A multidisciplinary approach to microbiological implications of indoor air is fruitful for research as well as management of health and building problems. The Finnish and the Danish mold programs are examples of such productive collaborative studies. Dust samples taken from classrooms in schools where occupants complain of building-related symptoms (BRS) demonstrated an inflammatory potential in vitro, measured as a release of cytokine interleukin (IL)-8.
Ventilation systems may in some cases be a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Several studies have shown that the pollution mainly originates from the filters. Microbial growth in the filters is seen as a cause for this pollution. The sensory pollution from a standard glass fiber filter and a glass fiber filter treated to inhibit microbial growth (both EU7) were compared. No clear pattern was found in the influence of the filters on the sensory air quality. The differences between the two tested filters were not significant.
The literature for the control of dust mites by modification of the psychrometric conditions of the environment is reviewed from the standpoint of a building scientist or engineer, both to present to building science workers an envelope of microenvironment psychrometric conditions to use as control, and to highlight those areas of dust mite biology that require further research to complete the knowledge of the psychrometric envelope for dust mite viability.
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