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ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS GUIDE AIR POLLUTANTS, COMMON INDOOR ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MOLD MOLD INFORMATION CENTER ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS Causes of Variation in Airborne Particle Levels Indoor vs. Outdoor Spore Counts Extent of Variation of Airborne Particle Counts Particle Levels vs Sampler Height Particle Levels vs Windows/Doors Particle Levels in Ducts Concentration Bursts of Mold Spores False Negative Results in Mold Tests Mold Culture Plate Test Errors Why Use Airborne Mold/Particle Sampling? Visual Inspection and History for Mold VALIDITY of MOLD TESTING METHODS ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD ALLERGEN TESTS for BUILDINGS ALLERGY TESTS for PEOPLE ALLERGY TEST ACCURACY CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS - MOLD CLEANUP DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS FIND MOLD in BUILDINGS, HOW TO HIDDEN MOLD INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold? MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX MOLD BY MICROSCOPE MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD MOLD REMEDIATION CLEARANCE INSPECTION MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE MOLD DOCTOR? MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE MOLD EXPOSURE RISK LEVELS MOLD EXPOSURE STANDARDS MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS MOLD LEVEL IN AIR, VALIDITY MOLD LEVEL REPORTS MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS MOLD by MICROSCOPE MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD TEST KITS MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS MOLD TEST PROCEDURES MOLD TEST REASONS MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY Introduction Air samples Shortcomings of air sampling Mold in Air: Quantitative Analysis Tape sampling for mold Determination of mold genera Determination of mold species Shortcomings of tape sampling Vacuum samples Surface vacuuming Shortcomings of surface and carpet vacuuming Vacuuming building cavities Vacuuming exposed insulation Shortcomings of vacuuming insulation Cultures to "Test for Mold" Shortcomings of culturing Swab sampling Shortcomings of swab sampling PCR methods for Mold Identification Mold "Testing" vs. Mold "Problem Identification" Are Mold Test Kits Useful? Reasons to Test for or Identify Mold 1. Save Money if it's Just Cosmetic Mold 2. Mold Related Illness 3. Mold Cleanup Data baseline ODORS, Smells, Gases in Buildings-Diagnosis & Cure RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP STAIN DIAGNOSIS TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES THERMAL TRACKING More Information InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Privacy Policies Contact Us |
Here we discuss the use of mold culture plates, settlement plates, and mold test kits based on cultures to collect mold test samples to screen buildings for harmful indoor mold. In this article series discuss the validity of nearly all of the popular mold testing methods currently in use, pointing out the strengths and weakness of each approach to mold sampling in the indoor environment, beginning with air sampling for airborne mold levels indoors. This study presents a summary and critique of some popular methods used to examine indoor air quality to test for presence or absence of problematic levels of toxic or allergenic mold or other bioaerosols. We describe and critique specific "testing" or "sampling" methods used to "test" buildings for mold in the course of a building investigation. The appropriateness of testing at all is discussed on this and other pages at our website. Because mold test validity and mold test accuracy are often confused, readers should also see ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS. People who need to conduct mold inspection and testing indoors should see MOLD TEST PROCEDURES and TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES. Our MOLD INFORMATION CENTER includes more broad discussions of the overall approach to building investigation, as do many expert references cited at that web. For a more comprehensive collection information about mold test methods see INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED. For more on "mold classes" (Cosmetic mold vs. allergenic mold vs. toxic or pathogenic mold) see MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS and more references such as a Mold Action Guide are at the end of this document. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links 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. A Guide to Using Mold Cultures or Settlement Plates to "Test for Mold"15th Annual North Carolina/South Carolina
The sample by pump, gravity, tape or swab is in any case applied to one or more petrI dishes of culture media for incubation and subsequent examination of the growth product. Mold Culturing is useful for genera speciation once you have collected a single or dominant sample whose importance (frequency in the building) you already know. As a "home test kit" for the presence of problematic mold in a building this is an unreliable method, as we describe below at "shortcomings." Mold Cultures are useful for:
Seven Serious Shortcomings of Using Cultures to Test Buildings for the Presence of Toxic MoldWhile this is an important tool which has a place in our arsenal, mold culturing is questionable as a means to characterize a mold risk in a building, particularly if it reports the absence of a mold problem. The objections listed below mean that field investigators must collect samples with some care and interpret lab reports with some caution.
While we enjoy growing mold cultures in our lab (it makes for nice, photogenic mold colonies), it is less often useful than direct microscopic examination of a field-collected surface or vacuum sample. Without the added step of mold culturing, from a good surface sample using adhesive tape, a trained microscopist can identify mold genera and mold species as well in many cases. In many instances, knowing the mold genera is enough to decide on a course of cleanup action without further expense. For example, if we agree that there are no harmless Aspergillus species or Penicillium species that grow indoors, then for purposes of deciding on the need for remediation, only the size of the reservoir is important. P. notatum, used for making the drug Penicillin, has not to our knowledge been found growing on building materials. For more discussion about mold cultures from settlement plates or swabs see "The Validity of Cultures at InspectAPedia.com/sickhouse/cultures.htm ... 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 TESTING METHOD VALIDITY
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10/26/2009 - 02/21/1987 - InspectAPedia.com/sickhouse/SampMeth_Cultures.htm - © 2009 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark