Microbiological, Health and Comfort Aspects of Indoor Air Quality in a Romanian Historical Wooden Church

Florin Marcu, Nicolaie Hodor, Liliana Indrie, Paula Dejeu, Marin Ilieș, Adina Albu, Mircea Sandor, Cosmin Sicora, Monica Costea, Dorina Camelia Ilieș, Tudor Caciora, Anca Huniadi, Iuliana Chiș, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Paul Szabo-Alexi, Vasile Grama and Bahodirhon Safarov
Additional contact information
Florin Marcu: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, 10 Piața 1 Decembrie Street, 410073 Oradea, Romania
Nicolaie Hodor: Faculty of Geography, Babes-Bolyai University, 5-6 Clinicilor Street, 400006 Cluj Napoca, Romania
Liliana Indrie: Department of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management, Faculty of Energy Engineering and Industrial Management, University of Oradea, 4 Barbu Stefanescu Delavrancea Street, 410058 Oradea, Romania
Paula Dejeu: Medical Laboratory Service M.D., Bethany Medical Clinic Oradea, Bihor County, 410004 Oradea, Romania
Marin Ilieș: Faculty of Geography Extension, Babes-Bolyai University, 6 Avram Iancu Street, 435500 Sighetu Marmatiei, Romania
Adina Albu: Department of Textiles, Leather and Industrial Management, Faculty of Energy Engineering and Industrial Management, University of Oradea, 4 Barbu Stefanescu Delavrancea Street, 410058 Oradea, Romania
Mircea Sandor: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, 10 Piața 1 Decembrie Street, 410073 Oradea, Romania
Cosmin Sicora: Biological Research Center Jibou, 16 Wesselenyi Street, 455200 Jibou, Romania
Monica Costea: Faculty of Environmental Protection, University of Oradea, Gen Magheru Street, 410048 Oradea, Romania
Dorina Camelia Ilieș: Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Tudor Caciora: Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Anca Huniadi: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, 10 Piața 1 Decembrie Street, 410073 Oradea, Romania
Iuliana Chiș: Biological Research Center Jibou, 16 Wesselenyi Street, 455200 Jibou, Romania
Lucian Barbu-Tudoran: Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj Napoca, 5-7 Clinicilor Street, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Paul Szabo-Alexi: Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Vasile Grama: Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, 1 Universitatii Street, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Bahodirhon Safarov: Department of Digital Economy, Samarkand State University, Samarkand 140104, Uzbekistan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Monitoring the indoor microclimate in old buildings of cultural heritage and significance is a practice of great importance because of the importance of their identity for local communities and national consciousness. Most aged heritage buildings, especially those made of wood, develop an indoor microclimate conducive to the development of microorganisms. This study aims to analyze one wooden church dating back to the 1710s in Romania from the microclimatic perspective, i.e., temperature and relative humidity and the fungal load of the air and surfaces. One further aim was to determine if the internal microclimate of the monument is favorable for the health of parishioners and visitors, as well as for the integrity of the church itself. The research methodology involved monitoring of the microclimate for a period of nine weeks (November 2020–January 2021) and evaluating the fungal load in indoor air as well as on the surfaces. The results show a very high contamination of air and surfaces (>2000 CFU/m 3 ). In terms of fungal contamination, Aspergillus spp. (two different species), Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., Mucor spp., Penicillium spp. (two different species) and Trichopyton spp. were the genera of fungi identified in the indoor wooden church air and Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp. (two different species) and Botrytis spp. on the surfaces (church walls and iconostasis). The results obtained reveal that the internal microclimate not only imposes a potential risk factor for the parishioners and visitors, but also for the preservation of the wooden church as a historical monument, which is facing a crisis of biodeterioration of its artwork.

Keywords: indoor microclimate; temperature; humidity; carbon dioxide; fungi; heritage building; biodeterioration; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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