Hygienic Environment of Railway Stations – Investigation and Countermeasures for Reduction of Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs) Generated by Fungi in Railway Stations – T. Kyotani,

It was made clear that many railway customers thought the major important factors which influence comfort of stations were “odors” and “clearness of air”. We also found that there was a high correlation between the evaluation of customers about odors and the amount of fungi floating in the air at several points of stations. So we consider that microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) generated by fungi partially cause odors of stations. During cultivation of Aspergillus versicolor, Penicilluim sp., and Wallemia sp. MVOCs were detected by using SPME (solid phase microextraction) combined with GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). We tried to analyze odorous compounds in the air of underground platform of a railway station by using the same method. Many compounds could be detected, and some of them were detected during cultivation of fungi. The countermeasure we are now thinking about for reduction of odorous compounds and for inhibition of growth of fungi, is to introduce mirror duct or photocatalyst (TiO2, etc) to railway stations. We expect that more comfortable station space can be presented to customers with less labor by introducing them.