Production of mycotoxins on artificially inoculated building materials

Isolates of Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus versicolor and Trichoderma spp. from water damaged Danish buildings were grown on old and new gypsum boards, wood pieces, chipboard, gypsum board with wallpaper and acoustic ceiling tiles. Production of sterigmatocystin and 5-methoxysterigmatocystin by each of 5 isolates of A. versicolor growing on pine wood, wallpaper, gypsum board and chipboard, were detected using HPLC with diode array detection and TLC with AlCl3 staining. After derivatization to the heptafluorobutyrlated ester and using gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry, negative ion chemical ionisation, for detection, trichothecenes of the verrucarol type were found in 4 of 5 isolates of S. chartarum growing on old and new gypsum boards. None of 8 Trichoderma isolates produced the trichothecenes T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, fusarenon-X, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol or trichothecenes of the verrucarol or trichodermol type on any of the above mentioned materials. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.