Monday, January 19, 2009, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Harriet Burge, formerly from Harvard’s School of Public Health and the current Director of Aerobiology at Environmental Microbiology Laboratories for our internet radio program “Keeping Your Family Safe” (find it at http://www.voiceamerica.com/ on the Green Talk Network). In our program, we discussed the mold (microbial) sampling. We covered the following points:
- General discussion on fungi and molds.
- The most common health effect of molds is an allergic reaction.
- Other health effects include infections and fungal sinusitis. Health effects of mycotoxins are controversial.
- Fungi need water and food to grow. When fungi grow in places we do not want them we call them molds. Fungi and molds spread by spores.
- Three types of sampling (bulk, surface, and air).
- There are no standards.
- Each method has advantages, but air is the only way to document exposure.
- Viable (culturable) versus nonviable (particulate).
- Culturable sampling are strongly biased.
- Particulate sampling can be a very powerful tool.
- There are new methods but not commonly used yet.
- A number of samples are needed to get representative results and document exposure
This Monday, January 26, 2009, we will be interviewing Mr. Charles Wiles the executive director of the American Indoor Air Quality Council regarding certification in the indoor air quality and mold industry.
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