Forensic Microscopy, Particle Identification & IAQ Investigation Field Equipment Specifications

Table of Airborne Particle Sampler Trace Dimensions for Various Air Test Sampling Devices
- List of indoor air test sampling equipment used to collect particle samples for lab analysis.
- Calibration information for common indoor air sampling equipment
- Dimensions, air flow rates in liters per minute, and other air sampler equipment properties
Questions & Answers about the properties of test equipment used in indoor air quality investigations for particle hazards such as asbestos, dist mites, dust mite fecals, fiberglass, house dust, insect fragments, mold, pollen, road dust, and other indoor dust and particle components.
References

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Airborne Particle Sampler Trace Dimensions for Various Air Test Sampling Devices: this document summarizes the physical properties of ndoor air quality testing & sampling equipment and devices and reviews the methodology for their use. This is a summary of equipment used for investigating indoor air quality particles (mold, pollen, house dust, insect fragments, dust mites, fiberglass fragments, etc.) found in the the indoor environment. We include key air test equipment parameters such as particle trace dimensions that are used in calculations of percentage of trace analysis and airborne particle concentration levels. Our page top photo shows the Allergenco Mark II time lapse impaction air sampler in use near an indoor air cleaning machine.

Table of Airborne Particle Sampler Trace Dimensions for Various Air Test Sampling Devices

IAQ Laboratory SOP(Standard Operating Procedure) Indoor Air Monitoring and Testing Equipment - Particle Sampler Trace calculations recap. This document supports our General Lab Procedures and Particle Trace Count Procedures. See AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS

Sampling Device	Trace length	Nom. Trace ™ Width	Flow Rate in LPM	Pump timer	Calibrated
Sampling Cassettes used with IAQ Sampling Pumps (Microscope slides, adhesive tape, and other collection media are also used)
Air-O-Cell™ disposable cassette (Zefon	14.4mm	1.1mm	15 recommended rate	2-10 min. typical	See indiv. Pump device d50=2.6u
Allergenco D™ disposable cassette (EMS)	14.0mm nominal	1.1 mm nominal	15 lpm recommended, (operates at 5-20 lpm)	1-10 min. typical	d50=1.7u
Cyclex-D™ disposable cassette	Round media		<20 lpm	2-10 min typical	d50=0.8u
Micro 5™ disposable cassette	Round media		5 lpm	5 min. typical	1" tube if using Gilair-5 pump d50=0.8u
25mm MCE filter cassette	25mm MCE filter	Filter area	Various		0.45u (F25045)
37mm MCE filter cassette	37mm MCE Filter	Filter area	various		0.8u (F37080)
Bi-Air™ disposable cassette	Dual trace 25mm MCE filter	Trace area	3.5 lpm, ™ ™	10 min grab, 2-4-hr. TWA sample
Adhesive tape-clear ™	Surface particle sampling mold or settled dust/debris Scotch™ Gloss Finish Multi Task Tape 34-8507-5365-7
Sterile swab	Culture collection
IAQ Air Sampling Pumps and Particle Collection Equipment
Allergenco Mk3™ time lapse slit-impaction sampler	14.5mm, up to 12 traces/slide	1.1mm	15 nom. lpm	1min to 24-hrs ™ multi-trace	5/17/01 15.1 factory
Burkard PAS#1	14.0mm	2.0mm	10 lpm	0-9 min	Factory d50=2.52u
Burkard PAS#2	14.0mm	2.0mm	10 lpm	0-9min	Factory
Intermatic (used with EMS Megalite below)	NA	NA	NA	1 second to 24 hours	Factory
EMS Megalite Pump w/IAQ Options Ser #7038, Mod. 6025SE-V	NA	NA	3-30 lpm	Separate duplex timed receptacle	Factory, pump-mounted rotameter, Lab bubble tube 10/10/05 0 lab<
Gil-Air-5-RC pump	NA	NA	<1-5 adjustable>	1 min to 8-hrs	1/15/04 Lab, Zefon bubble tube (ZBT) + (OD) in field at each use
RadioShack Pump	NA	NA	10 lpm	Manual on-off	Lab 10/10/2003 ™ -9/5/2005 (ZBT) in lab & (ZR) in field at each use
Notes: particle collection efficiency d50 for other common devices: (J. Tucker) AGI-30 liquid impinger ™ 0.31; SAS Slit-to-Agar™0.67; Cyclex impactor 1.80; RCS radial impactor 4.00, Andersen N6 hole impactor 6.61, Rotorod 10.0.
Gas Detection Equipment
Sensidyne Gastec pump (gas detection)	NA	NA	50 or 100 cc/ ™ /full stroke	Manual stroke, manual count indicator	Leak test 11/16/04 8/5/2005
Draeger accuro pump (gas detection) ARUK-FO13 #1-0893171516K09 exp F013 Serial 6400000	NA	NA	100 cc/stroke	Manual, stroke completion indicator, automatic stroke counter	Leak test 11/16/2004 9/5/2005
RTCA Pump#1 Rotary vane vacuum	NA	NA	14.28	11.27 min	Lab 6/11/04 ™ total 160.94L
RTCA Pump#2	NA	NA	Tbd	Tbd	Tbd
Other Equipment & Specifications
Tramex	electronic moisture encounter
Delmhorst	twin-point electronic resistance moisture meter
Exergen ™	Infrared scanner ™ surface temperature
OD = flow indicator on device (subject to lab calibration) ZR = Zefon rotameter, for field use, verified using ZBT in lab ZBT = Zefon bubble tube (precise), multiple timed events to measure actual LPM Factory = original calibration provided by factory or independent consultant to factory.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS - Airborne Particle Calculations, How to calculate airborne particle concentrations for mold, IAQ, allergens, or other forensic particle studies - Mold Test Laboratory SOPs
MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREPARATION - Microscope slide preparation methods - mold pollen bioaerosols - for indoor air quality analysis - Mold Testing Laboratory SOP
LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES - Microscope techniques and laboratory procedures for indoor air quality, toxic mold identification, & bioaerosol investigations
LAB & FIELD IAQ EQUIPMENT SOP - Forensic Microscopy, Particle Identification & IAQ Investigation Field Equipment Specifications, including physical properties (such as particle trace dimensions) and calibration data for air sampling and other test equipment
MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY - how to obtain sharp photographs of views through the microscope using a digital camera
TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES - Technical Procedure Articles on Testing for Mold and other Indoor Air Quality IAQ Contaminants
For most-recent microscope optical measurements: field width data and calibration see: Olympus-CH-2.xls & Polam Optics.xls Calibration is repeated no less than when an objective is removed/replaced or other microscope optical or stage components are removed/replaced, or if a new technician is employed.
For most-recent calculations of % of trace represented by n cross-scans see: Particle Counts.xls
For automated calculations of particles or spores per cubic meter of air (spores/M³) from raw airborne particle counts see: @SporeCountWork.xls
For spore count worksheets see: sheet 2 of @SporeCountWork.xls

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.

Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

Building inspection education & report writing systems from Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd

Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
Adkins and Adkins Dictionary of Roman Religion discusses Robigus, the Roman god of crop protection and the legendary progenitor of wheat rust fungus.
Kansas State University, department of plant pathology, extension plant pathology web page on wheat rust fungus: see http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/path-ext/factSheets/Wheat/Wheat%20Leaf%20Rust.asp
"A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
US EPA - Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol

Allergies, Allergens, Allergy Testing in buildings - References & Products

Air Conditioning System Blower Fans & Filters Cascading for Optimum Indoor Air Quality
Allergen Tests in buildings advice about how to test, what to look for, in evaluating the level of dog, cat, or other animal allergens in a building
"IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
http://www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
Animal Allergens: Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Cleanup & Prevention Information for Asthmatics and regarding Indoor Air Quality.
Atlas of Mold Related Illness Symptoms & Complaints - long list of both documented, studied mold related illness, and complaints ascribed to mold contamination or allergens in buildings
Cat Dander: how to inspect and test a building for past or current presence of cats, cat hair, cat dander, and cat allergens
Clinical Atlas of Mold Toxicity - An Online Description of Toxic, Pathogenic, Allergenic Fungi, Fungal Diseases
Fiberglass Insulation Contains Mold© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation
Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
Mold Action Guide detailed guide on finding, removing, and preventing indoor mold contamination
Odors, Odor Detection, Smells, & Gases how to find and identify sources of noxious or toxic odors and gases
Other environmental risks, Our much longer list: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, etc.
Ozone: The Use of Ozone Indoors for Control of Odors and Mold Removal in buildings: A Summary of Hazards and False Claims.
Pollen Allergens: identification, plant pollen and indoor air quality
Products to Reduce Mold & Allergy Problems to reduce indoor mold or allergen levels: air cleaners, air purifiers, dust mite covers, vacuum cleaners, crawl space vents
Recognizing Allergens: What various indoor allergens look like - identification photos to help identify pollen, dust mites, animal dander, toxic or allergenic mold - Common Mold and other Allergens, Irritants, Remedies & Advice
Rodent control issues, including dander, fecal, and urine contamination of buildings and Building insulation are discussed at our
Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
Action Guide: What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
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Mold Contamination Testing, Cleanup, Prevention: references & products

The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
Aerobiology, Building Science, Microscopy, & Laboratory References, an extensive technical bibliography
Allergens: what they look like in buildings
Associations: Sick House, Sick Building, SBS - Air Quality, Government, Private Associations and Information Resources
Atlas of Clinical Fungi, 2nd Ed., GS deHoog, J Guarro, J Gene, & MJ Figueras, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, 2000, ISBN 90-70351-43-9 (you can buy this book at Amazon) - The Atlas of Clinical Fungi is also available on CD ROM
Atlas of Mold Related Illness: Index of Symptoms and health, physical, neurological, psychological, and other complaint which people suspect may be mold or building-related.
Atlas of Indoor Mold, Online Clinical Mold Atlas, Toxins, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
Black Mold that is Harmless Photos of recognizable, usually harmless black mold on wood, bluestain, ceratocystis, ophistoma
Building Floods: quick steps after a building flood or plumbing leak can prevent costly mold contamination
Classes of Mold: what types of cosmetic, allergenic, or toxic mold are a problem? Can mold be cleaned-up successfully?
Clinical Mold References - Detailed bibliography of mold reference texts
"A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home", U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
"Disease Prevention Program for Certain Vegetable Crops," David B. Langston, Jr., Extension Plant Pathologist - Vegetables, University of Georgia (PDF document) original source: www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/209797.html
"Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens," Patricia Donald, Department of Plant Microbiology and Pathology, Lewis Jett
Department of Horticulture, University of Missouri Extension - extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
"Management of Powdery Mildew, Leveillula taurica, in Greenhouse Peppers," Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia - Original source: www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/peppermildew.htm
Environmental Health & Investigation Bibliography - our own technical library on indoor air quality inspection, testing, laboratory procedures, forensic microscopy, etc.
Fiberglass: Mold in Fiberglass Insulation© 2005 comments about a field study in process, & more about health hazards from fiberglass insulation - DJF
Fifth Kingdom, Bryce Kendrick, ISBN13: 9781585100224, is available from the InspectAPedia online bookstore - we recommend the CD-ROM version of this book. This 3rd/edition is a compact but comprehensive encyclopedia of all things mycological. Every aspect of the fungi, from aflatoxin to zppspores, with an accessible blend of verve and wit. The 24 chapters are filled with up-to-date information of classification, yeast, lichens, spore dispersal, allergies, ecology, genetics, plant pathology, predatory fungi, biological control, mutualistic symbioses with animals and plants, fungi as food, food spoilage and mycotoxins.
Fungi, Identifying Filamentous, A Clinical Laboratory Handbook, Guy St-Germain, Richard Summerbell, Star Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-89863-177-7 (English) (buy at Amazon)
Looking for Mold Procedure: what mold is often found where in buildings - simple technical presentation
Meruliporia: the house eating fungus or "poria"
Mold Action Guide: Step-by-Step Instructions, What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens
MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE Photos of what mold looks like in buildings
MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD Photos of NOT-mold material that is sometimes mistaken for mold
MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX, Pathogens, Allergens and Other Indoor Particles - Medical Health Effects of Mold (separate online document)
MOLD BY MICROSCOPE Mold under the microscope - photo identification of the most common indoor molds found in buildings
Mold FAQs Answers to Most Questions about Indoor Mold, Mold Related Illness, Mold Cleanup, Mold Prevention
US EPA: Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [Copy on file at /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens
Mold Test Kits - How to Collect and Send Your Own Mold Sample to our mold testing lab or to any mold lab you wish
Most Common Indoor Molds Found in buildings, A Table of
Mycology, Fundamentals of Diagnostic, Fran Fisher, Norma B. Cook, W.B. Saunders Co. 1998, ISBN 0-7216-5006-6 (buy this book at Amazon)
Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
Rot concerns in buildings-some building mold such as Meruliporia incrassata "Poria" risks serious rot and hidden structural damage
US EPA: Una Breva Guia a Moho - Hongo [Copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Moho_Guia_sp.pdf - en Espanol

OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides Mold

Mold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.

Fiberglass building insulation and HVAC duct work insulation hazards
Sewage and Septic backup contamination in buildings: inspection, testing, remediation, & references to expert sources
Other environmental risks: Asbestos, carbon monoxide, electromagnetic fields, environmental illness, fiberglass, MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic gases, etc
Indoor Gas Sampling Plan for Residential buildings lists a number of toxic indoor gases which we test for, depending on the building complaint and building conditions
Ozone Warnings - Use of Ozone as a "mold" remedy is ineffective and may be dangerous.
Pet control - if you can't say goodbye to your bird, cat, dog, guinea pig, hamster, tropical fish, then limit the areas they occupy and limit the airflow from that area to sleeping or other areas of the building, use allergenic bedding, eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting, improve housecleaning including use of a HEPA-rated vacuum cleaner. For more details see our article Dog, Cat, and Other Animal Dander - Information for Asthmatics and Indoor Air Quality
Rodents, Mice, Squirrel Control - I find high levels of mouse and rodent dander, fecal dust, and urine-contaminated dust in some buildings, and high levels of these materials in building insulation in those locations. If you have a mouse problem, particularly if mice and their waste (fecals or urine) are contaminating the building HVAC or building insulation, may need both steps to clean up or remove infected materials and steps to stop an ongoing rodent problem. If squirrels are a problem, the cleanup needs to include closing off entry openings into the building. Get some help from a licensed pest control expert.


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