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Microscope techniques and laboratory procedures for indoor air quality, toxic mold identification, & bioaerosol investigations
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• Microscopy courses, forensic microscopy
• Mold laboratory education & test procedures

This document assists mold and other aerobiology or forensic laboratories and technicians by listing laboratory and microscopy education courses, equipment, and resources. More in-depth, un-biased, expert information on these topics and on building defect inspection, diagnosis, & repair can be found at More Information below.

© 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.

Readers should also see SLIDE PREPARATION, MICROSCOPE where we describe mold test and forensic microscopy slide preparation procedures and see MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREP - PERMANENT MOUNTS where we describe using meltmount or Canada balsam and similar products for permananent microscope slide preparation. More microscope slide procedures are described at PAINT LAB SAMPLE PREPARATION.

Microscope Techniques, Training, Resources

• Basics of Microscopy UCLA Brain Research Institute - types of light, photomicrography, a good starting point.
• Microscopy-UK general resource, training, and supplies
• MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - how to prepare and catalog digital images taken through the microscope
• MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREP - PERMANENT MOUNTS using meltmount or Canada balsam and similar products for permananent microscope slide preparation
• Light & Microscopes Larry Legg's funky introduction
• Dark field illumination, Larry Legg
• PAINT LAB SAMPLE PREPARATION using microscopy and simple microchemical methods for paint analysis
• PAINT FAILURE ANALYSIS LAB PHOTOS - examples of paint failures detected in the forensic laboratory
• Polarized Light illumination, David Walker
• Polarized light illumination - Do-it-yourself, cheap
• Phase Contrast illumination and other methods, Larry Legg
• McCrone Research Institute Teaching light microscopy, pollen and spore identification
• McBain Instruments Reference Library

Microscope Equipment & Suppliers

In our Lab

• Bioscope #60 projection Standard Microscope, Boltaron case, 10x, 20x, 6.5mm eyepiece. (Fiber identification and image projection especially for fiber identification and forensic studies).
• Olympus Microscopes – biological sample examination – Olympus CH-2 trinocular, w/Nikon Coolpix 900 digital camera, #5F0837, 30W, 100, 40, 25, 10x, glass condenser, field diaphragm
• Polam Microscope, trinocular – forensic microscopy, polarized light, magnification to 1920x – Lomo Polam L213TR #NXA0256, complete, w/Nikon Coolpix 900, & rotary interference monochrometer Fisher Scientific – biological science lab supplies
• Unico ZM180 trinocular stereo zoom microscope BL122, focus, light stand, tilt mirror base, 10x eyepieces, 2x front, lamp, bulb, Coolpix adapter, filters, fiber optic light

Other microscope and forensic microscopy laboratory equipment sources of interest

• Brunel microscopes
• Leica microsystems
• McBain Instruments
• McCrone Research Institute - biological and forensic microscopy education and equipment
• Nikon bioscience division
• The UCLA link listed under Techniques above includes web pages of manufacturers of microscopes.
• Wild microscopes – see Ebay for used equipment
• Zeiss microscopes

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LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY

ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL

ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD
ACTIVITY of MOLD in BUILDINGS
AIRBORNE MOLD SPORE COUNT ACCURACY
AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS
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
BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE

BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS
BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS in the HOME - EPA

BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC
BLACK MOLD, TOXIC & ALLERGENIC

BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about
Bisphenol-A, BPA

BOOK MOLD, Moldy Book Cleaning
BOOKSTORE - ENVIRONMENTAL
BUYERS GUIDE - home inspections for mold

CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION
CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION
CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS
CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS
CARPET & other STAIN TESTS
CARPET TEST GUIDE
CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY
CARPETING, SELECTION & INSTALLATION
CAT DANDER in BUILDINGS
CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS - MOLD CLEANUP

DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP

EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits

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

FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE

HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET
INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE
INDOOR AIR QUALITY METHODS COMPARED

INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT
INSULATION MOLD
ITCHY FABRICS

LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES
LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION
LEED Building Designation & IAQ

MILDEW in BUILDINGS ?
MILDEW ERRORS - MOLD PHOTOS
MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION

MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS

MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE to TEST CLEAN PREVENT
MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD
MOLD ACTIVITY in BUILDINGS
MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold?

MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD
MOLD on or in CARPETS
MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS
MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS
MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP with BLEACH
MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FLOORING
MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD
MOLD CLEANUP HEALTH RISKS
MOLD CLEANUP MISTAKES to AVOID
MOLD CLEANUP - SAFETY WARNINGS
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
MOLD CULTURES
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 on or in CARPETS
MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS
MOLD FREQUENCY in BUILDINGS
MOLD GROWTH ON SURFACES, PHOTOS
MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, TABLE OF
MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS
MOLD INSPECTION SERVICE
MOLD INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE TIPS
MOLD INVESTIGATION REPORTS

MOLD KILLING GUIDE
MOLD LAB REPORTS
MOLD LEVEL REPORTS
MOLD LEVELS IN BUILDINGS
MOLD by MICROSCOPE

MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
MOLD RELATED ILLNESS
MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS
MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS

MOLD TEST KITS
MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS
MOLD TEST METHODS, ACCURACY
MOLD TEST PROCEDURES
MOLD TEST REASONS
MOLD TEST SAMPLE POINT CHOICES
MOLD TESTING & SAMPLING MISTAKES
MOLD TESTING SERVICES

ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE
OZONE HAZARDS

Particulates & Allergens Indoors
Pesticide Exposure Hazards
PET ALLERGEN REMEDIES
PLASTIC CONTAINERS, TANKS, TYPES
PLASTIC HEATER VENT
PLASTIC ODORS-SCREENS, SIDING
PLUMBING SYSTEM ODORS

RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD

SICK HOUSE IAQ QUESTIONNAIRE
SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO
SEWAGE BACKUP TEST & CLEANUP
SEWAGE BACKUP PREVENTION
STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS

TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES
THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss
TRAPPED MOLD BETWEEN WOOD SURFACES

VENTILATION in BUILDINGS

IAQ ISSUES, OTHER

• Microscope Equipment & Suppliers

• Lab procedures: Airborne Particle Trace Calculations Recap - how to calculate airborne particle concentrations for mold, IAQ, allergens, or other forensic particle studies - A Laboratory SOP
• Lab procedures: Calibration and Mold Test Laboratory SOP documents?
• Lab procedures: Cargille meltmount™ slides for rapid field or laboratory use, how to prepare
• Lab procedures: Microscopy - Microscope techniques and laboratory procedures for indoor air quality, toxic mold identification, & bioaerosol investigations
• Lab procedures: Slide preparation - tips on mold lab procedures?
• ...

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Adkins and Adkins Dictionary of Roman Religion discusses Robigus, the Roman god of crop protection and the legendary progenitor of wheat rust fungus.
• Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

Mold Contamination Testing, Cleanup, Prevention: references & products

• The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
• Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
• Allergens: what they look like in buildings
• Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
• Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon)
• Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
• Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
• Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
• Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
• Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
• "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
• "Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
• "Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
  Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
• "Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
• Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
• Fiberglass: Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
• Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
• Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
• Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
• Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
• Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
• MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Photos of what mold looks like in buildings
• MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD Photos of NOT-mold material that is sometimes mistaken for mold
• MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
• MOLD BY MICROSCOPE Mold under the microscope - photo identification of the most common indoor molds found in buildings
• Mold FAQs Answers to Most Questions about Indoor Mold, Mold Related Illness, Mold Cleanup, Mold Prevention
• US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building US EPA
• Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
• Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab or to any mold lab you wish
• Most Common Indoor Molds Found in Buildings, A Table of
• Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
• US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo - en Espanol

OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides Mold

Mold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.

• Fiberglass building insulation and HVAC duct work insulation hazards
• Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
• Other environmental risks: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, environmental illness, fiberglass, MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic gases, etc
• Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential Buildings lists a number of toxic indoor gases which we test for, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
• Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
• Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
• Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings, and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some help from a licensed pest control expert.
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