Work

Toxicological interactions between biotic and abiotic components of indoor air: Mold and air fresheners

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: While traditionally the health impacts of the biotic and abiotic components of indoor air have been assumed to be independent, recent studies indicate the opposite, highlighting the need for a systematic evaluation of their interactions to provide a holistic assessment of the health impacts of indoor air. In this study, we assessed the toxicological relationship between a commonly found indoor mold species, Aspergillus fumigatus , and air fresheners, an emerging source of abiotic indoor air pollutants. We evaluated the cytotoxic effects of mold and two air fresheners (Brands A and B) on A549 cells and then tested the effect of co-exposure to the two toxicants on various cellular responses. We also analyzed the chemical composition of the air fresheners using LC-MS. Our results show that both air fresheners were composed of several compounds that could inhibit mold growth and pose health risks to humans. Furthermore, the chemical composition and concentration of the air freshener solutions could influence the toxicological interactions. Overall, our study demonstrates the need for further research on these interactions for a comprehensive assessment of indoor air health impacts. The knowledge will also allow air freshener manufacturers to formulate products with minimal health impacts. • We assessed the toxicological relationship between a commonly found indoor mold species, Aspergillus fumigatus , and air fresheners, an emerging source of abiotic indoor air pollutants. • Our results show that both air fresheners were composed of several compounds that could inhibit mold growth and pose health risks to humans. • The chemical composition and concentration of the air freshener solutions influenced the toxicological interactions.

Source: Journal of Hazardous Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.141319