Analysis of the incidence fungi in a crypt cemetery

Figures & data

Figure 1. The incidence of fungal colonies isolated from air samples.

Figure 2. The incidence of fungal colonies isolated from different surfaces of the chapel and crypt.

Table 1. Number of fungal colonies in air samples collected inside and outside the chapel

Place of Collection	Total Count of Fungi (CFU/m^3)	Temperature (°C)	Humidity (%)	Airflow (m/sec)
Outside the chapel
Entrance to the cemetery	2400 ± 220	27 ± 0.3	37 ± 1,4	0.48 ± 0.04
Entrance to the chapel	2510 ± 210	28.1 ± 0.2	35.3 ± 0.2	0.17 ± 0.03
Inside the chapel
At the altar	2670 ± 290	24.2 ± 0.2	42.2 ± 0.2	0.02 ± 0.01
Right side	3150 ± 360
Left side	3070 ± 380

Notes: Data are the average of the five measured values.

Table 2. Airborne fungi identified from the air collected outside the chapel

Place of Collection	Fungus
	No.	Type
Entrance to the cemetery	177	Penicillium sp.
	21	Aspergillus sp.
	13	Aspergillus terreus
	8	Penicillium chrysogenum
	7	Candida sp.
	5	Fusarium sp.
	5	Cladosporium sp.
	4	Rhodotorula sp.
	Total: 240
Entrance to the chapel	226	Penicillium sp.
	14	Fusarium sp.
	5	Candida sp.
	4	Acremonium sp.
	2	Aspergillus sp.
	Total: 251

Table 3. Airborne fungi identified from the air collected inside the chapel

Place of Collection	Fungus
	No.	Species
At the altar	127	Penicillium sp.
	62	Aspergillus sp.
	58	Acremonium sp.
	17	Aspergillus niger
	3	Candida sp.
	Total: 267
Right side	260	Penicillium sp.
	15	Aspergillus sp.
	12	Aspergillus niger
	11	Scopulariopsis sp.
	9	Candida sp.
	5	Fusarium sp.
	3	Penicillium chrysogenum
	Total: 315
Left side	178	Penicillium sp.
	81	Aspergillus sp.
	14	Verticillium sp.
	12	Candida sp.
	1	Penicillium chrysogenum
	1	Rhodotorula sp.
	Total: 287

Table 4. Fungi identified from different surfaces from outside and inside the chapel

Place of Collection	Fungus
	No.	Species
The wall outside the chapel	88	Candida sp.
	65	Penicillium sp.
	15	Aspergillus sp.
	7	Cladosporium sp.
	7	Acremonium sp.
	5	Mucor sp.
	1	Rhodotorula sp.
	Total: 188
The wall inside the chapel	89	Penicillium sp.
	10	Candida sp.
	13	Aspergillus sp.
	8	Aspergillus niger
	2	Alternaria alternata
	Total: 122
The chapel door from inside	16	Penicillium sp.
	10	Acremonium sp.
	7	Aspergillus sp.
	4	Candida sp.
	1	Rhodotorula sp.
	Total: 41

Table 5. Number of fungal colonies in air samples collected in the crypt

Place of Collection	No. of Fungal Spores (CFU/m^3)	Temperature (°C)	Humidity (%)	Airflow (m/sec)
Inside a closed coffin	3780 ± 420	25.6 ± 0.2	51.2 ± 1.4	0.03 ± 0.01
Left side near wall	3070 ± 390	25.5 ± 0.2	50.8 ± 1.6	0.03 ± 0.01
Right side near wall	3150 ± 360	23.2 ± 0.3	51.2 ± 1.4	0.02 ± 0.01
Left corner	3680 ± 440	23.6 ± 0.3	56.5 ± 1.6	0.03 ± 0.01
Left corner after opening coffin	4150 ± 480	21.6 ± 0.2	58 ± 1.8	0.03 ± 0.01
Left corner at the end of collection	4820 ± 520	20.4 ± 0.3	59 ± 1.9	0.03 ± 0.01
Right corner	3880 ± 370	23.4 ± 0.3	51.3 ± 1.5	0.02 ± 0.01
Right corner at the end of collection	4340 ± 420	22.1 ± 0.2	56 ± 1.6	0.01 ± 0.01

Notes: Data are the average of the five measured values.

Table 6. Number of fungal colonies in air samples collected in different places of the crypt

Place of Collection	Fungus		Place of Collection	Fungus
	No.	Species		No.	Species
Inside coffin	219	Penicillium sp.	Left corner at the end of test	395	Penicillium sp.
	89	Aspergillus sp.		39	Acremonium sp.
	30	Fusarium sp.		18	Aspergillus sp.
	26	Aspergillus niger		13	Aspergillus niger
	13	Candida sp.		10	Candida sp.
	1	Rhodotorula sp		7	Fusarium sp.
	Total: 378			Total: 482
Left side near wall	250	Penicillium sp.	Right corner	304	Penicillium sp.
	21	Aspergillus sp.		40	Aspergillus sp.
	16	Aspergillus niger		20	Candida sp.
	9	Candida sp.		10	Aspergillus niger
	7	Acremonium sp.		10	Acremonium sp.
	3	Chrysonilia sp.		3	Rhodotorula sp.
	1	Alternaria alternata		1	Aspergillus nidulans
	Total: 307			Total: 388
Left corner	343	Penicillium sp.	Right corner after test	401	Penicillium sp.
	18	Aspergillus sp.		16	Candida sp.
	4	Acremonium sp.		14	Aspergillus sp.
	2	Candida sp.		2	Verticillium sp.
	1	Fusarium sp.		1	Acremonium sp.
	Total: 368			Total: 434
Left corner after coffin opening	355	Penicillium sp.
	30	Acremonium sp.
	13	Candida sp.
	10	Aspergillus niger
	10	Aspergillus sp.
	2	Fusarium sp.
	Total: 415

Table 7. Number of fungal colonies and species isolated from different surfaces of the crypt

Place of Collection	Fungus		Place of collection	Fungus
	No.	Species		No.	Species
Wall near window	45	Penicillium sp.	Shoe 2	25	Penicillium sp.
	18	Aspergillus sp.		10	Candida sp.
	5	Candida sp.		6	Aspergillus sp.
	4	Aspergillus nidulans		5	Fusarium sp.
	1	Aspergillus ochraceus		2	Cladosporium sp.
	1	Verticillium sp.		2	Alternaria alternata
	Total: 74			Total: 50
Wall before coffin opening	8	Penicillium sp.	Cloth from the coffin	130	Penicillium sp.
	3	Aspergillus sp.		13	Rhodotorula sp.
	2	Fusarium sp.		9	Candida sp.
	2	Acremonium sp.		2	Aspergillus niger
	1	Aspergillus niger		2	Aspergillus sp.
	Total: 16			Total: 156
Wall near closed coffin	18	Penicillium sp.	Inside of the coffin lid	11	Penicillium sp.
	5	Aspergillus sp.		11	Aspergillus sp.
	3	Acremonium sp.		4	Candida sp.
	3	Candida sp.		1	Aspergillus niger
	2	Alternaria alternata		Total: 27
	Total: 31
Wall right corner	11	Penicillium sp.	Board behind the coffin	36	Penicillium sp.
	10	Aspergillus sp.		11	Aspergillus sp.
	2	Candida sp.		6	Acremonium sp.
	2	Rhodotorula sp.		4	Fusarium sp.
	1	Acremonium sp.		1	Candida sp.
	Total: 26			Total: 58
Bone of lower limb	28	Candida sp.	Pelvis bone	51	Penicillium sp.
	12	Penicillium sp.		26	Penicillium chrysogenum
	4	Aspergilluis sp.		9	Aspergillus sp.
	Total: 44			9	Candida sp.
				4	Aspergillus niger
				1	Aspergillus nidulans
				1	Fusarium sp.
				Total: 101
Shoe 1	61	Penicillium sp.
	18	Aspergillus sp.
	10	Candida sp.
	2	Scopulariopsis sp.
	1	Penicillium chrysogenum
	1	Cladosporium sp.
	1	Acremonium sp.
	Total: 94