DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.

Biological particles deposit on air handling system filters as they process air. This study reports and interprets abundance and diversity information regarding biomass accumulation on ordinarily used filters acquired from several locations in a university environment.DNA-based analysis was applied...

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Main Authors: Irvan Luhung, Yan Wu, Siyu Xu, Naomichi Yamamoto, Victor Wei-Chung Chang, William W Nazaroff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5638523?pdf=render
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author Irvan Luhung
Yan Wu
Siyu Xu
Naomichi Yamamoto
Victor Wei-Chung Chang
William W Nazaroff
author_facet Irvan Luhung
Yan Wu
Siyu Xu
Naomichi Yamamoto
Victor Wei-Chung Chang
William W Nazaroff
author_sort Irvan Luhung
collection DOAJ
description Biological particles deposit on air handling system filters as they process air. This study reports and interprets abundance and diversity information regarding biomass accumulation on ordinarily used filters acquired from several locations in a university environment.DNA-based analysis was applied both to quantify (via DNA fluorometry and qPCR) and to characterize (via high-throughput sequencing) the microbial material on filters, which mainly processed recirculated indoor air. Results were interpreted in relation to building occupancy and ventilation system operational parameters.Based on accumulated biomass, average DNA concentrations per AHU filter surface area across nine indoor locations after twelve weeks of filter use were in the respective ranges 1.1 to 41 ng per cm2 for total DNA, 0.02 to 3.3 ng per cm2 for bacterial DNA and 0.2 to 2.0 ng DNA per cm2 for fungal DNA. The most abundant genera detected on the AHU filter samples were Clostridium, Streptophyta, Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Ktedonobacter for bacteria and Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Nigrospora, Rigidoporus and Lentinus for fungi. Conditional indoor airborne DNA concentrations (median (range)) were estimated to be 13 (2.6-107) pg/m3 for total DNA, 0.4 (0.05-8.4) pg/m3 for bacterial DNA and 2.3 (1.0-5.1) pg/m3 for fungal DNA.Conditional airborne concentrations and the relative abundances of selected groups of genera correlate well with occupancy level. Bacterial DNA was found to be more responsive than fungal DNA to differences in occupancy level and indoor environmental conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-4944e57546e6434fbd21ca95efb488a72022-12-22T00:34:42ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-011210e018629510.1371/journal.pone.0186295DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.Irvan LuhungYan WuSiyu XuNaomichi YamamotoVictor Wei-Chung ChangWilliam W NazaroffBiological particles deposit on air handling system filters as they process air. This study reports and interprets abundance and diversity information regarding biomass accumulation on ordinarily used filters acquired from several locations in a university environment.DNA-based analysis was applied both to quantify (via DNA fluorometry and qPCR) and to characterize (via high-throughput sequencing) the microbial material on filters, which mainly processed recirculated indoor air. Results were interpreted in relation to building occupancy and ventilation system operational parameters.Based on accumulated biomass, average DNA concentrations per AHU filter surface area across nine indoor locations after twelve weeks of filter use were in the respective ranges 1.1 to 41 ng per cm2 for total DNA, 0.02 to 3.3 ng per cm2 for bacterial DNA and 0.2 to 2.0 ng DNA per cm2 for fungal DNA. The most abundant genera detected on the AHU filter samples were Clostridium, Streptophyta, Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Ktedonobacter for bacteria and Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Nigrospora, Rigidoporus and Lentinus for fungi. Conditional indoor airborne DNA concentrations (median (range)) were estimated to be 13 (2.6-107) pg/m3 for total DNA, 0.4 (0.05-8.4) pg/m3 for bacterial DNA and 2.3 (1.0-5.1) pg/m3 for fungal DNA.Conditional airborne concentrations and the relative abundances of selected groups of genera correlate well with occupancy level. Bacterial DNA was found to be more responsive than fungal DNA to differences in occupancy level and indoor environmental conditions.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5638523?pdf=render
spellingShingle Irvan Luhung
Yan Wu
Siyu Xu
Naomichi Yamamoto
Victor Wei-Chung Chang
William W Nazaroff
DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
PLoS ONE
title DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
title_full DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
title_fullStr DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
title_full_unstemmed DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
title_short DNA accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in Singapore.
title_sort dna accumulation on ventilation system filters in university buildings in singapore
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5638523?pdf=render
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