• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 1995

Airborne and waterborne ascospores and conidia of Botryosphaeria dothidea were collected in apple orchards at Suwon and Chunan in 1992 through 1994. Both waterborne and airborne spores were first detected in mid April to early May. Thereafter, spores were abundant in early June to late August and present until early December. Rainwater collections contained much more conidia than ascospores during the apple growing seasons. Airborne ascospores catches, which were also detected on humid days without measurable rainfall, were much more than airborne conidia catches. High amounts of ascospores were detected in early times of apple growing season, whereas most conidia catches occurred in later times of the season. The number of waterborne conidia and airborne ascospores was positively correlated with mean daily maximum, minimum, and average air temperatures during the trapping periods (p=0.01). However, no significant correlation was found between the number of spores and the total precipitation during the trapping periods.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1684-1689
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• 2006

Airborne microorganisms, which are currently termed bioaerosols, have received attention owing to the harmful effects they have on human health. As the concern over airborne microorganisms grows, there also grows an urgent need to study and develop efficient methods for controlling them. In this study, thermal energy using a thermal tube was tested as a control method, mainly against airborne E. coli. For a comparison, B. subtilis var. niger spores were utilized in the experimentation. It was found that the widely known inactivation conditions for microorganisms were not adequate against airborne microorganisms. The experimental results demonstrated the need for extensive studies that should investigate adequate and economic conditions to control against airborne bacteria. In this study, thermal energy exposed by the thermal tube demonstrated an inactivation performance for controlling E. coli bioaerosols.

• Architectural research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2006

A fungal spore transportation model that accounts for the concentration of airborne indoor spores and the amount of spores deposited on interior surfaces has been developed by extending the current aerosol model. This model is intended to be used for a building with a mechanical ventilation system, and considers HVAC filter efficiency and ventilation rate. The model also includes a surface-cleaning efficiency and frequency that removes a portion of spores deposited on surfaces. The developed model predicts indoor fungal spore concentration and provides an indoor/outdoor ratio that may increase or decrease mold growth risks in real, in-use building cases. To get a more useful outcome from the model simulation, an uncertainty analysis has been conducted in a real building case. By including uncertainties associated with the parameters in the spore transportation model, the simulation results provide probable ranges of indoor concentration and indoor/outdoor ratio. This paper describes the uncertainty quantification of each parameter that is specific to fungal spores, and uncertainty propagation using an appropriate statistical technique. The outcome of the uncertainty analysis showed an agreement with the results from the field measurement with air sampling in a real building.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.77-85
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• 2007

Recently, there is increasing interest in indoor air pollution. Fungal spores are one of the pollutants that is the causes of hypersensitivity reactions, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis. This study was performed to assess the levels of fungi concentration in public facilities and airborne fungi were collected with the air sampler using DRBC(Dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol) agar. It was found that airborne fungi concentration were related to the humidity and the people movement. 10 genera of fungi was isolated and identified and the most common culturable fungi were Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.585-597
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• 2019

A disease forecast model for Marssonina blotch of apple was developed based on field observations on airborne spore catches, weather conditions, and disease incidence in 2013 and 2015. The model consisted of the airborne spore model (ASM) and the daily infection rate model (IRM). It was found that more than 80% of airborne spore catches for the experiment period was made during the spore liberation period (SLP), which is the period of days of a rain event plus the following 2 days. Of 13 rain-related weather variables, number of rainy days with rainfall ≥ 0.5 mm per day (L_day), maximum hourly rainfall (P_max) and average daily maximum wind speed (W_avg) during a rain event were most appropriate in describing variations in airborne spore catches during SLP (S_i) in 2013. The ASM, Ŝ_i = 30.280+5.860×L_day×P_max-2.123×L_day×P_max×W_avg was statistically significant and capable of predicting the amount of airborne spore catches during SLP in 2015. Assuming that airborne conidia liberated during SLP cause leaf infections resulting in symptom appearance after 21 days of incubation period, there was highly significant correlation between the estimated amount of airborne spore catches (Ŝ_i) and the daily infection rate (R_i). The IRM, ${\hat{R}}_i$ = 0.039+0.041×Ŝ_i, was statistically significant but was not able to predict the daily infection rate in 2015. No weather variables showed statistical significance in explaining variations of the daily infection rate in 2013.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.294-299
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• 2002

PM (Particulate Matter) samples contained fungal spores were collected in the ambient air of Seosan, west Korea, in springtime of 2000 and 2001. PM concentrations were $199.8\mu{g}\;m^{-3}$ in the 1st Asian Dust Storm period (March, 23 ~ 24) and $249.4\mu{g}\;m^{-3}$ in the 2nd period (April, 7~9), 2000. Compared with the concentrations in 2000, relatively low PM concentration ($157.3\mu{g}\;m^{-3}$ ) was measured in the Asian Dust Storm period (April, 24 ~ 20) of 2001. Although there were somewhat differences for the total PM concentrations among the three periods, majorities of the PM were composed of coarse particles sized about 5 ~ 6 $\mu{m}$ over the periods of the two years. Diverse molds grown from fungal aerosols were observed in the PM samples and identified at the genus level. All the genera, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Basipetospora, Epicoccum and Monotospora are hyphomycetes in the division Fungi imperfecti (Deuteromycota). Especially, morphologically more diversified mycelia of hyphomycetes were grown on the fine PM sample (1.1 ~ 2.1 $\mu{m}$) than coarse PM samples in the periods of 2000. Furthermore, some molds were grown on even the background PM sample less than 0.43 $\mu{m}$ in the period of 2001. It was thought that some kinds of ultra fine sized fungal spores were transported by the Asian Dust Storm and suspended in the ambient air of study area during the events.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.904-907
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• 2010

The vibration of fungal cultures was evaluated to determine its potential effect on the dispersal of airborne fungal microorganisms suspected of being pathogens. An artificial vibration system, which simulates the actual environmental vibration of fungal structures, was designed and constructed for this purpose. Experiments featured the use of low-frequency vibrations similar to those induced by earthquakes. Within the range of conditions tested, the vibration of fungal cultures was found to affect the airflow-driven generation of bioaerosols.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.674-683
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• 2019

Some species of the Trichoderma genus are reported as the major problem in oak wood mushroom production in Korea. In spite of economic loss by the fungi, scientific information on airborne Trichoderma species is not much available. To generate information for disease management development we analyzed airborne Trichoderma. A total of 1,063 fungal isolates were purely obtained from indoor air sampling of cultivation houses used for oak wood mushroom using sawdust media. Among the obtained isolates, 248 isolates were identified as Trichoderma fungi including T. harzianum, T. atroviride, T. citrinoviride, and T. pseudokoningii, by morphological and molecular analysis. T. harzianum was dominant among the four identified species. All the four Trichoderma species grew fast on solid nutrient media tested (potato dextrose agar [PDA], malt extract agar [MEA], Czapek's Dox + yeast extract agar [CYA] and cornmeal dextrose agar). Compact mycelia growth and mass spore production were better on PDA and CYA. In addition, T. harzianum and T. citrinoviride formed greenish and yellowish mycelium and spores on PDA and CYA. Greenish and yellowish pigment was saturated into PDA only by T. pseudokoningii. These four Trichoderma species could produce extracellular enzymes of sawdust substrate degradation such as β-glucosidase, avicelase, CM-cellulase, amylase, pectinase, xylanase, and protease. Their mycelia inhibited the growth of oak wood mushroom mycelia of two tested cultivars on dual culture assay. Among of eleven antifungal agents tested, benomyl was the best to inhibit the growth of the four Trichoderma species. Our results demonstrate that the airborne Trichoderma fungi need to be properly managed in the cultivation houses for safe mushroom production.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.1.1-5
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• 2001

High SPM concentrations(199.8~249.4${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$/㎥) were detected in the west Korea during the Yellow Sand Periods, 2000. Majority of the total SPM were composed of about 5${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ sized coarse particles over the periods. However, fine particles sized about 1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and coarse particles sized about 5-6${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ showed peaks at the graph of SPM size distribution in the Non Yellow Sand Period. Airborne fungal spores at the SPM samples were cultured and identified. Full-grown colonies during the Yellow Sand Periods, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Basipetospora are hyphomycetes in the division Fungi imperfecti(Deuteromycota). And morphologically more diversified mycelia of hyphomycetes were grown on the sample captured from 1.1~2.1${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ sized SPM than on other sized samples during the Yellow Sand Period. But no mold was observed on the sample of 1.1~2.1${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ sized SPM in the Non Yellow Sand Period. It was thought that several sorts of fine sized fungal spores were suspended in the atmospheric environment of the west Korea during the Asian dust episodes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.324-333
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• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to compare the sampling performance of different flow-based impactor samplers for collecting fungal spores and bacteria and to explore the association of the level of bioaerosols with activity patterns of occupants in daycare center settings. Methods: For comparison of sampling performance, two different flow-based samplers (greater than 100 L/min or not) were selected; a low flow-based sampler (one-stage Andersen sampler) and two high flow-based samplers (DUO SAS SUPER 360 sampler, BUCK bio-culture sampler). We collected airborne mold and bacteria in 30 daycare centers with various levels of contaminated air. Three repeat samplings per each sampler were performed. Mold and bacteria were grown for 96 hours at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and 48 hours at $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, respectively. The Andersen and SAS samplers were used for investigating the association between the level of bioaerosols and the activity patterns of occupants in daycares. Particular matters 10($PM_{10}$), temperature, and relative humidity were monitored as well. Samplings were carried out with one-hour interval from 9 to 5 O'clock. For statistical comparisons, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon's signed rank test, and multiple regression analysis were carried out. Results: The airborne level of molds by the low flow-based sampler were significantly higher than that of high flow-based samplers (indoor, P=0.037; outdoor, P=0.041). However, no statistical difference was observed in the airborne level of bacteria by each sampler. Also the level of bioaerosols varied by the time, particularly with different activity patterns in daycare centers. The higher level of mold and bacteria were observed in play time in indoor. Similarly, the concentrations of $PM_{10}$ were significantly associated with the level of bioaerosols (P<0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the flow rate of sampler, rather than total air volume, could be able to affect the results of sampling. Also, the level of airborne mold and bacteria vary behavior patterns of occupants in indoor of daycare settings. Therefore, different samplers with other flow rate may be selected for mold or bacteria sampling, and activity patterns should be considered for bioaerosol sampling as well.