Well, as with some other recent posts here, the paper I am writing about is not open access and I do not have any obvious way to get it at this time. But it looks interesting, and more importantly it shows just how many places are thinking about microbial ecology in built environments.
The paper I refer to is from researchers at Hyundai. It is entitled: Analysis of Microorganism Causing Odor in an Air-Conditioning System
And, well, that is what it seems to be about. From the abstract:
This study has been conducted to analyze microbial diversity and its community by using a method of NGS(Next generation sequencing) technique that is not rely on cultivation for microbial community in an core evaporator causing odor of car air conditioner. The NGS without any cultivation method of cultivation, has been developed recently and widely. This method is able to research a microorganism that has not been cultivated. Differently with others, it can get a result that is closer to fact, also can acquire more base sequence with larger volume in relatively shorter time.
According to bacteria population analysis of 23 samples, It can be known limited number of bacteria can inhabit in Evaporator core, due to small exposure between bacteria and evaporate, as well as its environmental characteristics. With the population analysis, only certain group of it is forming biofilm in proportion.
The full citation information is
Kim, J. and Lee, T., “Analysis of Microorganism Causing Odor in an Air-Conditioning System,” SAE Technical Paper 2015-01-0354, 2015, doi:10.4271/2015-01-0354.
It is possible to get a preview of the paper from SAE if you want to skim over it: click here. I’ve got to say, the “Microbiology of the Built Environment” field just keeps growing and growing.