Mold Bacteria Consulting Services

Serving Ontario and British Columbia

You are here: Home / Archives for air quality

Canadian Air Quality Testing Laboratory

Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories (MBL) is a leading commercial Canadian air quality testing laboratory in North America. Serving mainly the Canadian market, MBL specializes in lab analysis of air and surface samples for fungi (yeasts and mold) and bacteria. MBL is accredited by the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA). Routine tests at MBL include:

  •  Bacteria testing: All environmental bacteria including coliforms testing, E. coli testing and Legionella testing
  • Mold testing: Culturable air samples collected using BioCassette, Andersen, SAS, RCS, etc.
  • Mold testing: Direct Microscopic Examination including tape, bulk, swab, water and soil samples
  • Mold testing: Spore trap (or non-viable) samples such as Air-O-Cell, BioAire, and Micro5 cassettes, Allergenco, Burkard and BioSIS slides.
  • Algae: Water samples, etc.

For more information on our air quality testing laboratory or for a complete list of  microbiological tests performed at Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories, please call our Ontario, Mississauga Office at 905-290-9101 or the British Columbia, Burnaby Office at 604-435-6555.

MBL, your indoor air quality testing laboratory. 

Sampling For Airborne Fungal Spores

Reasons for Conducting Air Sampling For Fungal Spores

Air sampling pump
Air sampling

Sampling for airborne fungal spores may be conducted for a number of reasons including assessing the air quality, detection of pathogenic organisms, epidemiological surveys and predictions, detection of mycotoxin producing fungi, or detection and measurement of exposure to allergenic fungi and actinomycetes. Before sampling for airborne fungal spores it’s important to have a clear objective and the data that would meet that objective. Some of these objectives require counting and identification of the airborne fungal particulates. A well calibrated pump is therefore required. The method of sampling, the equipment and the media are determined by the data required. For example if one is interested in species identification, then they would collect culturable air samples using an Andersen or RCS sampler.

Methods for Sampling for Airborne Fungal Spores

Culturable Air Samples

If the air was sampled by impaction onto a growth media, then the samples are first incubated at suitable temperature followed by counting and identification of resulting colonies (if any). A number of factors may affect the reliability of the colony counts data. These include the suitability of the agar media used for sampling, colony density, and presence of fast growing isolates. Some agar media are highly selective and therefore would not suitable when the objective was to determine the diversity of fungal species in the air. If the colony density is very high, then counting becomes difficult. In the presence of fast growing isolates, slow growing isolates are masked and hence difficult to count.

Non-culturable Air Samples

The second method of air sampling is where the air is impacted on inert medium, usually a filter membrane or adhesive-coated slide. The collection medium is then analyzed by transmitted light microscopy (popularly known as direct microscopic examination), typically at 600–1000 × magnification. A number of different collection devices may be used for spore trap sampling of which the most common are slit or circular impactors such as the Air-O-Cell®, Allergenco D, Micro 5, Cyclex D and other similar cassettes. Mixed cellulose ester membrane (MCEM) filters are also occasionally used.

Choose Your Spore Trap Analytical Labs Wisely

Identification of airborne fungal spores to species can only be accomplished by an experienced mycologist. Similarly, spore trap analysis requires considerable skill and experience on the part of the analyst to identify spores accurately, and to differentiate them from other airborne particulate. In most cases identification of airborne fungal spores by direct microscopic examination is limited to genus. In some cases identification of spores to specific genus is difficult. A good spore trap analyst requires several years of experience. A recent multi-laboratory comparative study of spore trap analyses found that only 75% of commercial accredited labs could consistently identify correctly Cladosporium spores and only 50% could identify Aspergillus/Penicillium-like spores consistently. The level of experience required for species identification or spore trap analysis cannot be attained in a short time, and it cannot easily be acquired by individuals lacking advanced training in mycology or plant pathology.

Mold & Bacteria Consulting Laboratories is accredited by CALA to the Internationally recognized ISO/IEC 17025:2005. 

What Is Deemed Acceptable Indoor Airborne Mold Spore Levels In Ontario?

Question: Is there any government or industry standard as to what is deemed an acceptable indoor airborne mold spore levels in Ontario? The electrical inspector refuses to come on our property even though we have had several air test performed. The qualified tester says we have samples of mold but found them to be acceptable. I was hoping for some clarity on this matter.

Answer: Currently there is no government or industry standard as to what is deemed acceptable indoor airborne mold spore levels. However, it’s generally agreed that mold in indoor environments is a health hazard. However, the higher the airborne mold spore levels in a building the higher the health risk. In 2007 Health Canada published the Residential Indoor Air Quality Guidelines: Moulds.

This is what Health Canada’s Residential Indoor Air Quality Guidelines say about exposure limits:

Health Canada considers that mold growth in residential buildings may pose a health hazard.
Health risks depend on exposure and, for asthma symptoms, on allergic sensitization. However, the
large number of mold species and strains growing in buildings and the large inter-individual variability
in human response to mold exposure preclude the derivation of exposure limits. Therefore, Health Canada recommends:

  • to control humidity and diligently repair any water damage in residences to prevent mold growth; and
  • to clean thoroughly any visible or concealed mold growing in residential buildings.

These recommendations apply regardless of the mold species found to be growing in the building.

Further, in the absence of exposure limits, results from tests for the presence of fungi in air cannot be used to assess risks to the health of building occupants.

So currently there is no acceptable or unacceptable indoor airborne mold Spore levels in Ontario.

Could These Illnesses Be Related To Mold Spores?

Question: My question regards mold spores. Our basement was flooded about 2 weeks ago. Most if not all of the exterior concrete walls and floor were affected as well as an inside wall. Although we have tried to clean everything up as best as we could, we noted a musty smell shortly afterwards. All four family members have been sick with what seems to be various allergic symptoms ever since. Could these illnesses be related to the flood? Could mold spores be the reason and should we have the air quality of our duplex tested?

Answer: It’s possible that your allergic symptoms are linked to dampness in your home. Excessive dampness is a health problem by itself. Indoor dampness also indirectly contributes to health problems by supporting the growth of molds and other microbial agents in addition to initiating the release of chemical emissions from damaged building materials and furnishings. Mold spores are also known to cause allergic reactions in some people.

Research has shown that living in damp homes not only increases the risk of asthma, but also leaves residents with a greater chance of repeated colds and skin allergies. People living in damp houses have been found to require more antibiotics than others and are more likely to suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis or tonsillitis.

You may want to test the air quality in your home to determine the levels of airborne mold spores. I would suggest you hire a professional to assess the situation in your home and give recommendations on remediation.

Mold In The House And Air Quality

Question: My question regards mold in the house and air quality. I have a tenant complaining about the air quality in a house I own. It’s a very clean 15 year old home and the basement carpet is 4 years old and in excellent condition. There are no damp conditions and the climate is very dry here. I think this is a frivolous complaint giving him reason to vacate and break our lease agreement. There are no noticeable smells or signs of mold in the house or moisture anywhere in the house. In September clean water entered the basement from a broken sprinkler that was just next to the window. Within 3 hours we had thoroughly shop vaccumed about 3 gallons out of the carpet and pad, sprayed the concrete, pad and carpet with Pinesol. We then separated the layers with 2X2’s and paint cans, set up fans and opened the windows. We relaid the dry pad and carpet on the 4th day. There was no mildew stains and the musty carpet smell was minimal and had dissipated completely within 2 weeks. My tenant’s wife has Asthma and allergies. They had the house inspected and 7,553 Aspergillus/penicillium spores per cubic meter of air were shown in the basement on the report and 2071 on the main floor. Are these spores a health risk? Does this mean there is excessive mold in the house? Is this an uncommon condition for a basement? Do you think this condition was caused by the wet carpet from 4 months ago? Since there is no musty smell would these spores be dormant? Should I replace the carpet? Is the source of these spores likely to be from somewhere else in the house? Should I hire another test from a different company? I appreciate your input.

Thanks.

Answer: Thank you for your question(s). It’s common to have mold in the house. Currently there are no permissible levels for airborne mold spores. The large inter-individual variability in human response to exposure to different mold species and strains makes it difficult to set exposure limits. Therefore, 7,553 aspergillus/penicillium spores per cubic meter of air could be a problem to some people and not to others. Health risks depend on exposure and, for asthma symptoms, on allergic sensitization.

You have mentioned that your tenant’s wife has a history of asthma and allergies. This suggests that she could be at risk. Growth of mold in the house is due to presence of moisture. It’s possible that there were some areas that didn’t get completely dry within 48 hours and hence the growth of species of Aspergillus and/or Penicillium. These molds do not require a lot of moisture for growth. You may consider hiring a qualified professional with experience in mold investigation to come and try to determine the source of those spores and also determine whether there are still some moisture issues that you’re not aware of. They should also be able to advise you whether it’s necessary to replace the carpet or not.

Spores of Aspergillus and Penicillium species could remain dormant for many years. It’s known that even dead spores can cause allergic reactions to those who are sensitive to mold. As for your tenant, I would suggest you let them go. While the tenant’s asthma and allergies may have nothing to do with mold in the house, it’s perhaps better to let them go for their peace of mind and as a show of good will on your part.

I hope you found my comments useful. Please feel free to contact me again if you have any other questions.

Dr. Jackson Kung’u.

Salmonella food poisoning and symptoms

Salmonella food poisoning has been a growing concern in recent news. It has frequently lead to recalls of beef, salads and organic products and, even peanut butter products. Salmonella food poisoning occurs when one eats raw or undercooked foods such meat, poultry, eggs or egg products. Properly cooked food can get contaminated with Salmonella if […]

Legionella pneumophila – Guidelines for Laboratory Interpretation

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram negative, aerobic bacteria that is characterized as an opportunistic pathogen. It is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia and, it is the cause of Pontiac fever, a non-pneumonic form of L. pneumophila infection. Legionella spp.’s mode of transmission is through aerosols or aspiration of contaminated water. The Public Health […]

The Indoor Mold Is An Early Warning Device

The mold (or mould, in the Queen’s English) has been the victim of a bad press. Mention the word and it conjures up an image of something rotting or in the process of decomposition. And yet, were it not for the mold that inspired the discovery of penicillin millions of lives would have been lost. […]