The occurrence of microscopic fungi in air samples from different educational institutions from Iaşi, Romania

Abstract

Contamination of the air by fungi in three educational institutions placed in different location of Iasi City, Romania was investigated in 2013 over a period of 3 months (April-June) using the Petri plate gravitational settling (passive) method. Petri plates contained nutrient media (PDA) in three different compositions (classic, with rose-bengal and with streptomycin) were exposed to room air for a 15-min period face upwards to collect particles settling by gravity. The identification of the fungi was made according to their microscopic properties and through references. The moulds most commonly isolated in all three locations were Penicillium spp, Aspergillus spp and Alternaria spp (58.7, 17.6 and 10.4% of the total, respectively). Our results showed that fungal spores density in the educational institutions air was within the sanitary level accepted for public buildings, with exception of one laboratory for students, which has potential to develop adverse health effects to the occupants.