Schleibinger H, Laußmann D, Bornehag CG, Eis D, Rüden H (2007): Microbial volatile organic compounds in the air of moldy and mold-free indoor environments
Indoor Air: in press.

A single-blinded study was done to analyse whether indoor environments with and without mold infestation differ significantly in MVOC concentrations. Air sampling for MVOC was performed in 40 dwellings with evident mold damage and in 44 dwellings, where mold damage was excluded after a thorough investigation. The characteristics of the dwellings, climatic parameters, airborne particles and air exchange rates were recorded. The parameters mold status, characteristics of the interiors and measured climatic parameters were included in the multiple regression model. The results show no significant association between most of the analysed MVOC and the mold status. Only the compounds 2-methyl-1-butanol and 1-octen-3-ol indicated a statistically significant, but weak association with the mold status. However, the concentrations of the so-called MVOC were mainly influenced by other indoor factors. 2-Methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, often used as main indicators for mold damage, had a highly significant correlation with the smoking status. These compounds were also significantly correlated with the humidity and the air exchange rate. The compounds 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-hexanone, 3-heptanone und dimethyl disulphide were weakly correlated with the recorded parameters, the humidity being the strongest influencing factor. Only 2-methyl-1-butanol and 1-octen-3-ol showed a statistically significant association with the mold status; however only a small portion (10 % in this case) of the total variability could be explained by the predictor mold status; they do not qualify as indicator compounds, because such minor correlations lead to a too excessive part of incorrect classifications, meaning that the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of these compounds are too low.