Snapshot Assessment to Fungal Load in Wood Departments from “Do It Yourself” (DIY) Stores

Workers are exposed to airborne dust at various phases of the wood- working and manufacturing processes, beginning with the tree-felling stage and varying in particle size, concentration, and composition. Fungi are the most well- known microorganisms present in this setting, which, under the correct circumstances, can flourish on wood products that have been stored. Woodworkers who were exposed to wood dust contaminated with fungi have reported cases of allergic alveolitis and asthma. The aim of this study was to perform a snapshot assessment regarding exposure of woodworking employees to fungal load identifying the most critical workstations in local DIY stores. The sampling campaign was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023 in 8 DIY stores located in Lisbon Metropolitan Area. An active sampling method was applied (device MAS−100), collecting 200L at a flow rate of 140 L/min. The higher counts were obtained in the wood exhibition and checkout areas. These results corroborate the employed sampling approach as a first step to obtain a snapshot assessment regarding fungal load in a DIY store. It was also possible to predict the spreading of the fungal load through the store, highlighting the importance of One Health approach in this specific setting.