| Toxic black mold or stachybotrys is found by | | | | A1, Coreen A. Robbins A1, Lonie J. Swenson A1, |
| certified mold inspectors about 6% of the time in | | | | Bryan D. Hardin A1 A1 GlobalTox, Inc., Redmond, |
| indoor air samples and about 1% of the time in | | | | Washington, USA Abstract: Mycotoxins are known to |
| outdoor samples. According to literature and | | | | produce veterinary and human diseases when |
| according to this inspectors experience it grows | | | | consumed with contaminated foods. Mycotoxins have |
| almost exclusively on very wet cellouse containing | | | | also been proposed to cause adverse human health |
| materials including paper, carpet backings, ceiling tile, | | | | effects after inhalation exposure to mold in indoor |
| and especially on drywall. It is the most feared of all | | | | residential, school, and office environments. |
| molds, due to the numerous news reports, | | | | Epidemiological evidence has been inadequate to |
| newspaper articles, and magazine articles attributing | | | | establish a causal relationship between indoor mold |
| possible brain damage, infant deaths, expensive | | | | and nonallergic, toxigenic health effects. In this article, |
| property damage and other horrible consequences | | | | the authors model a maximum possible dose of |
| surrounding its growth in residential settings. Many | | | | mycotoxins that could be inhaled in 24 h of |
| molds produce mycotoxins (toxic chemicals that | | | | continuous exposure to a high concentration of mold |
| molds use in a type of microbial warfare). Living | | | | spores containing the maximum reported |
| things that do not possess claws, fangs, or a hard | | | | concentration of aflatoxins B1 and B2, satratoxins G |
| shell to use in self defense or fast legs to run away | | | | and H, fumitremorgens B and C, verruculogen, and |
| from predators, will typically revert to the use of | | | | trichoverrols A and B. These calculated doses are |
| camouflage or the production of poisons. This is very | | | | compared to effects data for the same mycotoxins. |
| common in nature. In reality, toxic molds like | | | | None of the maximum doses modeled were |
| Stachybotrys also known as toxic black mold and | | | | sufficiently high to cause any adverse effect. The |
| others may have to be either consumed in mold | | | | model illustrates the inefficiency of delivery of |
| contaminated foods, or physically handled so that | | | | mycotoxins via inhalation of mold spores, and |
| excessive physical contact is made between human | | | | suggests that the lack of association between mold |
| skin and the mold in order for toxic reactions to | | | | exposure and mycotoxicoses in indoor environments |
| develop. At this time most scientists do not believe | | | | is due to a requirement for extremely high airborne |
| that breathing in toxic mold spores can have toxic | | | | spore levels and extended periods of exposure to |
| effects on humans when inhaled at the levels | | | | elicit a response. This model is further evidence that |
| typically encountered in homes and offices. Public | | | | human mycotoxicoses are implausible following |
| opinion may not be in support of the above | | | | inhalation exposure to mycotoxins in |
| statement and in the future we may find that the | | | | mold-contaminated home, school, or office |
| above statement is not true and perhaps one day | | | | environments." Regardless of if toxic mold can poison |
| we will find that toxic molds cause toxic reactions via | | | | you with mycotoxins via inhalation, it is a fact |
| inhalation but currently scientific evidence does not | | | | observed by this inspector many times that mold can |
| support the view that toxic molds can poison you via | | | | make some people very sick. Asthma attacks, |
| inhalation at levels found in indoor environments. To | | | | allergies, and sinus infections from mold appear to be |
| support this statement please review the following | | | | very common. Such conditions in turn can cause |
| abstract from the International Journal of Toxicology | | | | people to loose sleep, loose energy and |
| Volume 23, Number 1 / January-February 2004 pages | | | | concentration, miss work, and in general feel as if |
| 3 to 10. "Risk from Inhaled Mycotoxins in Indoor | | | | they were being poisoned by mycotoxins. |
| Office and Residential Environments Bruce J. Kelman | | | | |