Noah Fierer study on fungi in flooded Boulder homes published in Enviormental Science & Technology Journal
, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a fellow at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, was inspired to study the levels of fungi and airbourne mold present in Boulder basements while walking through his south Boulder neighborhood after the September floods. The findings, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology and funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, also show that the types of fungi鈥攁nd airborne bacteria鈥攆ound in flooded homes were different than those in non-flooded homes. The researchers found about twice as much fungal DNA in flooded homes than in non-flooded homes, despite the fact that most of the flooded basements they sampled had already been remediated, a process which often includes throwing out old furniture, replacing drywall and flooring, and treating dried surfaces with chemicals that deter microbial growth. You can read more about Dr. Fierer's study