Microhabitat Influences the Occurrence of Airborne Fungi in Copper Mine in Poland

Abstract

From January to April 2012 we studied the occurrence of air-borne fungi in the Lubin mining site, property of KGHM Polska Miedź SA. The research was conducted in three copper-mining shafts: Bolesław, Lubin Zachodni (Lubin West shaft), and Lubin Głó wny (Lubin Main shaft) at about 610 to 850 meters below ground level. Air samples were collected between 6 and 9 a.m. using the impact method (Air Ideal 3P Sampler) onto Potato Dextrose Agar. The volume of air sampled for each agar plate was 50 liters. We found twenty-seven fungal species, the most numerous being Penicillium notatum, P. urticae, and Aspergillus flavus. As the application of log-linear and correspondence analyses have shown, the population of fungi varied considerably among the copper mine shafts or shaft parts. P. notatum and P. urticae were found to be the best adapted to grow in copper-mine conditions. The significant interaction among the shafts and the sample collection sites suggests a substantial microclimate influence on the population-size variations of studied fungal species in each shaft. The fungal-spore concentration in the majority of the shafts of this copper mine does not present a health risk to the mine workers. But it is enhanced in some portions of the mine, so it may constitute a health hazard locally.

Airborne bacteria and fungi in a coal mine in Poland

“…Previous work describes exposure to bioaerosols in the chambers of the Wieliczka salt mine and copper mine in Lubin. Pusz et al (2014) studied the occurrence of air-borne fungi in three coppermining shafts: Bolesław, Lubin Zachodni (Lubin West shaft), and Lubin Główny (Lubin Main shaft) in the Lubin mining site, property of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. They found twenty-seven fungal species, the most numerous being Penicillium notatum, P. urticae, and Aspergillus flavus.…”

“…The miners going down to work bring fungi into the mine. The research conducted by Pusz et al (2014) in a copper mine has shown that the number of colony forming units (CFU) is dependent on the kind of work done and presence of organic material.…”

Culturable Fungi in Brown Bear Cave Dens

“…Inside the underground objects fungi are most often present as spores migrating with the air currents or with water, or are carried by the animals inhabiting such objects, i.e., by bats, rodents, or arthropods, but also by humans [17][18]. The fungal taxa most often found in the underground objects are those belonging to the genera of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Fusarium, and Trichoderma, as well as Cladosporium and Alternaria [18][19].…”

“…Such a state of affairs indicates that a prolonged stay in bear dens, which may be the case when conducting scientifi c research, e.g., sampling, may be a potential source of health risk, particularly in persons showing allergies to fungi [18][19]. It has been unknown so far whether or not the high concentrations of fungal spores do negatively affect the health status of animals inhabiting the dens.…”

Aeromycology: studies of fungi in aeroplankton

“…However, in shafts of copper mine located in Lubiń mining site (property of KGHM Polska Miedź SA) the most numerous fungi belonged to Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp., with P. notatum and P. urticae found as best adapted to grow in these specific conditions (Pusz et al 2014a). Significant differences between the composition and size of fungal species between the shafts and sample collection sites supported the hypothesis on substantial influence of microclimate on fungal air spora.…”