Material matters: a framework for integrating surface properties into built environment microbiome research

The built environment (BE), where we spend the majority of our time, contains a variety of surfaces with distinct properties. Our understanding of how these surfaces shape the microbiome of the BE (MoBE) is underdeveloped and limits the ability to develop a bioinformed microbial management framework. Lab-scale studies have shown the impact of surface properties (roughness, wettability, porosity) on microbial communities, but studies sampling the BE microbiome have often overlooked this metadata. A keyword search of the literature found that only 31% of studies that sampled the indoor microbiome reported material information, which did not include any material characterization data. We have used the kitchen as a case study to illustrate the complexity of the microbial community and material surfaces that are present in the BE. We also describe how the use of BE spaces, such as cleaning, can impact both the materials and microbial community. We propose an interdisciplinary approach to studying the MoBE, incorporating techniques from material characterization into environmental microbiological sampling to elucidate the role of materials and their surface properties on the MoBE. Utilizing this interdisciplinary approach, a bioinformed framework can be developed for managing healthy MoBEs-one that improves occupant health by incorporating material science into microbial risk assessment and design strategies.