Mold is a fuzzy cobweb-like growth produced on organic matter by several types of fungi. Mold is also known as mildew although mold is often applied to black, blue, green, and red fungal growths, and mildew to whitish ones.

Black bread mould, Aspergillus Niger, one of the most familiar moulds, begins as a microscopic, airborne spore that germinates on contact with the moist surface of nonliving organic matter. It spreads rapidly, forming the mycelium, which is made up of a fine network of filaments. The mycelium produces other clusters of root-like hyphae, called rhizoids, which penetrate the organic material, secreting enzymes and absorbing water and digested sugars and starches. Other clusters of hyphae called sporangiophores then reach upwards, forming sporangia, which bear the particular color of the mould species. On ripening, the sporangia break open and the windborne spores land elsewhere to reproduce asexually.

Almost everyone including homeowners, landlords, business owners, and employees need to know the identities of the various toxic mold species that may be inhabiting their home, property or office.

Testing Mold

It is very important to identify toxic mold species. This can be done in two simple steps. The first step incorporates the use of a do-it-yourself mold test kits to collect mold samples during a thorough and complete building mold inspection and investigation and the second step is to send the collected mold test samples to a mold laboratory for mold analysis and mold species identification.

How to collect Mold samples

Scrape mold particles off the mold growth area onto the sticky surface of the opened mold test kit.
Use a new paint scraper that has been thoroughly disinfected with ethyl or rubbing alcohol. The scraper should be disinfected after each individual sampling to remove any possible mold contaminants, and thus avoid mold cross-contamination in the sampling process from one sample location to another.

Print the property owners name, the property address, the precise test location at that address, the testing date, and the type of sampling method (mold test kit settling), time duration of the test along with the testers name and contact information. This label should also include each individual test number, as listed on the mold chain of custody form, available free from the mold laboratory. Attach the label to the bottom of the mold test kit that contains that respective, numbered mold sample.

Precaution

During scraping of the mold growth, the tester is advised to wear rubber gloves and a full-face respirator mask with organic vapor filters to protect against exposure to toxic mold.


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