TY - JOUR
T1 - Separate effects of moisture content and water activity on the hyphal extension of Penicillium rubens on porous media
AU - van Laarhoven, Karel A.
AU - Huinink, Hendrik P.
AU - Segers, Frank J. J.
AU - Dijksterhuis, Jan
AU - Adan, Olaf C. G.
PY - 2015/12
Y1 - 2015/12
N2 - To prevent indoor fungal growth, understanding the moisture relations of fungi is a key element. Indoor moisture is quantified by the relative humidity (RH). RH controls the water activity of the indoor materials that fungi grow on, a well-studied parameter known to limit fungal growth. RH, however, also controls the amount of water present in these materials, the moisture content. The significance of the moisture content of these materials to indoor fungal growth is currently overlooked. In the work reported here, growth experiments with the indoor fungus Penicillium rubens on gypsum substrates were performed to test whether the moisture content influences growth on porous materials. Second, we report the development of a video microscopy method that for the first time quantified hyphal growth on a porous material. It is found that a higher moisture content leads to earlier colonization and higher hyphal extension rates. This is a fundamental step in unravelling the effect of RH on indoor fungal growth. The real-time monitoring of colonization of gypsum provides a new view of growth on indoor surfaces.
AB - To prevent indoor fungal growth, understanding the moisture relations of fungi is a key element. Indoor moisture is quantified by the relative humidity (RH). RH controls the water activity of the indoor materials that fungi grow on, a well-studied parameter known to limit fungal growth. RH, however, also controls the amount of water present in these materials, the moisture content. The significance of the moisture content of these materials to indoor fungal growth is currently overlooked. In the work reported here, growth experiments with the indoor fungus Penicillium rubens on gypsum substrates were performed to test whether the moisture content influences growth on porous materials. Second, we report the development of a video microscopy method that for the first time quantified hyphal growth on a porous material. It is found that a higher moisture content leads to earlier colonization and higher hyphal extension rates. This is a fundamental step in unravelling the effect of RH on indoor fungal growth. The real-time monitoring of colonization of gypsum provides a new view of growth on indoor surfaces.
U2 - 10.1111/1462-2920.13012
DO - 10.1111/1462-2920.13012
M3 - Article
SN - 1462-2912
VL - 17
SP - 5089
EP - 5099
JO - Environmental Microbiology
JF - Environmental Microbiology
IS - 12
ER -