FW: RE:Mycotoxins and Employee Exposure

[Guest guest]

,

You know as well as I do

that airborne mold toxins are not entirely stopped because the employee is

wearing an N-95 mask. Yes, I realize fine-micro particulates and cell

structures are greatly reduced, but how efficient is the N-95 mask to begin

with let alone measuring gas-phase efficiency?

May be we should revisit

several of the studies completed. See attachments.

From: gary rosen

Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006

8:02 AM

To: pmoffett@...

Subject: Re:

RE:Mycotoxins and Employee Exposure

,

Why do you say that mold remediation contractors are getting

sick? Just because they are wearing an N95 instead of a cartridge

mask? An N-95 mask filters 95% down to .3 mircron. It should be

more than adequate for filtering Stachybotrys spores that contain tricothecene

toxin if the work is done carefully.. Stachy spores are large at about 10

micron.

More important than the face mask is the type of mold remediation

work? Did they use blasting \ sanding type of remediation or wet

remediation? Did they have good air circulation or did the mold

remediators remain in a heavily toxic environment durnig the remediation?

Rosen

Re: RE:Mycotoxins and Employee Exposure

,

You should get some rest while dreaming of being on vacation in

tropical islands.

Wei

Moffett

<pmoffettemeiaq (DOT) com> wrote:

Wei and Group:

As I lay

in the hospital bed this past week under heavy morpheme sedation, I had a dream

about work. The story goes: I was being asked as an expert

in a worker’s compensation case to support the hypothesis that

generations of mold growth in constantly wet drywall walls are capable of

producing virulent T-2 mold compounds and antigens including cytotoxin,

trichothecene and other mycotoxigenicity agents. These agents can be inhaled, ingested and absorbed into the system of mold

remediation employees even though they are wearing an N-95 facemask.

Meaning, a paper-base facemask as compared to a HEPA/Organic filtered cartridge

mask, the N-95 mask “does not” adequately protect workers during

mold remediation.

I do not

remember what my response was but I do remember the question. Can you and

others in the group fill in the answer for me?

Moffett

Wei Tang, Ph.D.

Lab Director

QLab

5 Drive

Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

www.QLabUSA. com

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

, Hope you are feeling better already. I agree. The filter material of N95 face masks may filter partcles very well, but how well does it fit on workers' face is a issue. Airborne mycotoxins are generally contained in particles (not as pure chemical floating in the air). Those particles (cell fragments or substrate debris) can be in sub-microns ranges though. More research are still needed on the exposure of airborne mycotoxins to people. Remediation worker are in a much much greater risk, and that's why those PPE are there. Someone else has to answer on how much protection the workers need. I would think that it depends on the remediation method used (blasting or not). Wei Tang QLab Wei Tang, Ph.D. Lab Director QLab5 DriveCherry Hill, NJ 08003www.QLabUSA.com

[Guest guest]

>

> ,

>

> Hope you are feeling better already.

>

> I agree. The filter material of N95 face masks may filter

partcles very well, but how well does it fit on workers' face is a

issue. Airborne mycotoxins are generally contained in particles (not

as pure chemical floating in the air). Those particles (cell

fragments or substrate debris) can be in sub-microns ranges though.

More research are still needed on the exposure of airborne mycotoxins

to people. Remediation worker are in a much much greater risk, and

that's why those PPE are there. Someone else has to answer on how

much protection the workers need. I would think that it depends on

the remediation method used (blasting or not).

>

> Wei Tang

> QLab

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Wei Tang, Ph.D.

> Lab Director

> QLab

> 5 Drive

> Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

>

> www.QLabUSA.com

There is much that is not known about airborne mycotoxins. Organic

compounds greater than 5 carbons in compositions are generally not

volitile. However in a conversation I had with Dr. Strauss at

Texas Tech University, it appears that detachment of heavy mycotoxins

in Stachybotrys occurs while airborne. After detachment it is not

clear what happens and if these compounds behave as gasses. As for

other species, more research needs to be done and same for estimating

realistic airborne concentrations.

Contact Texas Tech Indoor Air Quality program for more info.

Jeff Deuitch

Microbiologist

Administrator, the IAQ Forum

www.iaqforum.net

>

[Guest guest]

There is much that is not known about airborne mycotoxins. Organic

compounds greater than 5 carbons in compositions are generally not

volitile.

Jeff, are you sure you have that number correct? Most aroma chemicals are terpene (C-10) derivatives.

However in a conversation I had with Dr. Strauss at Texas Tech University, it appears that detachment of heavy mycotoxins in Stachybotrys occurs while airborne. After detachment it is not clear what happens and if these compounds behave as gasses.

Are you saying that they aren't volatile but might behave as gases? Please clarify.

Thanks,

Steve Temes

As for other species, more research needs to be done and same for estimating

realistic airborne concentrations.

Contact Texas Tech Indoor Air Quality program for more info.

Jeff Deuitch

Microbiologist

Administrator, the IAQ Forum

www.iaqforum.net

[Guest guest]

There is much that is not known about airborne mycotoxins. Organic compounds greater than 5 carbons in compositions are generally not volitile. However in a conversation I had with Dr. Strauss at Texas Tech University, it appears that detachment of heavy mycotoxins in Stachybotrys occurs while airborne. After detachment it is not clear what happens and if these compounds behave as gasses. As for other species, more research needs to be done and same for estimating realistic airborne concentrations.Contact Texas Tech Indoor Air Quality program for more info.Jeff DeuitchMicrobiologistAdministrator, the IAQ Forumwww.iaqforum.net

Again, why are we focusing only on "airborne" routes of exposure? When on is within a moldie building, this stuff lands in the carpets, on clothes, on food left out, etc. Have any of you ever tried putting a piece of bread out for a few days in an water damaged building and another one out in an non-water damaged building? I have never personally done this, but I hear the results are astounding in the difference within the time that these two breads become moldie.

So sorry you guys! I know that my understanding of science experiments are on the level of "Ask Mr. Wizard" and the 4th grade science fair.. But my point is, in water damaged buildings, inhalation is not the only path that all these nasties use to infiltrate the body.

Sharon