Re: Re: toxic mold lab

[Guest guest]

What I am interested in and am asking about are the Air-O-Cell cassettes. I

was hoping that those on this list that are familiar with this form of air

sampling might respond.

Bobbins, RN, L.Ac, QME

In a message dated 10/23/2006 10:05:53 PM Central Standard Time,

barb1283@... writes:

Look what useless test toxic mold lab is trying to sell after knocking

Pro Lab because " there is mold everywhere " :

<_http://www.toxicmolhttp://wwhttp://w_

(http://www.toxicmoldlab.com/KIT1.htm) >

For 12.00 you can get a stick that will change color if there are

protein substances found on surface which AMY indicate mold instead of

the $10 Pro Lab dish that will not only tell you it is mold but that

it is viable since it will grow, for $2.00 less. Both methods require

further analysis to identify.

>

> _http://www.toxicmolhttp://wwhttp://www._

(http://www.toxicmoldlab.com/WARNING.htm)

>

> problems useing petri dishes

>

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you for your persistence in addressing your question.

Air-O-Cell cassettes are made by Zefon www.zefon.com. Allergenco has

a similar product and there are a couple of others. Also check out

the new Web site by Ian Cull at http://www.iaqcomparisons.com/ for a

review by an expert on this and other products. Cassettes are well

known, widely used, and respected by professionals. They may well be

the dominant method of collection. Like all other tools they have

their strengths and weaknesses, will reveal only part of the whole

picture regarding mold and must be used properly. Some

characteristics with a reminder that there are many pitfalls with

mold sampling and analysis.

1. Airborne only, not surface. Sampled during quiet or disturbed air

makes a difference. Airborne mold is lumpy, not uniform.

2. All spores (viable and non-viable) can be detected rather than

just the ones that will grow as with cultuure plates. Often called

" Total spore count " but that is more a potential than a reality. Can

sometimes identify fragments which some believe are more important

than spores.

3. Cannot tell difference between Penicillium and Aspergillus which

is why the result is labeled Pen/Asp or Pen/Asp-like. Other small

spores may be mistaken for Pen/Asp also. Or they are mistaken for

other types of particles. Needs a really good mycologist to read the

slide somewhat accurately.

4. Level and type of other particles in the air can block the view of

some of the spores. The debris rating must also be considered as it

can affect potential results by as much as 80%.

5. Air flow rate of 15 lpm is critical. Too fast or too slow changes

the size of particle that is captured.

6. Turn-around by the lab is a couple of days rather than 7-10 for

cultures. Can be expedited for 24 hr turn or less.

7. However, QLab is presenting at IAQA this week in Nashville a 24

hour turn time for viable spores. This is new and revolutionary and

many of us can't wait to see what Dr Tang has to show us.

8. Stachybotrys is usually more easily identified with cassettes

analyzed by microscopy rather than by culturing, although the labs

are going a much better job by using different media, etc. with

cultures.

9. Stachybotrys, however, can be present and emitting molecular or

non-spore components that will never be seen by a spore-based method

of analysis, whether from air or surfaces.

These are just some of the factors concerning cassette capturing with

analysis by microscope. My biggest concern with the home kits is the

lab used for analysis. The cheap, cut-rate labs will be the least

likely to have experienced mycologists looking through the

microscope. Even the excellent labs can have problems getting enough

highly trained mycologists to accurately analyze a large number of

samples in a short time. These labs receive thousand of samples every

day. And mycologists are more critical to accuracy with microscopy of

cassettes than for culturing because of the reduced information

available from a spore rather than vegetative growth from controlled

environmental conditions.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> What I am interested in and am asking about are the Air-O-Cell

> cassettes. I was hoping that those on this list that are familiar

> with this form of air sampling might respond. Bobbins, RN,

> L.Ac, QME

>

> In a message dated 10/23/2006 10:05:53 PM Central Standard Time,

> barb1283@... writes:

>

> Look what useless test toxic mold lab is trying to sell after

> knocking Pro Lab because " there is mold everywhere " :

>

> <_http://www.toxicmolhttp://wwhttp://w_

> (http://www.toxicmoldlab.com/KIT1.htm) >

>

> For 12.00 you can get a stick that will change color if there are

> protein substances found on surface which AMY indicate mold instead

> of the $10 Pro Lab dish that will not only tell you it is mold but

> that it is viable since it will grow, for $2.00 less. Both methods

> require further analysis to identify.

>

> > > _http://www.toxicmolhttp://wwhttp://www._

> (http://www.toxicmoldlab.com/WARNING.htm) > > problems useing petri

> dishes >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Carl,

Thank you for your very informative response. I am so appreciative of your

help with this.

I agree with you that testing has its limitations.

Air sampling by professionals in my last 3 dwellings did help guide me in

making certain decisions. I think for my particular situation, learning to

use these cassettes for myself is the best way to go. This is something that I

knew sooner or later I would need to do and hoped that it would be later or

not at all. And yes, from everything I know in microscopic evaluation, it is

the quality of the lab used that will help to determine the accuracy of the

slide.

If I purchase the cassettes from Zefon, do you know where I could purchase

the pump? Do you think that I would be able to figure out how to calibrate

this on my own? I am looking into a course I could take that would help with

this. I am going to run a search of this for Los Angeles and the cost,

however, I need to move quickly.

With gratitude,

Bobbins, RN, L.Ac, QME

In a message dated 10/24/2006 12:00:47 PM Central Standard Time,

grimes@... writes:

,

Air-O-Cell cassettes are made by Zefon www.zefon.com. Allergenco has

a similar product and there are a couple of others. Also check out

the new Web site by Ian Cull at _http://www.iaqcompahttp://www._

(http://www.iaqcomparisons.com/) for a

review by an expert on this and other products.