ORIGINAL PAPER
The evaluation of microfungal contamination of dust created during woodworking in furniture factories
 
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1
Poznan University of Life Sciences / Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu, Poznań, Poland (Department of Furniture Design / Katedra Meblarstwa)
 
2
Poznan University of Life Sciences / Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu, Poznań, Poland (Department of Chemistry / Katedra Chemii)
 
3
Wood Technology Institute in Poznan / Instytut Technologii Drewna w Poznaniu, Poznań, Poland
 
4
Poznan University of Life Sciences / Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu, Poznań, Poland (Department of Phytopathology, Seed Science and Technology / Katedra Fitopatologii i Nasiennictwa)
 
 
Corresponding author
Tomasz Rogoziński   

Poznan University of Life Sciences, Department of Furniture Design, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznań,
 
 
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2014;65(6):705-13
 
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ABSTRACT
Background: Microscopic fungi are the biological agent of occupational risk in the woodworking environment. Microbiological and chemical methods were used for determination of their concentration and species composition in dust. Material and Methods: Dust was sampled in 3 factories producing furniture using different materials. The 1st factory (A) processes solid wood, the 2nd (B) – chipboards and the 3rd factory (C) uses both wood and wood composites. The samples were collected in 12 different workstations and locations in each factory. The quantitative content of fungal biomass was determined basing on analysis of ergosterol (ERG). The species composition of fungi was analyzed using the microbiological method basing on culture morphology. Results: The concentration of ergosterol was relatively low and ranged from 0.012 mg/kg to 3.36 mg/kg. The average value of ERG amounted to 1.25 mg/kg in factories A and C and 1.15 mg/kg in factory B. The most frequently isolated fungi in factory A and B were Penicillum and Aspergillus. However, in the factory C, only Trichoderma was isolated. The maximum concentration of fungi in dust collected in factory B was 2377 cfu/g and it is 3 times more than in the dust from factories A and C. Conclusions: Workers of furniture factories may be exposed to airborne fungi associated with the wood dust posing health hazard. The content of these fungi is relatively small (ERG – max: 3.36 mg/kg) but the species, especially genera Penicillum and Aspergillus, found in the dust which were reported as having allergic and toxic properties. Med Pr 2014;65(6):705–713
eISSN:2353-1339
ISSN:0465-5893
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