Abstract
Two strains of earthy-musty smelling fungi, identified as Chaetomium globosum KINZE ex FR. and Botrytis cinerea PERS. ex FR., were isolated from soil samples collected at Sugadaira, Nagano Prefecture. Geosmin, having a strong earthy-musty smell, and 2-phenylethanol were detected as volatile metabolites of Chaetomium globosum, while furfural, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, and benzyl cyanide were identified as metabolites of Botrytis cinerea. On the other hand, 2-methylisoborneol (with an earthy-muddy smell) was detected in the culture of Phormidium tenue (MENEGHINI) GOMONT, a blue-green alga isolated from water in Sengari Reservoir (Kobe City Water Supply Bureau). Another compound was also detected and identified as 2, 6-di-tert-butyl-p-benzoquinone, which would be a minor component in tap water. The present results suggest that, besides actinomycetes and blue-green algae, fungi may also be responsible for the objectionable earthy-musty odor and taste sometimes apparent in public water supplies.
