Pre-contamination of new gypsum wallboard with potentially harmful fungal species

Gypsum wallboard is a popular building material, but is also very frequently overgrown by Stachybotrys chartarum after severe and/or undetected water damage. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Stachybotrys and other fungi frequently isolated from wet gypsum wallboard are already present in the panels directly from the factory. Surface-disinfected gypsum disks were wetted with sterile water, sealed, and incubated for 70 days. The results showed that Neosartorya hiratsukae (≡ Aspergillus hiratsukae) was the most dominant fungus on the gypsum wallboard followed by Chaetomium globosum and Stachybotrys chartarum. Our results suggest that these three fungal species are already embedded in the materials, presumably in the paper/carton layer surrounding the gypsum core, before the panels reach the retailers/building site.