):80-85. https://doi.org/10.14192/kjhaicp.2018.23.2.80   DOI
22 Bloom E. Mycotoxins in Indoor Environments. Determination using mass spectrometry. Doctoral dissertation, Lund University, Sweden. 2008. p. 49-59
23 Chao HJ, Schwartz J, Milton DK, Burge HA. Population and determinants of airborne fungi in large office buildings. Environ Health Perspect 2002;110(8):777-782. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.02110777   DOI
24 Milz S, Mulhausen J. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and goodness-of-fit. In: Ignacio JS, Bullock WH, editors. A Strategy for Assessing and Managing Occupational Exposures. 3rd ed. AIHA Press: 2006, p. 341-359.
25 Ministry of Environment(MoE): Recommend criteria for indoor air quality(MoE Enforcement Rule Article No. 4); 2018.Table 3