| ||
 |
InspectAPedia® |
|
Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair | Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia |
 Mobile ViewENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE to TEST CLEAN PREVENT ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD ACTIVITY of MOLD in buildings AGE of MOLD - Old is the Mold? AIR TEST FOR MOLD: ACCURACY AIR TEST SAMPLING CASSETTE STUDY AIRBORNE MOLD SPORE COUNT ACCURACY AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings ALLERGENS in buildings, RECOGNIZING ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES ATTIC MOLD BASEMENT MOLD BASEMENT MOLD WATER IMPACT BASICS YOU NEED to FIND, TEST, REMOVE MOLD BASKETBALL MOLD SYNDROME - BBMS BATHROOM MOLD BROWN HAIRY BATHROOM MOLD BIBLIOGAPHY for ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, MOLD, IAQ Bacteria, Mold, & Pollen Microscopy, Microchemistry Basic Science & Theory Building Science & Industrial Hygiene, Field & Lab Methods Environmental Hazards, Consumer Publications METHANE GAS SOURCES MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX MOLD CLINICAL REFERENCE TEXTS MOLD FAQ's MOLD RELATED ILLNESS List BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS in the HOME - EPA Bisphenol-A, BPA BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC BLACK MOLD, TOXIC & ALLERGENIC BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about BOOK MOLD, Moldy Book Cleaning BOOKSTORE - ENVIRONMENTAL BUY PRODUCTS for MOLD & ALLERGY CONTROL BUYERS GUIDE - home inspections for mold CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS CARPET FUNGICIDAL SPRAY CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS CARPET & other STAIN TESTS CARPET TEST GUIDE CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY CARPETING, SELECTION & INSTALLATION CHAIN OF CUSTODY - TEST SAMPLE CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS - MOLD CLEANUP CONSTRUCTION DETAILS TO AVOID MOLD CRAWL SPACES CRAWLSPACE MOLD ADVICE DIRT FLOOR MOLD CONTAMINATION DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP DO-IT-YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP WARNINGS DRYWALL MOLD DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUST ANALYSIS for FIBERGLASS DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits ESSENTIAL STEPS IN FINDING MOLD FEAR of MOLD - MYCOPHOBIA Fiberboard Insulation Sheathing Mold FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST FIELD INVESTIGATION SERVICE FIND MOLD, ESSENTIAL STEPS FIND MOLD in buildings, HOW TO FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN buildings-mold FLOORING MATERIALS, Age, Types FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTING GAS MEASUREMENT TOOLS Gas Toxicity Levels GAS EXPOSURE EFFECTS GAS TEST PROCEDURES House Dust Analysis HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS INDOOR AIR HAZARDS TABLE INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION MOLD Mold in Fiberglass Insulation Mold on Books, Book Conservation Mold on Fiberboard Insulating Sheathing MOLD PREVENTION AFTER FLOODING MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION Mold in Foam Insulation Moldy insulation may look clean Why does mold grow in fiberglass? When to test insulation for mold How to Test for Mold in Insulation References, Fiberglass Hazards Vacuuming exposed insulation ITCHY FABRICS LABORATORY SERVICES LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES Legionella Legionnaires' Disease Legionella BACTERIA & HVAC Equipment MEDIA BLASTING for MOLD REMOVAL MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREPARATION MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREP - PERMANENT MOUNTS MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES for the LAB MILDEW in buildings ? MILDEW ERRORS - MOLD PHOTOS MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION MOISTURE CONTROL in buildings MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD MOLD ACTIVITY in buildings MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold? Single-leak mold Multi-event mold Mycologists' view on age of mold Building scientists' view on age of mold Conditions affecting fungal growth Conditions permitting mold age assessment Determine if Mold Contamination is Active? MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Black Mold Brown Mold Green Mold Red Mold Yellow Mold White Mold Invisible Mold Meruliporia Mold Photographs Mildew Photographs Recognize Cosmetic Mold Recognize Harmless Black Mold MOLD GROWTH ON SURFACES, PHOTOS MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD HARMLESS INDOOR PARTICLES BASKETBALL MOLD SYNDROME - BBMS Black stains from soot/thermal tracking Black stains from animals Black cosmetic mold Efflorescence & white or brown deposits House dust Pollen Sprayed foam insulation White stuff that is not mold Wood sap MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX Alphabetic Index to Mold Genera or Species MOLD by MICROSCOPE MOLD in the PETRI DISH, PHOTOS Mold on Books, Book Conservation MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD MOLD CLEANUP - BLEACH MOLD CLEANUP - HEALTH RISKS MOLD CLEANUP - LIMITATIONS MOLD CLEANUP - MISTAKES to AVOID MOLD CLEANUP - MEDIA BLASTING MOLD CLEANUP - SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FLOORING MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS MOLD CLINICAL REFERENCE TEXTS MOLD CONSULTANTS/INSPECTORS MOLD CONTAMINATION LEVELS MOLD CULTURE PHOTOS MOLD CULTURE TEST KIT VALIDITY MOLD CULTURE SAMPLING METHOD MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE MOLD DOCTORS - ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE MOLD EXPOSURE, FOOD HAZARDS MOLD EXPOSURE RISK LEVELS MOLD EXPOSURE STANDARDS MOLD FAQ's MOLD FREQUENCY in buildings MOLD GROWTH ON SURFACES, PHOTOS MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, TABLE OF MOLD GROWTH in/on BUILDING INSULATION MOLD INFORMATION CENTER MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS MOLD INSPECTION SERVICE MOLD INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE TIPS MOLD INVESTIGATION REPORTS MOLD KILLING GUIDE MOLD LAB REPORTS MOLD LEVEL IN AIR, VALIDITY MOLD LEVEL REPORTS MOLD LEVELS IN buildings MOLD by MICROSCOPE MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS MOLD on or in CARPETS MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS Types of Mold Reactions Alphabetic List of Mold Symptoms MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD STANDARDS - GOVERNMENT MOLD STANDARDS - WORLD WIDE MOLD TOXICITY VARIATION MOLD TEST KITS MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS MOLD TEST PROCEDURES MOLD TEST REASONS MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY MOLD TESTING SERVICES MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS MYCOTOXIN EFFECTS of MOLD EXPOSURE Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE OZONE for MOLD OR ODORS PAINTS & COATINGS ODORS IN buildings Particulates & Allergens Indoors Pesticide Exposure Hazards PET ALLERGEN REMEDIES POLLEN Photographs RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD ROBIGUS & Wheat Rust Fungus ROT, TIMBER FRAME SLIDE PREPARATION, MICROSCOPE SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors SOUND CONTROL in buildings STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STAINS & Thermal Tracking TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss TRAPPED MOLD BETWEEN WOOD SURFACES VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in buildings VENTILATION in buildings WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES WALL FINISHES INTERIOR WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE World Trade Center Collapse Dust Photos More Information |
This article defines mold hyphae or hyphal fragments and then discusses the significance of hyphal fragments as an indicator of mold contamination in a building and how we can find evidence suggesting that a given mold contamination case is new, old, or includes both old and new fungal growth. InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.Readers should see MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold? and also MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES for an index of what mold genera/species are frequently found on various building surfaces and materials. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. What Does the Presence of Hyphal Fragments Signify in a Mold Test SampleUseful Lay-person Definitions of Hyphae and Fungal Hyphal FragmentsThe Dictionary of the Fungi defines hyphae as hypha (pl. hyphae), one of the filaments of a mycelium; At MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX we offer our own longer definition of fungal hyphae or hyphal fragments found in mold samples and mentioned in mold lab reports:
But their presence in indoor air samples, if in quantity or in large segments, suggests an active fungal colony in the building. Their presence in a surface sample in quantity or in large segments indicates that active fungal growth is present or nearby, or that fungal material has been disturbed in the building. May be allergenic. -DF Hyphal fragments might be just one or two little bits or a rats nest of growing mycelia (as we show at page top). Hyphal fragments or hyphae may be colored (brown for example shown at the top of this page and just above) or colorless as in our photograph below (mycologists report colorless spores or hyphae as hyaline - just in case your report is not written in plain english). Of course this means we need another definition right away.
Mycelia would not easily be visually identifiable as belonging to a specific species unless other components of the fungus are present. Particles of this material are probably allergenic. - DF; derived from op cit. Mycelial cord, a discrete filamentous aggregation of hyphae which, in contrast to a rhizomorph, has no apical meristem; syrrota; - op cit.
What is the Biological Job of a Mycelium or of Hyphae?
When you see a mushroom sprouting in the forest, that's the fruiting body of what can be a very large, but hidden root structure underground - a mycelium. From the fungi's point of view, the mycelium is the "stomach" of the organism. A mycelium exudes chemicals that help dissolve food that it is contacting, such as a leaf, or a piece of wood or paper. Nutrients are dissolved and transported into the mycelial structure. A mycelium grows, that is, gets bigger, from the tips of individual hyphae. What is the Significance of Hyphal Fragments Reported in a Mold Lab Test Report?It is normal to find a few hyphal fragments in outdoor air and thus also in indoor air. At high levels or in some circumstances, these particles might tell us something more about the building in which they were detected. But if just a few such particles are reported in a mold lab report, they are most likely insignificant. In some fungi hyphal fragments may be allergenic or may even contain mycotoxins. (In our terminology, fungal material may be harmless-cosmetic, allergenic, toxic, or pathogenic, depending on the genera/species and on its growth conditions.) But the hyphal fragments or pieces found in air or dust samples are usually quite large and not likely to be inhaled deeply into the lungs. So mold hyphal fragments are less of an airborne risk to building occupants than say a high level of airborne toxic or allergenic mold spores such as Aspergillus sp. We report hyphal fragments in air or dust samples (where it is common to find at least some) for these reasons:
Does the Presence of Hyphal Fragments Indoors Threaten New Mold Growth?While some hyphal fragments might, if conditions were ripe, begin growing and eventually also lead to mold spore production, that's not really a critical focus. In our opinion, if conditions are ripe to grow mold, you'll get mold growing whether there were previously some hyphal fragments there or not.
Questions & Answers regarding this articleQuestions about the identification & significance of various fungal or mold hyphal fragments found in building tests and samples of mold contamination Ask a Question or Search InspectAPediaHTML Comment Box is loading comments...
Share this Article
... Technical Reviewers & References
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE to TEST CLEAN PREVENT
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
|
| Home | About Us | Accuracy | Contact Us | Content Use Policy | Privacy | Website Description | © 2012 Copyright InspectAPedia.com |