Toronto, Canada  -- Scientists, researchers, experts and industry professionals from around the world assembled for the annual AIHce Conference in Toronto, Canada this past year.   At the conference, Dr. Rajiv Sahay presented the Environmental Diagnostic Laboratories (EDLab’s) findings on surface-borne fungal contaminants of the indoor environment.  The study revealed four (4) years of research findings, as well as to learn and share knowledge about the sources, dispersal and deposition of surficial particles.  Over 200 were in attendance at this presentation in Toronto, Canada. 

With mold and other naturally occurring inoculums present indoors, what are their normal levels?  Is there a health connection?  When a remediation cleanup/sanitization project is completed, are the new microscopic levels of pollutants acceptable?  How clean is clean?

Molds in the Environment

Stachybotrys chartarum is a fungus that has become notorious as a mycotoxin producer that can cause animal and human mycotoxicosis. Indeed, over the past 15 years in North America, evidence has accumulated implicating this fungus as a serious problem in homes and buildings and one of the causes of the "sick building syndrome." In 1993-1994, there was an unusual outbreak of pulmonary hemorrhage in infants in Cleveland, Ohio, where researchers found S. chartarum growing in the homes of the sick infants. This incident increased the awareness of home/building molds and brought this fungus to the immediate attention of the medical community. In recent years there has been a cascade of reports about toxic molds in the national media. The New York Times Magazine, August 12, 2001, ran a front page story on toxic mold.