| Acute Effects of a Fungal Volatile Compound Robert Wålinder,1 Lena Ernstgård,2 Gunnar Johanson,2 Dan Norbäck,1 Per Venge,3 and Gunilla Wieslander1 1Department of Medical Sciences/Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden; 2Division of Work Environment Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 3Department of Medical Sciences/Clinical Chemistry and Asthma Research Center, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden Abstract
Objective: 3-Methylfuran (3-MF) is a common fungal volatile product with active biologic properties, and previous studies have indicated a contribution to airway disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the acute health effects of this compound in humans.
Design: Acute effects were assessed via chamber exposure to (1 mg/m3) 3-MF.
Participants and measurements: Twenty-nine volunteers provided symptom reports, ocular electromyograms, measurement of eye tear film break-up time,vital staining of the eye, nasal lavage, acoustic rhinometry, transfer tests, and dynamic spirometry.
Results: No subjective ratings were significantly increased during exposure. Blinking frequency and the lavage biomarkers myeloperoxidase and lysozyme were significantly increased, and forced vital capacity was significantly decreased during exposure to 3-MF compared with air control.
Conclusions and relevance to clinical practice: Acute effects in the eyes, nose, and airways were detected and might be the result of the biologically active properties of 3-MF. Thus, 3-MF may contribute to building-related illness.
Key words: 3-methylfuran, airway physiology, biomarker, building-related illness, fungi, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, lung, microbial volatile organic compound (MVOC) , mold. Environ Health Perspect 113: 1775-1778 (2005) . doi:10.1289/ehp.8193 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 9 August 2005]
Address correspondence to R. Wålinder, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. Telephone: 46-18-6113641. Fax: 46-19-519978. E-mail: robert.walinder@medsci.uu.se This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Worklife Research and the Swedish Foundation for Health Care Sciences and Allergy Research. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 11 April 2005 ; accepted 9 August 2005.
The 3-min value for 3-MF in Figure 4E was incorrect in the original manuscript published online. The figure has been corrected here.
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