RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Effect of Ozone on Common Environmental Fungi
JF American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
JO Clin Lab Sci
FD American Society of Chemistry and Laboratory Science
SP 107
OP 111
DO 10.29074/ascls.21.2.107
VO 21
IS 2
A1 Korzun, William
A1 Hall, Jeffery
A1 Sauer, Ronald
YR 2008
UL http://hwmaint.clsjournal.ascls.org/content/21/2/107.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: To determine if gaseous ozone can effectively kill common environmental fungi.DESIGN: This study was designed to test the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in viability between fungal conidia treated with ozone and fungal conidia not treated with ozone. A single control group design was utilized.SETTING: Academic research laboratory.INTERVENTIONS: Freshly prepared suspensions of Cladosporium spp., Stachybotrys spp., and Aspergillus niger conidia were diluted and plated onto the surface of solid agar plates. The plates were exposed to room air or to different concentrations of ozone for up to four hours, as were uninoculated plates. All plates were then incubated at 25°C until quantitative colony counts could be performed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The effect of ozone on fungal conidia viability was assessed by comparing quantitative colony counts from conidia exposed to ozone to quantitative colony counts from conidia exposed only to room air.RESULTS: There was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in viable conidia of all three fungi, at ozone concentrations of 5.0 – 12.8 parts per million, by four hours of exposure. However, in every case, some conidia remained viable even at the highest level of exposure.CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that ozone must be used in conjunction with other methods of remediation or for more prolonged exposure times in order to eliminate fungal contamination of buildings.ABBREVIATIONS: BRI = Building Related Illness; ppm = parts per million; SBS = Sick Building Syndrome.