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Stachybotrys spores (left) and structure (right)Airborne Particle Count Number Guide
What is the Acceptable Level of Airborne Particles, including Mold, Pollen, & Other Dust Particles in Buildings?

Airborne particle count report interpretation.

This article discusses the possible significance of different levels of indoor airborne particles - counts and test reports for the main categories of indoor particles likely to be found in air.

The photo just above illustrates using a Burkhard personal air sampler or PAS for sampling for outdoor airborne particle levels during

an AIR QUALITY STUDY San Miguel de Allende where we found high levels of non-fungal granular debris, principally soil dust.

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Building Air Contamination Levels: What are Acceptable Particle Count Levels in Buildings

Here we provide a table of airborne particle counts vs. possible indoor air hazard thresholds for common particle types including animal dander, cellulose or fabric fibers, fiberglass, mold spores, pollen grains, and opaque particles that may be road dust or other inorganic or organic particles.

Stachybotrys spores (left) and structure (right)

Photo: a rather fuzzy photo of a microscope slide showing part of a particle trace from an airborne particle sampler. Notice the wide range of particle shapes and sizes, from large fabric fibers and soot particles to much smaller particles yet to be focused upon.

[Click to enlarge any image]

For each particle type, we give a problem threshold level in counts per cubic meter, we describe the common causes of high particle levels, and we refer readers to more in-depth information for each particle type.

Airborne Particle Counts Indicating Possible IAQ Problems

Contaminant Level
cts/M3
Common
Causes
Comment
Animal Dander > 10,000

High human/animal occupancy

Inadequate fresh air ventilation

Poor HVAC filtration

Poor housekeeping

ALLERGENS in BUILDINGS,
RECOGNIZING

ANIMAL ALLERGENS
/ PET DANDER

Cellulose or

Fabric Fibers

> 1000

High human occupancy

High paper/fabric handling

Poor housekeeping

CARPETING &
INDOOR AIR QUALITY

DUST SAMPLING
PROCEDURE

Fiberglass > 100

Ceiling tiles disturbed

Renovation/demolition

Insulation shedding

FIBERGLASS
DETECTION
in BUILDING AIR & DUST

FIBERGLASS HAZARDS - home

Mold Spores

<1000 = typical background

1000-5000 = high
infiltration
or indoor growth

>5000 = active indoor growth

>10,000 = contamination
present

Trapped moisture or

History of leaks or

Flooding or

Inadequate remediation

AIRBORNE MOLD COUNT
NUMBER GUIDE

ALLERGENS in BUILDINGS,
RECOGNIZING

Pollen Grains > 20

Poor HVAC filtration

High outdoor air infiltration

Poor housekeeping

AIR FILTER for
HVAC SYSTEMS

POLLEN PHOTOGRAPHS

Opaque
Particles
>5000

High outdoor air infiltration

Near active roadway

Non-fungal granular
debris

Insulation shedding

Soot or Copier Toner

Poor housekeeping

AIR QUALITY STUDY San Miguel de Allende

CONCRETE DUST & ODORS 

HOUSE DUST PARTICLE PHOTOS 

Notes to the table above

Photograph of parallel airborne particle traces on a microscope slide

Above:

The variation in thickness of these air sampler particle traces, collected in a single location using an Allergenco sampling machine and using the same collection interval, demonstrate how small changes such as waving a notebook or walking across a carpet can make such a huge difference in airborne particle levels.

One can see the differences even in macro or gross from just looking at the density and width of the particle trace.

This sort of experiment is why we say that we find 3-4 orders of magnitude variation in airborne particle counts in the same location when there are even small changes in test conditions.

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