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<p>Household dust in tropical slum settlements represents a shared reservoir for chemical and biological hazards, yet cumulative exposure assessments remain limited. This study advances indoor environmental health research by integrating heavy metal analysis and dust associated fungi profiling within a single risk assessment model. House dust samples were collected from multiple sites within poorly ventilated, non-compartmentalized rooms. Fungal load was quantified using the spread plate method, and isolates were microscopically identified using lactophenol-cotton blue staining and slide culture techniques. Five dominant fungal taxa were further subjected to molecular characterisation and deposited in NCBI GenBank: <i>Aspergillus sydowii</i> (OR122521), <i>Trichoderma longibrachiatum</i> (OR131268), <i>Cladosporium</i> sp. (OR139845), <i>Neurospora</i> sp. (OR131033), and <i>Aspergillus nomiae</i> (OR131035). Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in fungal load between sites, but diversity positively correlated with environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, indoor cooking, and hygiene practices. High diversity indices (Simpson and Shannon Equitability &gt; 0.9; Shannon Index ~ 1.7) indicated an evenly distributed fungal community. Exposure assessment showed that exposure to toxic elements follows the order ingestion &gt; dermal&gt; inhalation. The non-cancer hazard index (HI) for adults is &lt; 1, whereas HI &gt; 1 indicates a significant non-cancer hazard for children, even when hazardous for adults. Cancer Risk from exposure to three toxic elements (Cd, Cr, and Ni) was estimated to be significantly higher than the acceptable limit of one in a million. These findings underscore indoor dust fungi as overlooked emerging contaminants, along with toxic elements in house dusts, and have direct implications for urban health, warranting regulatory attention and interventions to mitigate exposure and safeguard vulnerable populations.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Fungi and toxic metals in household settled dust in slum settlements: an exposure and health risk perspective

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月30日

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  • Rachna Jain,
  • Dipanjali Majumdar,
  • Subhendu Chakraborty

摘要

Household dust in tropical slum settlements represents a shared reservoir for chemical and biological hazards, yet cumulative exposure assessments remain limited. This study advances indoor environmental health research by integrating heavy metal analysis and dust associated fungi profiling within a single risk assessment model. House dust samples were collected from multiple sites within poorly ventilated, non-compartmentalized rooms. Fungal load was quantified using the spread plate method, and isolates were microscopically identified using lactophenol-cotton blue staining and slide culture techniques. Five dominant fungal taxa were further subjected to molecular characterisation and deposited in NCBI GenBank: Aspergillus sydowii (OR122521), Trichoderma longibrachiatum (OR131268), Cladosporium sp. (OR139845), Neurospora sp. (OR131033), and Aspergillus nomiae (OR131035). Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in fungal load between sites, but diversity positively correlated with environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, indoor cooking, and hygiene practices. High diversity indices (Simpson and Shannon Equitability > 0.9; Shannon Index ~ 1.7) indicated an evenly distributed fungal community. Exposure assessment showed that exposure to toxic elements follows the order ingestion > dermal> inhalation. The non-cancer hazard index (HI) for adults is < 1, whereas HI > 1 indicates a significant non-cancer hazard for children, even when hazardous for adults. Cancer Risk from exposure to three toxic elements (Cd, Cr, and Ni) was estimated to be significantly higher than the acceptable limit of one in a million. These findings underscore indoor dust fungi as overlooked emerging contaminants, along with toxic elements in house dusts, and have direct implications for urban health, warranting regulatory attention and interventions to mitigate exposure and safeguard vulnerable populations.

Graphical Abstract