Lai, Ka Ho. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 231-241). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Pages / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iv / Acknowledgment --- p.vii / Contents --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.xix / List of Table --- p.xxv / Abbreviations --- p.xxx / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Airborne fungi --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Requirement of water activity for airborne micro-organisms --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Sampling of airborne fungi --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Identification of airborne fungi --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5 --- Measurement of diversity of airborne fungi --- p.10 / Chapter 1.6 --- Airborne fungi in different environments --- p.13 / Chapter 1.7 --- Health hazards from airborne fungi and their metabolites --- p.15 / Chapter 1.7.1 --- Health hazards of airborne fungi --- p.15 / Chapter 1.7.2 --- Health hazards of mycotoxins --- p.18 / Chapter 1.7.3 --- "Mycotoxins aflatoxins, deoyxnivalenol, ochratoxins and citrinin" --- p.21 / Chapter 1.8 --- "Aim, objectives and project strategy of this study" --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Aim of study --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Objectives --- p.26 / Chapter 1.8.3 --- Strategy for the study --- p.26 / Chapter 1.9 --- Significance of the study --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1 --- Sampling equipments --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The passive sampling methods --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Operation of the two passive sampling methods --- p.31 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- The active sampling methods --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Operation of the two active sampling methods --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2 --- Identification of airborne fungi --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Identification by morphological markers --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Molecular identification of airborne fungi --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Genomic DNA extraction from fungal biomass --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.2.3 --- Purification of PCR products --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2.4 --- Cycle-sequencing --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.2.5 --- Sequencing --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.2.6 --- Gel electrophoresis --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3 --- "Determination of viable fungal abundance, species richness, species composition and species diversity" --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Calculation of viable fungal abundance --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- "Calculation of species number, relative abundance and species diversity" --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Sampling of airborne, soilborne and dustborne fungi" --- p.45 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Airborne fungal diversity of two storage areas sampled by four methods --- p.45 / Chapter 2.4.1.1 --- Description of the two sampling sites: mushroom house go-down in CUHK and the storage room in Tsing Yi --- p.46 / Chapter 2.4.1.2 --- Sampling conditions of the four sampling methods in the two storage rooms --- p.47 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Airborne fungal surveys in the two construction workplaces --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4.2.1 --- Description of the construction workplaces in Tsing Yi and Castle Peak Road --- p.52 / Chapter 2.4.2.2 --- Sampling conditions for airborne fungi in the two construction workplaces --- p.58 / Chapter 2.4.2.3 --- "Determination of viable fungal abundance, species richness, species composition and species diversity in the two workplaces" --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Determination of the airborne fungal communities of the contractor site office with a green roof and the neighbouring government office --- p.60 / Chapter 2.4.3.1 --- "Sampling of airborne fungi from a green roof, the indoor environment of the contractor site office with a green roof and the neighboring government office" --- p.62 / Chapter 2.4.3.2 --- Sampling of soilborne fungi and determination of soil properties of the green roof --- p.62 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.1 --- Determination of microbial counts --- p.63 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.2 --- Determination of the aerial biomass of plants --- p.64 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.3 --- "Determination of soil carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur (CHNS) contents" --- p.64 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.4 --- Analysis of soil texture --- p.65 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.5 --- Determination of total phosphorus content --- p.66 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.6 --- Determination of available nitrogen and phosphorus contents --- p.67 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.7 --- Determination of potassium content --- p.67 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.8 --- Determination of soil moisture --- p.68 / Chapter 2.4.3.2.9 --- Determination of soil pH and soil electrical conductivity --- p.68 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Dustborne fungi and the properties of the dusts collected from the air-conditioners of the construction workplaces --- p.69 / Chapter 2.4.4.1 --- Determination of viable dustborne fungal population --- p.69 / Chapter 2.4.4.2 --- Composition analysis and toxicities of the air-conditioner dust samples --- p.70 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.1 --- "Determination of the contents of three mycotoxins by ELISA: aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol and ochratoxins" --- p.71 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.2 --- Determination of mycotoxin citrinin and volatile organic profiles by the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) --- p.73 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.3 --- Determination of cytotoxicities of the dust samples --- p.75 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.3.1 --- Cell lines and culture conditions --- p.75 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.3.2 --- Growth curves of the cell lines --- p.76 / Chapter 2.4.4.2.3.3 --- Determination of the cytotoxicities of the dust extracts --- p.77 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Result --- p.78 / Chapter 3.1 --- Airborne fungi in the workplaces --- p.78 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Biodiversity of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by four sampling methods --- p.78 / Chapter 3.1.1.1 --- Biodiversity of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the passive sampling methods --- p.78 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.1 --- Abundance of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two passive sampling methods --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.2 --- Species richness and composition of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the passive sampling methods --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.1.1.3 --- Biodiversity indices of the airborne fungal communities in the two storage rooms collected by the passive sampling methods --- p.85 / Chapter 3.1.1.2 --- Biodiversity of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the active sampling methods --- p.87 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.1 --- Abundance of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the active sampling methods --- p.87 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.1.1 --- Abundances of airborne fungi in the mushroom house go-down collected by the active sampling methods --- p.88 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.1.2 --- Abundances of airborne fungi in the storage room in Tsing Yi collected by the active sampling methods --- p.94 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.2 --- Species richness in the two storage rooms collected by the active sampling methods --- p.95 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.3 --- Species compositions of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the active sampling methods --- p.98 / Chapter 3.1.1.2.4 --- Biodiversity indices of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the active sampling methods --- p.104 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Airborne fungal surveys in the construction workplaces --- p.106 / Chapter 3.1.2.1 --- Relative humidity and temperature measured in the two construction workplaces --- p.107 / Chapter 3.1.2.2 --- Airborne fungi collected at the two workplaces --- p.108 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.1 --- Abundances of airborne fungi in the four surveys of the two construction workplaces --- p.108 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.2 --- Indoor/ outdoor (I/O) ratios of the airborne fungi in the four surveys of the two construction workplace --- p.113 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.3 --- Species richness of airborne fungi for the four surveys in the two construction workplaces --- p.114 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.4 --- Composition of the airborne fungal communities in the four surveys of the two construction workplaces --- p.116 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.5 --- Biodiversity indices of the airborne fungal communities collected in the four surveys at the two construction workplaces --- p.121 / Chapter 3.1.2.2.6 --- Properties of the identified fungi collected at the two construction workplaces --- p.124 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- The relationship between airborne fungal communities of two neighbouring offices in the Tsing Yi site --- p.125 / Chapter 3.1.3.1 --- Soilborne and airborne fungi of the green roof and their relationship with the indoor airborne fungi of the contractor site office --- p.125 / Chapter 3.1.3.2 --- The relationship between indoor airborne fungi collected from the contractor site office and the neighbouring government office --- p.127 / Chapter 3.2 --- Dusts in air-conditioner filters of the construction workplace --- p.130 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Microscopic observation of the dust samples --- p.130 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Viable dustborne fungi of the neighboring site offices --- p.132 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- "Mycotoxin contents, volatile organic profiles and toxicities of the dust samples" --- p.136 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- "Mycotoxin aflatoxins, ochratoxins and deoxynivalenol contents of the dust samples" --- p.136 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Mycotoxin citrinin contents and the organic profiles of the dust samples determined by GC-MS --- p.138 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Cytotoxicities of the dust samples --- p.156 / Chapter 3.2.4.1 --- Population growth curves of the cell lines NCI H1299 and MCF-7 --- p.156 / Chapter 3.2.4.2 --- Toxicities of the dust samples on two cell lines --- p.158 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Discussion --- p.163 / Chapter 4.1 --- Airborne fungi in the workplace --- p.163 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Biodiversity of airborne fungi collected in the two storage rooms --- p.163 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- Comparison between the airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two passive sampling methods --- p.164 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.1 --- Abundance of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two passive sampling methods --- p.164 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.2 --- Species richness and composition of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two passive sampling methods --- p.166 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.3 --- Species diversity of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two passive sampling methods --- p.168 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- Comparison between the airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two active sampling methods --- p.170 / Chapter 4.1.1.2.1 --- Abundance of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two active sampling methods --- p.170 / Chapter 4.1.1.2.2 --- Species richness and composition of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two active sampling methods --- p.174 / Chapter 4.1.1.2.3 --- Species diversity of airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the two active sampling methods --- p.176 / Chapter 4.1.1.3 --- Comparison between the airborne fungi in the two storage rooms collected by the passive and active sampling methods --- p.178 / Chapter 4.1.1.4 --- Conclusion on the study in the two storage rooms --- p.180 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Airborne fungal surveys in the two construction workplaces --- p.181 / Chapter 4.1.2.1 --- Airborne fungi sampled in the two construction workplaces --- p.182 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.1 --- Relative humidity and temperature recorded in the two construction workplaces --- p.182 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.2 --- Correlation between the two environmental factors and the abundance of airborne fungi collected --- p.183 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.3 --- Airborne viable fungal sampled in the two construction workplaces --- p.184 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.3.1 --- Seasonal change of airborne fungi in the two construction workplaces --- p.184 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.3.2 --- Comparison on the viable airborne fungal abundance collected in the two construction workplaces --- p.186 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.3.3 --- Comparison on the species number and species composition collected in the two construction workplaces --- p.192 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.4 --- Comparison between indoor and outdoor airborne fungi of the two construction workplaces --- p.195 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.4.1 --- Comparison on the viable airborne fungal abundance collected in the indoor and outdoor environments of the two workplaces --- p.195 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.4.2 --- Species number and species composition collected in the indoor and outdoor environments of the two workplaces --- p.197 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.4.3 --- Species diversity collected in the indoor and outdoor environments of the two workplaces --- p.201 / Chapter 4.1.2.1.4.4 --- Properties of the identified fungi collected in the two construction workplaces --- p.202 / Chapter 4.1.2.2 --- Relationship between airborne fungal communities of two neighboring offices in the Tsing Yi site --- p.205 / Chapter 4.1.2.2.1 --- Soilborne and airborne fungi of the green roof and the airborne fungi of the contractor site office --- p.205 / Chapter 4.1.2.2.2 --- Indoor airborne fungi collected from the contractor site office and the neighbouring government site office --- p.206 / Chapter 4.2 --- Dusts from air-conditioners of the workplace --- p.207 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Comparison of dustborne fungal abundances among different locations --- p.208 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Comparison of dustborne fungal abundances on different accumulation times --- p.211 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Comparison of dustborne fungal abundances on the contractor site offices and the government site office in Tsing Yi --- p.212 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Comparison of species composition among dusts from the contractor site offices and the government site offices --- p.213 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Mycotoxins in the dust samples --- p.214 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Aflatoxin contents of the dust samples --- p.214 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Deoxynivalenol contents of the dust samples --- p.215 / Chapter 4.2.5.3 --- Ochratoxin contents of the dust samples --- p.216 / Chapter 4.2.5.4 --- Mycotoxin producers in the dust samples --- p.217 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- The volatile organic profiles of the dust samples determined by GC-MS --- p.218 / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Cytotoxicities of the dust samples --- p.221 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Conclusion on the health hazards from dusts in air-conditioners --- p.223 / Chapter 4.3 --- Sampling strategy --- p.223 / Chapter 4.4 --- Further investigation --- p.227 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.228 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- References --- p.231 / Appendices --- p.242 / Chapter Appendix 1 --- Relative abundance of the airborne fungal species by the passive sampling method in the four surveys of the two construction workplaces --- p.242 / Chapter Appendix 2 --- Images of the most abundance fungal species --- p.246 / Chapter Appendix 3 --- Relative abundance of the airborne fungal species by the active sampling methods in the four surveys of the two construction workplaces --- p.257 / Chapter Appendix 4 --- Details of properties of fungal species identified --- p.260