Mold
Mold Testing Lab Services
EHS Laboratories offers non-viable (total spore count) analysis
- Air Sampling
Samples include Air-O-Cell, Micro 5 & Cyclex D. This analysis involves spore counting and identification of different categories of mold spores. The report includes spore counts for each category of spores and the grand total spore count for all spores per cubic meter of air.
- Bulk samples
(e.g., drywall material, wallpaper, pieces of carpet, etc). Bulk samples are analyzed by direct microscopic examination.
- Surface swabs
Swabs are analyzed by direct microscopic examination.
- Tape-lift samples
Tape lifts are analyzed by direct microscopic examination.
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Spore Name |
Reported Information |
| Absidia spores | Reported to be allergenic. Some species may in rare cases cause mucorosis in individuals with compromised immune systems. |
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| Alternaria spores | Reported to be allergenic. Commonly found growing in carpets and on indoor textiles. This fungi has been indicated as a potential cause of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Rare species known to produce tenuazonic acid and other toxic metabolites that may cause disease in humans. |
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| Aspergillus spores | Reported to be allergenic. Some species may produce mycotoxins that have been associated with infections and disease in humans and animals. May cause disease in immune compromised individuals. |
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| Aspergillus conidiophores | Reported to be allergenic. Indicative of active fungal growth and/or colonization. Health effects are specific to the species. |
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| Asperisporium spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All molds should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Aureobasidium spores | Reported to be allergenic. Commonly found in high moisture areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Rarely associated with skin disorders. |
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| Basidiospores | Reported to be allergenic. These spores are produced by mushrooms and are difficult to identify down to species level. |
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| Beltrania spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All molds should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Bispora spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All molds should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Botrytis spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All molds should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Curvularia spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Drechslera/Bipolaris group spores | Toxigenic. Also recognized as an allergen. Under certain conditions, this fungi has been documented to produce the mycotoxin, sterigmatocystin. Studies have indicated that this toxin may cause damage to the liver and kidneys in laboratory animals. |
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| Dactylosporium spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Epicoccum spores | Reported to be allergenic. Commonly found on plants, textiles and products made of paper. |
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| Fusarium spores | Toxigenic. Also recognized as an allergen. Certain species of Fusarium may produce the mycotoxin, trichothecene, under appropriate conditions, which has been documented to cause problems associated with the circulatory, alimentary, skin and nervous systems. Absorption of trichothecene into the tissues of the human lung may cause a condition known as pneumomycosis. Symptoms may appear following exposure from either inhalation or ingestion. Rarely connected to infections of the eye, skin and nails. |
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| Humicuola spores | Reported to be allergenic. Commonly found on substrates high in cellulose. |
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| Memnoniella spores | Toxigenic. Little known about allergenicity or pathogenicity. Closely related to and/or found in conjunction with Stachybotrys. Documented to produce the toxin, trichothecene, under appropriate conditions, which has been documented to cause problems associated with the circulatory, alimentary, skin and nervous systems. Absorption of trichothecene into the tissues of the human lung may cause a condition known as pneumomycosis. |
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| Myxomycetes* | Reported to be allergenic. Not considered true fungi, generaly grouped with slime molds. |
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| Nigrospora spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Paecilomyces spores | Reported to be allergenic. Rare species may cause paecilomycosis. Implicated in woodtrimmer’s disease and illnesses associated with indoor humidifiers. Certain species have been reported to cause pneumonia. |
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| Penicillium/Aspergillus group spores | Reported to be allergenic. Many species have been documented to produce mycotoxins, which may be associated with pulmonary disease in humans and other animals. Research studies have implicated several of these toxins as carcinogens in laboratory animals following inhalation. A wide number of organisms have been grouped into these two genera. Extremely difficult to identify down to species level. Typically identified in soil, cellulose, food, paint, compost piles, carpeting, wallpaper and in the fiberglass insulation used in interior ductwork. |
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| Penicillium/Aspergillus group spores and conidiophores | Reported to be allergenic. Indicative of active fungal growth and/or colonization. Difficult to identify to genus level. Health effects are specific to the genus or species. |
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| Penicillium conidiophores | Reported to be allergenic. Indicative of active fungal growth and/or colonization. Health effects are specific to the genus or species. |
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| Periconia spores | Reported to be allergenic. Rarely associated with human infections. |
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| Pithomyces spores | Reported to be allergenic. Some species may, in rare instances, produce the toxin sporidesmin. |
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| Smuts, Periconia, myxomycetes | Reported to be allergenic. This class of fungal spores is most often related to agriculture and plant disease and is rarely found indoors. |
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| Sporidesmium spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All mold should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Sporobolomyces spores | Reported to be allergenic. High spore counts may be found if testing was performed on a rainy day. Requires very wet conditions to grow. Linked to dermatitis. |
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| Sporotrichum spores | Reported to be allergenic. Implicated in cases of sporotrichosis in immune compromised individuals. |
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| Stachybotrys spores | Toxigenic. Also recognized as an allergen. Typically a fungus of dark green/black coloration, it grows readily on building materials with a high cellulose content but low in nitrogen, and is rarely observed in outdoor samples. Certain strains of Stachybotrys may produce the mycotoxin, trichothecene under appropriate conditions which has been documented to cause problems associated with the circulatory, alimentary, skin and nervous systems. Absorption of trichothecene into the tissues of the human lung may cause a condition known as pneumomycosis. Although there have been conflicting studies concerning the toxicity of this fungi, it still appears that extreme caution should be practiced when dealing with this mold. |
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| Stemphylium spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Syncephalastrum spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Torula spores | Toxigenic. Also recognized as an allergen. Studies have shown that certain species may produce a toxin in the laboratory. |
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| Trichocladium spores | Reported to be allergenic. No additional health data for this genus is available at this time. |
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| Trichoderma spores | Toxigenic. Also recognized as an allergen. May produce certain antibodies known to be toxic to humans. Grows well on cellulose products and building materials. |
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| Trichophyton spores | Reported to be allergenic. In rare cases, may cause ringworm or athlete’s foot. |
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| Trichothecium spores | Reported to be allergenic. Rare species may produce the mycotoxin, thrichothecene, which has been connected to disease in humans. |
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| Trimmatostroma spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All mold should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Triposporium spores | No information regarding the health effects of this genus is available at this time. All mold should be treated as potential allergens. |
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| Verticillium spores | Reported to be allergenic. In extremely rare cases, the Genus has been connected to corneal infections. |
