Biosensing of an indoor volatile organic compound on the basis of fungal growth Original Research Article

A fungal biosensor plate was applied to assessment of the harmfulness of air polluted by formaldehyde. Alternaria alternata, Eurotium herbariorum and Aspergillus penicillioides were used as fungal species. Fungal mycelium length and optical transparency of the biosensor plate were employed as indices of the fungal growth. Formaldehyde in air was detected on the basis of growth inhibition, reflected by suppression of the growth indices. Dynamic range of the measurement was 700–4000 μg m−3 or broader. Eurotium herbariorum and Aspergillus penicillioides were the most suitable fungal species to formaldehyde sensing based on the mycelium length and that based on the transparency, respectively.