Pedestrian underpasses are the unique environment where air transaction with outdoor is complicated, inducing interest to study the air quality for the presence of microbes. Thus, the study on the presence of airborne fungi from 11 different underpasses in Chennai city was conducted. The airborne fungi was monitored by exposing potato dextrose agar strips in reuter centrifugal sampler (RCS). A total of 1735 colonies were isolated from underpasses and the control site recorded only 1255 colonies. Total average colony forming unit of underpasses and control site was 157.7 CFU/m3 of air and 114.09 CFU/m3 of air, respectively. Altogether 22 species classified in 16 genera were isolated from both the environments. Of which 21 species belonging to 16 genera were isolated from underpasses whereas the control site yielded 15 species belonging to 12 genera. The isolated species were categorized into three species belonging to Zygomycota, 2 species to Ascomycota and the remaining to Mitosporic fungi. The air sample in the underpass is dominated by the presence of the fungi, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata and A.niger, whereas the control is dominated by Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus niger and A. flavus. The study proves the underpasses are a favorite niche for the proliferation of fungal propagules and proper maintenance of underpass is recommended.

中文翻译：

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行人地下通道空气传播真菌的初步调查

人行地下通道是与室外空气交换复杂的独特环境，引起人们对研究空气质量是否存在微生物的兴趣。因此，对金奈市 11 个不同地下通道中空气传播真菌的存在进行了研究。通过在路透社离心采样器 (RCS) 中暴露马铃薯葡萄糖琼脂条来监测空气传播的真菌。从地下通道中总共分离出 1735 个菌落，而对照站点仅记录了 1255 个菌落。地下通道和对照场地的总平均菌落形成单位分别为 157.7 CFU/m3 空气和 114.09 CFU/m3 空气。从这两种环境中总共分离出 16 属 22 种。其中从地下通道中分离出16属21种，对照点分离出12属15种。分离出的菌种分为3种属于接合菌，2种属于子囊菌，其余属于有丝孢菌。地下通道中的空气样本以真菌、黄曲霉、弯曲霉和黑曲霉的存在为主，而对照则以枝孢枝孢菌、黑曲霉和黄曲霉为主。该研究证明地下通道是真菌繁殖体繁殖的最佳场所，建议对地下通道进行适当维护。黑曲霉和黄曲霉。该研究证明地下通道是真菌繁殖体繁殖的最佳场所，建议对地下通道进行适当维护。黑曲霉和黄曲霉。该研究证明地下通道是真菌繁殖体繁殖的最佳场所，建议对地下通道进行适当维护。