A novel biomonitoring approach is being proposed to ascertain the air quality of workplaces contaminated by moulds and their compounds so as to avoid health problems (asthma, sinusitis, headaches, environmental hypersensitivity, etc.) for exposed workers.

After a study of their parameters, 21 microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) measurable in air and blood were selected as potential candidates for the biomonitoring of moulds. Complementary to existing environmental assessment methods, the suggested approach will enable a more accurate estimation of workers’ exposure to moulds by taking samples (blood, urine, exhaled air) from them.