An investigation of 16 classrooms in 4 randomly selected schools (children age 6—12) and 7 different places at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada and 4 locations at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, MUN, Corner Brook, NL, Canada were conducted to quantify emitted methyl benzoate concentrations. Methyl benzoate — as a metabolic biomarker of mold growth — has potential as an indicator for other volatile organic compound emissions outgassed by bacteria and molds. A variety of solid and indoor air grab samples were taken from the selected locations and were immediately analyzed by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. By this rapid method, methyl benzoate concentrations in solid samples were found to range: 5—69 and 6—22 ppb for schoolrooms and university rooms, respectively. For air samples, methyl benzoate (quantitation limit 2 ppb) was not detected in the schools, however at the universities; concentrations were as high as 25 ppb. This study supports that methyl benzoate may have use, as an indicator of mold growth, in indoor air research.
Cooley JD, Wong WC, Jumper CA, Straus DC: Correlation between the prevalence of certain fungi and sick building syndrome : Occup Environ Med1998;55:579-584.
2.
Smedje G., Norbäck D., Edling C.: Asthma ä among secondary school pupils in relation to the school environment : Clin Exp Allergy1997;27:1270-1278.
3.
Smedje G., Norbäck D., Edling C.: Subjective indoor air quality in schools in relation to exposure: Indoor Air1997;7:143-150.
4.
Calder IC, Maynard EJ, Turczynowicz L.: Aldrin contamination at a school in South Australia: Bull Environ Contam Toxicol1993; 51:185-192.
5.
Lee SC, Chang M.: Indoor and outdoor air quality investigation at schools in Hongkong : Chemosphere2000;41:109-113.
6.
Su HJ, Wu PC, Lin CY: Fungal exposure of children at homes and schools: a health perspective : Arch Envrion Health2001;56:144-149.
7.
Immonen J., Meklin T., Taskinen T., Nevalainen A., Korppi M.: Skin-prick test findings in students from moisture- and mould-damaged schools: a 3-year follow-up study: Pediatr Allergy Immunol2001;12:87-94.
8.
Taskinen TM, Laitinen S., Nevalainen A., Vepsalainen A., Meklin T., Reiman M.: Immunoglobulin G antibodies to moulds in school- children from moisture problem schools: Allergy2002;57:9-16.
9.
Bornehag CG, Blomquist G., Gyntelberg F., Jarvholm B., Malmberg P., Nordvall L.: Dampness in buildings and health. Nordic interdisciplinary review of the scientific evidence on associations between exposure to ``dampness'' in buildings and health effects (NORDDAMP): Indoor Air2001 ;11:72-86.
10.
Husman T.: Health effects of indoor-air microorganisms: Scand J Work Environ Health1996;22:5-13.
11.
Peat JK, Dickersson J., Li J.: Effects of damp and mould in the home on respiratory health: a review of the literature: Allergy1998; 53:120-128.
12.
Fischer G., Dott W.: Relevance of airborne fungi and their secondary metabolites for environmental, occupational and indoor hygiene: Arch Microbiol2003;179:75-82.
13.
Keller R., Senkpiel K., Butt, W.: Detection of seasonally dependent MVOC reference values in non-infested apartments: [in German] Gefahrstoffe. - Reinhaltung. der Luft2006; 66:107-111.
14.
Burge HA: Fungi toxic killers or unavoidable nuisances: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol2001;87:52-56.
15.
Miller JD: Mycotoxins: in: Rylander R, Jacobs RR, (eds): Organic dusts, exposure, effects, and prevention. Boca Raton, FL, Lewis Publishers, 1994, pp. 87-92.
16.
Wady L., Larsson L.: Determination of microbial volatile organic compounds adsorbed on house dust particles and gypsum board using SPME/GC-MS: Indoor Air2005;15:27-32.
17.
Hippelein M. , Rugamer M.: Ergosterol as an indicator of mould growth on building materials: Int J Hyg Environ Health2004; 4:379-385.
18.
Wilkins K., Larsen K., Simkus M.: Volatile metabolites from indoor molds grown on media containing wood constituents : Environ Sci Pollut Res Int2003;10:206-208.
19.
Wolkoff P., Wilkins CK, Clausenm PA, Nielsen GD: Organic compounds in office environments-sensory irritation, odor, measurements and the role of reactive chemistry: Indoor Air2006;16:7-16.
20.
Bloom E., Bal K., Nyman E., Larsson L.: Optimizing a GC/MS method for screening of Stachybotrys mycotoxins in indoor environments: J Environ Monit2007 ; 9:151-156.
21.
Daisey JM, Angell WJ, Apte MG: Indoor air quality, ventilation and health symptoms in schools: an analysis of existing information: Indoor Air2003;13:53-64.
22.
Elke K., Jermann E., Begerow J., Dunemann L.: Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in indoor air at environmental levels using diffusive samplers in combination with headspace solid-phase microextraction and high-resolution gas chromatography-flame ionization detection: J Chromatogr A1998;826:191-200.
23.
Korpi A., Pasanen A-L., Pasanen P.: Volatile compounds originating from mixed microbial cultures on building materials under various humidity conditions: Appl Environ Microbiol1998;64:2914-2919.
24.
Wady L., Parkinson D-R., Pawliszyn J.: Methyl benzoate a biomarker for the detection of VOCs in indoor building materials : J Sep Sci2005;28:2517-2525.
25.
Arthur CL, Pawliszyn J.: Solid phase microextraction with thermal desorption using fused silica optical fibers: Anal Chem1990; 62:2145-2148.
26.
Kataoka H., Lord HL, Pawliszyn J.: Applications of solid-phase microextraction in food analysis: J Chromatogr A2000;880: 35-62.
Buldini PL, Ricci L., Sharma JL: Recent applications of sample preparation techniques in food analysis : J Chromatogr A2002; 975:47-70.
29.
Snow NH: Solid-phase micro-extraction of drugs from biological matrices: J Chromatogr A2000;885:445-455.
30.
Xiong G., Pawliszyn J.: Microwave-assisted generation of standard gas mixtures: Anal Chem2002;74:2446-2449.
31.
Seifert B.: The analysis of indoor air quality in rooms using the total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) variables [in German]: Bundesgesundheitsbl - Gesundheitsforsch - Gesundheitsschutz1999;42:270-278.
