Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T08:38:13.110Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microbial Ecology of Extreme Environments: Automobile Air Conditioning Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

R.B. Simmons ,
L.J. Rose ,
S.A. Crow  and
D.G. Ahearn
R.B. Simmons
Affiliation:
Environmental Research Center, Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303
L.J. Rose
Affiliation:
Environmental Research Center, Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303
S.A. Crow
Affiliation:
Environmental Research Center, Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303
D.G. Ahearn
Affiliation:
Environmental Research Center, Dept. of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA30303
Get access

Extract

Automobile air conditioning systems (ACS) might be considered an extreme environment for many microorganisms. Organisms surviving and proliferating in these systems may be presented with temperature changes ranging from subzero to over 140°F, water activity from saturation to dryness and a nutrient complexity including varying levels of hydrocarbons. Microbial communities develop in ACS and sometimes proliferate to the extent of massive colonization and production of objectionable odors.

In a few instances microorganisms emanating from ACS have been associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other allergic reactions. Previously we demonstrated that foam insulation and glues, in particular, on ACS insulations were colonized by fungi such as Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. Such fungi often are implicated in colonization of similar substrates in buildings categorized with the sick building syndrome.

A total of 42 ACS from the United States, Europe and Central America have been examined by cabin air sampling culture swab, direct microscopy or a combination of these techniques.

Type
Microorganisms: The Good, The Bad, The Unusual
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 6 , Issue S2: Proceedings: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2000, Microscopy Society of America 58th Annual Meeting, Microbeam Analysis Society 34th Annual Meeting, Microscopical Society of Canada/Societe de Microscopie de Canada 27th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 13-17, 2000 , August 2000 , pp. 658 - 659
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References:

l.Simmons, R.B. etal., J. Ind. Micro. Biotech. 19(1997)150–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Simmons, R.B. et al.,. Curr. Microbiol. 39 (1999)141–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Kumar, P., Marier., R., Leech, S.H.. N. Engl. J. Med. 25 (1981)1531–1532.Google Scholar
4.Kumar, P., Marier, R.., Leech, S.H.. N. Engl. J. Med. 11 (1984)1619–1621.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Kumar, P. Et al., Ann. Allergy 64 (1990)174–177.Google Scholar
6.Ahearn, D.G., et al., in IAQ 92 Environments for People. 3 (1992)101–105.Google Scholar
7.Bjurman, J., in JAQ ‘93 Environments for People. 4 1993) 339–343.Google Scholar
8.Mishra, S.K., et al., J. Med. Vet. Mycol. 30:S-1 (1992) 287–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Simmons, R.B. et al., Abstr. Ann. ASM Meeting 243 (1999) 606.Google Scholar
10.Rose, L.J. et al., Curr. Microbiol. Submitted (2000).Google Scholar
11. This research was supported in part by AirSept, Inc., Marietta, GA and by the Georgia Research Alliance Technology Development Partnership.Google Scholar