BIOFINE

Research group

National Public Health Institute, Department of Environmental Health (co-ordinator):

• Doc. Aino Nevalainen (Project co-ordinator)
• Ph.D. Helena Rintala
• M.Sc. Mika Toivola
• Ph.D. Sari Alm
• Doc. Maija-Riitta Hirvonen
• MD Tuula Husman
• Ph.D. Anne Hyvärinen
• M. Sc. Minna Keinänen
• Ph.D. Teija Meklin

University of Helsinki, Department of Physical Sciences:

• Doc. Hanna Vehkamäki
• B.Sc. Eija Vartiainen

University of Helsinki, Institute of Biotechnology:

• M.Sc. Lars Paulin
• M.Sc. Miia Viikari

Funding

• National Technology Agency of Finland (TEKES) 2002 - 2005

Project overview

Fine particles are mainly generated in burning processes and traffic. However, a part of the airborne particulate matter is of biological origin and its composition and behaviour has not yet been well studied. Aerosol concentration in indoor air is affected by outdoor air. Simultaneous measuring of both indoor and outdoor air can be used to exclude the outdoor sources and to define the indoor sources of fine particles and bioaerosols.

The aims of the study are to investigate if microbial damage of a building generates fine particles that can be measured with particle counting methods and to characterise the microbial fraction of the airborne fine particulate matter qualitatively and quantitatively with modern molecular biological and chemical techniques and to validate these techniques

The investigations will be done in pairs of buildings, one of which has moisture and microbial damage and reported building-related symptoms of workers. The another building is an age- and building frame- matched control with no signs of moisture or microbial damage or adverse health effects.

In these building pairs, the fine particles and microbial matter in indoor and outdoor air will be measured. The 3-800 nm particles will be measured using DMPS (differential particle sizer) and the 0,3-25 µm fraction will be measured with Climet CI-500 particle counter.

Samples will be taken from indoor and outdoor air, and settled dust. The composition of the microbial flora in these samples will be determined by large scale sequencing, quantitative PCR, chemical markers such as ergosterol and PLFA. The biological activity (i.e. cytotoxicity and inflammatory potential) of the samples will also be determined using cell cultures.

The symptoms of the workers will be monitored with questionnaires during the measuring period.

Files

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