Mold Odor from Wood Treated with Chlorophenols despite Mold Growth That Can Only Be Seen Using a Microscope
(2024) In Microorganisms 12(2).- Abstract
We previously reported that indoor odorous chloroanisoles (CAs) are still being emitted due to microbial methylation of hazardous chlorophenols (CPs) present in legacy wood preservatives. Meanwhile, Swedish researchers reported that this malodor, described since the early 1970s, is caused by hazardous mold. Here, we examined to what extent CP-treated wood contains mold and if mold correlates with perceived odor. We found no studies in PubMed or Web of Science addressing this question. Further, we investigated two schools built in the 1960s with odor originating from crawlspaces. No visible mold was evident in the crawlspaces or on the surfaces of treated wood samples. Using a microscope, varying amounts of mold growth were detected on... (More)
We previously reported that indoor odorous chloroanisoles (CAs) are still being emitted due to microbial methylation of hazardous chlorophenols (CPs) present in legacy wood preservatives. Meanwhile, Swedish researchers reported that this malodor, described since the early 1970s, is caused by hazardous mold. Here, we examined to what extent CP-treated wood contains mold and if mold correlates with perceived odor. We found no studies in PubMed or Web of Science addressing this question. Further, we investigated two schools built in the 1960s with odor originating from crawlspaces. No visible mold was evident in the crawlspaces or on the surfaces of treated wood samples. Using a microscope, varying amounts of mold growth were detected on the samples, all containing both CP(s) and CA(s). Some samples smelled, and the odor correlated with the amount of mold growth. We conclude that superficial microscopic mold on treated wood suffices produced the odor. Further, we argue that CPs rather than mold could explain the health effects reported in epidemiological studies that use mold odor as an indicator of hazardous exposure.
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- author
- Lorentzen, Johnny C. ; Ekberg, Olle LU ; Alm, Maria ; Björk, Folke ; Harderup, Lars Erik LU and Johanson, Gunnar
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-02
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- allergy, asthma, confounding, dampness, indoor air, mold, odor, pesticides, sick building syndrome, wood preservatives
- in
- Microorganisms
- volume
- 12
- issue
- 2
- article number
- 395
- publisher
- MDPI AG
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38399798
- scopus:85187306087
- ISSN
- 2076-2607
- DOI
- 10.3390/microorganisms12020395
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 9da3f2ed-4155-4fa9-a0bf-fd07ed9167b2
- date added to LUP
- 2024-04-04 14:15:35
- date last changed
- 2024-04-18 16:31:11
@article{9da3f2ed-4155-4fa9-a0bf-fd07ed9167b2,
abstract = {{<p>We previously reported that indoor odorous chloroanisoles (CAs) are still being emitted due to microbial methylation of hazardous chlorophenols (CPs) present in legacy wood preservatives. Meanwhile, Swedish researchers reported that this malodor, described since the early 1970s, is caused by hazardous mold. Here, we examined to what extent CP-treated wood contains mold and if mold correlates with perceived odor. We found no studies in PubMed or Web of Science addressing this question. Further, we investigated two schools built in the 1960s with odor originating from crawlspaces. No visible mold was evident in the crawlspaces or on the surfaces of treated wood samples. Using a microscope, varying amounts of mold growth were detected on the samples, all containing both CP(s) and CA(s). Some samples smelled, and the odor correlated with the amount of mold growth. We conclude that superficial microscopic mold on treated wood suffices produced the odor. Further, we argue that CPs rather than mold could explain the health effects reported in epidemiological studies that use mold odor as an indicator of hazardous exposure.</p>}},
author = {{Lorentzen, Johnny C. and Ekberg, Olle and Alm, Maria and Björk, Folke and Harderup, Lars Erik and Johanson, Gunnar}},
issn = {{2076-2607}},
keywords = {{allergy; asthma; confounding; dampness; indoor air; mold; odor; pesticides; sick building syndrome; wood preservatives}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
publisher = {{MDPI AG}},
series = {{Microorganisms}},
title = {{Mold Odor from Wood Treated with Chlorophenols despite Mold Growth That Can Only Be Seen Using a Microscope}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12020395}},
doi = {{10.3390/microorganisms12020395}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2024}},
}