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Water & Fire Damage Restoration in Georgia

Water & Fire Damage Restoration in Georgia

Mold Testing

Do You Need Mold Testing Clean Up?

Molds are a natural and important part of our environment. They are ubiquitous and are found virtually everywhere. Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce. These spores can be found in both indoor and outdoor air and on indoor and outdoor surfaces. When mold spores land on a damp spot, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive, leading to adverse conditions. In response to increasing public concern, a number of government authorities, including the United States EPA, California Department of Health Services and New York City Department of Health, have developed recommendations and guidelines for assessment and remediation of mold.

While it is generally accepted that molds can be allergenic and can lead to adverse health conditions in susceptible people, unfortunately there are no widely accepted or regulated interpretive standards or numerical guidelines for the interpretation of microbial data. The absence of standards often makes interpretation of microbial data difficult and controversial. The reports generated by the lab we use have been designed to provide some basic interpretive information using certain assumptions and facts that have been extracted from a number of peer reviewed texts, such as the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). In the absence of standards, the user must determine the appropriateness and applicability of this report to any given situation. Identification of the presence of a particular fungus in an indoor environment does not necessarily mean that the building occupants are or are not being exposed to antigenic or toxic agents. None of the information contained in reports provided should be construed as medical advice or a call to action for evacuation or remediation unless deemed so by an authoritative party in that particular field having the credentials and experience needed to make such recommendations. Only a qualified physician should make any decision relative to medical significance.

Methods

  • 1. Surface Samples – Swab, Dust, Tape and Bulk Samples: Swab, Dust and Tape samples are mounted on a glass slide and observed under a bright field microscope for either Qualitative or Quantitative Examination. A bulk sample is also simultaneously observed under a stereomicroscope to look for signs of any visible discoloration or fungal growth, which is then mounted and observed under a bright field microscope for either Qualitative or Quantitative Examination. The samples are analyzed at a minimum of 200 X magnifications and up to a 1000X magnification. In the qualitative examination, the prepared samples are observed for the presence of any structures or skewing of spore distribution that may indicate growth in the sample being analyzed. In the quantitative examination, the mold spores detected in the sample are counted and reported as spores per cm2, spores per gram (or 1000mg), or spores per swab/wipe, etc depending on the sample type. These methodologies do not differentiate between viable and non-viable fungal spores.

    2. Air Samples– Spore Trap Device: Spore traps are a unique sampling device designed for the rapid collection and analysis of a wide range of airborne particulates, including fungal spores. While analyzing the sample, the analyst takes a number of variables into account to select the proper analytical method to accurately determine the densities of the various spores on the trace. The densities of the debris and the spores on the trace will determine the approach to analyzing the sample. In general, the sample is directly mounted under the microscope and the various airborne

    particles detected are counted at a minimum of 200X magnification and up to 1000X magnification, with the entire trace (100% of the sample) being analyzed at 200X or 600X. This method does not differentiate between viable and non-viable fungal spores. This technique does not allow for the differentiation between Aspergillums and Penicillium spores. Additionally, depending on morphology, other non-distinctive spores are reported in categories such as ascosporous or basidiospores. All slides are graded with the following debris scale for data qualification.

Data Interpretation

According to ACGIH, “Data from individual sampling episodes is often interpreted with respect to baseline data from other environments or the same environment under anticipated low exposure conditions.” In the absence of established acceptable exposure limits, it is often necessary to use a comparison standard when interpreting data. In this instance, it will be necessary to sample the suspect area as well as a non-suspect area. According to ACGIH, “…active fungal growth in indoor environments is inappropriate and may lead to exposure and adverse health effects.”

a. Total Fungal Spores According to ACGIH, “…. differences that can detected with manageable sample sizes are likely to be in 10- fold multiplicative steps (e.g., 100 versus 1000…)”. Following this logic, if total fungal spores are ten (10) times greater in the sample from a suspect area than in the negative control sample collected from a non-suspect area, then that sample area may be a fungal amplification site.

b. Mycelial Fragments Mycelium is a fungal mass that constitutes the vegetative or living body of a fungus. Following the same logic above, if total mycelial fragments are ten (10) times greater in the suspect sample than in the negative control, then the sample area is considered to be a fungal amplification site. The presence of mycelial fragments provides evidence of microbial growth.

c. Mycotoxins Molds can produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. More than 200 mycotoxins have been identified from common molds, and many more remain to be identified. Some of the molds that are known to produce mycotoxins are commonly found in moisture-damaged buildings. Exposure pathways for mycotoxins can include inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Although some mycotoxins are well known to affect humans and have been shown to be responsible for human health effects, for many mycotoxins, little information is available, and in some cases research is ongoing. Some molds can produce several toxins, and some molds produce mycotoxins only under certain environmental conditions. The presence of mold in a building does not necessarily mean that mycotoxins are present or that they are present in large quantities.

d. Water Indicator Molds Certain authorities identify certain molds whose presence indicates excessive moisture. The presence of a few spores of indicator mold should be interpreted with caution. Additionally, it should be recognized that these named molds are not necessarily the only ones of potential significance.

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