Abstract
Air conditioning-related problems in the interior environment of cars are becoming more pronounced. In this study, we used a metagenomic method to analyze the fungal flora on the coils and filters of five car air conditioners in order to characterize potential microbial contamination of the cabin. Airborne fungal flora was also analyzed in the car with the engine running. The results of ITS2 analyses indicated that most of the detected fungi originated from plants and the general environment. Fungal growth was promoted by the air conditioner condensation water, as many of the identified species were hygroscopic and drought-resistant.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported financially by Procter and Gamble International Operations SA SG Branch and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) (grant numbers 18H03808).
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Watanabe, K., Yanagi, U., Ishida, Y. (2023). Study on the Actual Condition of Fungal Flora in Car Air Conditioners and Its Effects on the Cabin Environment. In: Wang, L.L., et al. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment. COBEE 2022. Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9822-5_205
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9822-5_205
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