Below are the five most widely used methods of taking mold spore samples from the air during mold inspections. They are used by scientists, industrial hygienists, and mold inspectors.
These mold testing methods have been proven over and over by time, legal trial, and third party scientific lab verification for reliability taking into account many complex factors related to aerodynamics and physics. Surface sample methods just do not provide as much quantitative info as the following 5 air sample methods.
1) An Air-O-Cell non viable spore trap with pump calibrated and run at 15 LPM typically run from 1 to 15 min.
2) A Micro5 non viable spore trap with pump calibrated and run at 5 LPM for 1 to 5 min.
3) A CyClex non viable impactor with pump calibrated and run at 20 LPM for 1 to 10 min.
4) A CyClex-d non viable spore trap with pump calibrated and run at 20 LPM for 1 to 10 min.
5) A single stage viable impactor plate, such as an Andersen Impactor or one of it’s exact duplicated clones (such as an Aerotech 6, or ems E6 with a pump calibrated and run at 28.3 LPM for 1 to 5 min.
The Cyclex from method # 3 above is not used as much as some other methods because it requires a larger up front investment on the part of the mold testing firm. $400.00 one time purchase of a reusable sampler as apposed to the free one time use plastic cassettes provided y labs. In addition to testing 200 liters of air with each sample the CyClex sampler developed by Environmental Monitoring Systems also has a cut off diameter (d50) the size of the smallest spores, this means tiny pen / asp spores just 2 or 3 microns across do not pass through the device and escape unnoticed. Also, the Cyclex typically samples 200 liters or 1/5 of a cubic meter of air, thats a good amount for an air sampler, the more air sampled the more statically reliable the results.
The first four methods above are non viable spore traps, this means that live and spores are collected in the sample device to give an idea of the total estimated number of spores per cubic meter of air. This sampling method does not miss spores. This is very important because often spores can be allergenic or potentially toxigenic, regardless of whether they are live.
The fifth method above is used for viable air testing. It is not as widely used by mold inspectors because like the CyClex it to has a higher initial investment in equipment around $500.00 for a stainless steel impactor plate with 400 tiny precession drilled holes, as apposed to a simple plastic air testing cassette provided for free by the lab. Also, viable sample results have a longer turn around time 7 to 10 days as apposed to about 3 days for viable methods. Viable sample means that only live mold colonies from live spores or live colony forming units are counted. Though this method does not allow the counting of spores, it is a very important and respected sampling methodology used by professionals for around from the 1950′s to the present. It allows for the culture of live mold in the lab. Thus, entire colonies can be examined in the lab for more accurate identification of mold types, sometimes even to the species level.
Indoor v.s. Outdoor Mold Spore Levels
The most widely accepted guideline across the nation to help determine if indoor mold spore levels are indicative of a possible mold problem is the comparison of indoor and outdoor mold spore levels. Indoor mold spore levels should be similar to or lower than levels found outdoors, and the types of mold spores found in indoor mold test samples should be similar to types found in outdoor test samples. The below listed organizations and governing bodies support the above comparison method and have determined that indoor mold spore levels should be similar in number and type to outdoor mold spore levels and types: NYC DOH, ACGIH 1989, Canada M&H CO. 1991, ACGIH 1993, OSHA 1994, and Brazil 2000.
Also published here.
…
Daryl Watters is president of A Accredited Mold Inspection Service, Inc. He provides home, mold, and indoor air quality investigations in South Florida. He is also the creator of MIR forms designed to aid inspectors in the production of computer generated indoor air quality and mold inspection reports. For more information visit: http://www.florida-mold-inspection.com/
http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/Typical-Mold-Testing-procedures.htm
http://www.floridamoldinspectors.us/South-Florida-Mold-Testing-Kits.htm
Read more articles written by Daryl Watters
Related posts:
- Mold Testing Methods Surface Samples
When a mold inspector takes bulk, tape, carpet/dust, or swab samples, spore numbers are not compared quantitatively to outdoor levels. Thus, the number of spores in these types of test samples often are not as meaningful as the numbers found in air testing samples. Also, because the air is not... - Toxic Mold Testing Procedures
During a typical mold investigation, one of our first steps is an interview the client to determine specific details in regards to any known mold problems, any health complaints, or any known changes or defects at the subject property that may have resulted in mold or moisture problems. Next, a... - How To Choose The Right Mold Testing Firm
You may be ill because of mold in your home or place of employment, your property value may fall because of mold that bleach and paint just cannot control. If you have a compromised immune system mold may even grow in you lungs or other parts of your body in... - Mold Biology And Mold Related Heath Issues
BASIC MOLD BIOLOGY: Fungi share some basic similarities with plants and bacteria but are not plants nor are they bacteria. They are in their own kingdom, the Fungi Kingdom. The terms mold and mildew are often used interchangeably by lay persons, but according to some more specific definitions, mildew is... - Will Toxic Black Mold In My Home Poison Me?
Toxic black mold or Stachybotrys is found by certified mold inspectors about 6% of the time in indoor air samples and about 1% of the time in outdoor samples. According to literature and according to this inspectors experience it grows almost exclusively on very wet cellouse containing materials including paper,... - The Dangers of Mold Growth in Your Home
Molds are part of the natural environment, outdoors molds play a significant part in the environment by breaking down dead plant matter such as dead trees and fallen leaves. Molds that grow inside homes should be best avoided. Mold has some resemblance with plants as well as bacteria, but is... - Toxic Mold Inspectors Health Effects And Scientifc Literature
We have recently seen that some mold inspectors are quoting the article titled “Indoor Mold, Toxigenic Fungi, and Stachybotrys chartarum” and other similar scientific articles to support the belief that toxic molds poison people in their homes. A link to the article is listed below. It looks as if the... - The Essentials of Selecting a Mold Inspection Firm
Molds are fungi that can cause havoc because of their affinity for growing indoors side by side with humans. Molds are a result of moist or humid indoor environments. They affect the health of the homes occupants and also damage the building and furniture. Molds can be found in your... - Mold Control Tips For Homeowners
Tips on Mold Control Mold is a member of the fungi kingdom. They are not plants because they lack chlorophyll. However, they are plant-like in some respects. For example, like some simple plants such as mosses and ferns, mold generates seed-like reproductive particles called spores that are designed to move... - Basic Fungal Biology For Concerned Homeowners And Mold Inspectors
The diverse fungal organisms on planet earth form an entire large grouping of related organisms know as the fungi kingdoms. The terms mold and mould are typically used to describe only a small subset of this much larger kingdom. What are fungi? Fungi are eukaryotic organisms, which means unlike bacteria... - Neurotransmitter Testing: How It Help Depression, Anxiety and More
Millions of people suffer from bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and ADD/ADHD without a known cause. If you or someone you know suffers from anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, mania, ADD/ADHD or even panic attacks, you owe it to you to find the real cause of your problem. There are... - Brand Management – 5 Opt-in Methods
A big aid to the success of any online business is those customers paying attention to the site and its messages, including e-mail and newsletters. People who are following your progress on a regular basis are receiving more exposure to your product, and are more likely in the end to... - My New Top 10 Free Website Traffic Generation Methods – Part 1
In 2008, I wrote an ebook that revealed my most effective methods of generating free website traffic. As online conditions and technologies change, I feel it’s now time to update that ebook. However, instead of revealing my new top 10 free website traffic generation methods in ebook format, I’m going... - Overcome Your Guitar Playing Problems With Speed Testing
Let’s imagine for a minute that you are feeling really sick. In fact…you feel downright dreadful. You can’t remember the last time you felt this bad. Because you feel so sick, you decide to visit your local doctor. After the usual annoying wait, you go into the doctor’s office. Before... - Body Detox Methods
Having a cleaner and healthier body sure does give a person more opportunities for a longer and better life. Through a full body detox, a person is subjected to the elimination of the harmful toxic substances one can get from various foods, drinks, skin care products, and pollution. The kidneys,...