AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Investigation of Bioaerosol Contamination in New Jersey Homes Affected by Hurricane Sandy
Leonardo Calderón, Huajun Zhen, Zuocheng Wang, Brian Buckley, Joan W. Bennett, Paul J. Lioy, GEDIMINAS MAINELIS, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Abstract Number: 70 Working Group: Bioaerosols: Characterization and Environmental Impact
Abstract The storm surge from Hurricane Sandy flooded and affected more than 70,000 structures along the New Jersey shore in October 2012, leaving an unprecedented temporal and geographic cluster of water-damaged and mold-infested homes and businesses. Demolition and remediation of affected structures is underway and is anticipated to peak in late spring/early summer of 2013.
Because Sandy was a cold weather event, some of the short-term problems from molds, as seen in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, were initially obscured. Nonetheless, in anticipation of potential mold exposure issues we began collecting airborne samples of mold and bacteria in affected homes. The concentrations of culturable bacteria and mold were determined using SAS Super 180 portable sampler and culturing method. The total mold concentrations were determined using Air-O-Cell spores traps and microscopy. An initial set of samples was collected in December 2012-January 2013 in homes at different stages of remediation. The average concentrations of total airborne mold spores in homes without remediation or with remediation in progress ranged from ~10^4 to >10^5 spores/m^3, compared to approximately 1,000 spores/m^3 in re-mediated or minimally affected homes. Indoor mold was dominated by Penicillium species (>95%), while outdoor mold were mostly Ascospores, Cladosporium and some Penicillium (<10%). Concentrations of viable mold in remediated or minimally affected homes were below 1000 CFU/m^3, while these concentrations in homes without remediation or with remediation in progress reached close to 10^4/m^3 and samples were often overloaded. The levels of culturable bacteria in affected homes were not substantially higher than in minimally affected homes.
As the remediation efforts intensify during warmer weather, we expect to investigate more homes as permitted by access and funding. The results so far indicate that mold exposures could reach substantial levels in affected homes and that proper remediation is the key to reducing such exposures.