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A
Absolute levels - The total spore concentration at any given location. See also "Relative levels"
Acremonium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 80-90 in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Not distinctive on spore trap samples and may be either counted as "other colorless" or may be missed due to their small size. Distinctive, readily idenci6able on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insect/water droplet. Wind (old growth)
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Requires very wet conditions. Common in metalworking fluids.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, dead organic debris, hay, food stuffs.
Actinolite - A green mineral of the amphibole group. It is an intermediate member in a series between tremolite (Mg-rich) and ferro-actinolite (Fe-rich). Some forms of asbestos are formed from fibrous actinolite.
Actinomycetes - A group of filamentous gram-positive bacteria many of which produce airborne spores.
Airborne mold - Generally refers to mold spores in the air. See also "Spores"
Air sample (Culturable) - A culturable air sample identifies the types of organisms present in the air char are alive, capable of growing on the agar used, and capable of competing with the other types of organisms present. Most culturable air samples are collected by impacting a known volume of air onto the surface of a nutrient media. The nutrient medium is incubated for a period of time during which the organisms mature and then can be identi6ed and enumerated by the laboratory. Examples of culturable air samplers include the BioCassette tm, and the Andersen.
Air sample (Non-culturable)- A known volume of air is impacted onto the surface of an adhesive that captures particulate matter present including but not limited to fungal spores, pollen and skin cells. The particulate matter collected can then be identified and enumerated by the laboratory.
Examples of non-culturable air samplers include the Zefon Air-O-Cell' and the Allergenco"
Algae - Unicellular or multi cellular organisms having chlorophyll but lacking multi cellular sex organs vascular systems typical of plants.
Alternaria:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous: cosmopolitan. There are approximately 40-50 in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Can be detected on spore crap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substrates including wallboard, painted walls, etc.
· Where it is found outdoors: One of the most common fungi worldwide. Soil, dead organic debris, on food stuffs and textiles. Plant pathogen, most commonly on weakened plants.
Amosite - A mineral in the amphibole class of asbestos. Also known as "brown asbestos".
Anamorph - The asexual part of a Fungal life cycle. The spores produced are asexual (microscopic). For most molds this is the only type of reproduction that occurs.
Anthophyllite - A mineral of the amphibole group. Some forms of anthophyllite are lamellar or fibrous and are used as asbestos.
Aphanodadium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores are very small and non-distinctive. Spore trap analysis would place them in the "other colorless" category.
· How spores are spread: Spores are dry and are designed for wind dissemination.
· Where it is found índoors: Commonly recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Recorded sources of isolation are 6-om other fungi, spiders, dung, and litter.
Arthrinium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores can be detected on surface samples and spore traps.
· How spores are spread: Spares are wind dispersed
· Where it is found indoors: Nor commonly recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decomposing plan t material
Arthrobotrys:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 28 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores can be detected on sur61cc samples and spore traps.
· How they are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is nor common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Found primarily in the soil and is one of those fungi capable of capturing nematodes.
Asbestos - The asbestiform varieties of Chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckice); amosite (cummingtonite, grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolice.
Asbestos - Containing Material (ACM)- Any material or product that contains more than one percent asbestos.
Asbestos - Containing Building Material (ACBM) - Surfacing ACM, thermal system insulation ACM, or miscellaneous ACM that is found in or on interior scruccural members or other parts of a school building.
Asbestos - Containing Construction Material (ACCM) - Means any manufactured construction material, which contains more than one tenth of one percent asbestos by weight (Cal/OSHA definition).
Ascomycete - A large group of fungi that produce their meiospores (ascospores) within structures called asci. See also "Meiospores".
Ascospores - The meiospore produced in the ascus of an ascomycete.
Ascotricha:
· Distribution: Relatively common. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Recovery of Ascotricha from a BioCassette tm is possible but unlikely. Spores detected on spore traps may be placed in the spore category "Smuts, Pericoma, Myxomycetes" or may be called "ocher brown." Surface sample identification is possible due to the presence ofdistinctwe structural elements.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Damp sheer-rock paper as well as a variety of other cellulosic building material.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of woody materials.
Aspergillus:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 200 species in this genus it is one of the most common fungal genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Free spores are usually similar to those of Penicillium, and other genera with small round to oval spores on spore trap samples. If sporulating structures are present, Aspergillus is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a wide range of substances. Water requirements range widely (dependent on species). Aw=0.71 0.94 (minimum for various species).
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant debris, compost piles, stored grain.
Aureobasidium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: The identification of Aureobasidium pullulans except in culture is difficult because of the variety of morphologic forms it takes. Generally, we report irregular clumps of dark brown mycelia dividing m more than one plane as A. pullulans. Vegetative hyphae from other unrelated demariaceous fungi, especially those, which form chlamydospore-like structures, may be indistinguishable from Aureobasidium. The morphology of Aureobasidium is distinctive (in a broad sense) and is identifiable if enough structures have been lifted by tape. (A. pullulans is a yeast-like organism which, when it is moist, may not lift well on tape.)
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Wind (when dried out), water droplet.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, where moisture accumulates, especially bathrooms and kitchens, on shower curtains, tile grout, window sills, textiles, liquid waste materials.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, Forest soils, fresh water, aerial portion of plants, fruit, marine estuary sediments, wood.
B
Bacteria - A group of prokaryotic organisms with distinctive cell wall structures, some ofwhi.ch are important as pathogens and for their biochemical properties.
Basidiomycete - A large group of fungi that produce their meiospores (basidiospores) on projections from a structure called a basidium.
Basidiospores - The meiospores of a basidiomycete.
Beauveria:
· Distribution: Worldwide. There are approximately 4-5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place them in the "other colorless" category or as Penieblium Aspergillus. Occasionally found on tape lifts. Optical resolution through cape is sometimes inadequate to identify the delicate structures of Beauveria.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors, but is nor common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, plant debris, dung. Parasite of insects.
Beltrania:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCassette tm using standard laboratory media. Detectable on spore traps. Spores have a very distinctive morphology.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Spores recovered indoors are likely from outdoor sources.
· Where it is found outdoors: Leaves and plant litter of semi-tropical and tropical plants.
Biocide - A substance that kills living organisms.
Biodegradable - A material capable of being broken down by micro organisms.
Biodeteriogen - An organism capable of causing an undesirable change by its physical or metabolic activity.
Botrytis:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous. Primarily in temperate and subtropical regions. There are approximately 30 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore traps and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind, also liberated by rain splash.
· Where it is found indoors: May be found in conjunction with indoor plants, fruits, and vegetables.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, stored and transported fruit and vegetables. Plant pathogen and saprophyte on flowers, leaves, stems, fruit. Leaf roc on grapes, strawberries, lettuce, cabbage, onions.
Brown rot - A fungal disease causing decay and brown discoloration on the wood surface. Brown rot fungi degrade only the cellulose in wood. In the process they modify the lignin, but do not use it for food. The rotted wood is brownish and both longitudinal and transverse cracks appear, giving the wood a cubed appearance. Only a few fungi can produce brown rot, and all are basidiomycetes.
Bulk sample - A physical piece of a material suspected of being contaminated that can be sent to the laboratory for analysis.
C
Cellulolytic fungi - Fungi capable of utilizing (breaking down) cellulose-containing material. Examples include Chaetomium species and Stachybotrys species.
Cellulose - The principal polysaccharide of plant cell walls.
Ceratocystis/Ophiostoma group:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 56 species in both general. Sometimes referred to as "Lumber" or "Lumberyard" mold.
· Sampling information: Do not frequently grow on fungal media and so are not recovered using the BioCassette tm. Only some species may grow on specialized fungal media. Not identifiable on spore trap slides. On rare occasions the spores of Gonatobotryum, which grows parasitically on Ceratocvstis, are seen on spore trap samples (an indirect indication of the presence of this group of fungi). Distinctive fruiting bodies with long necks are identifiable on tape lifts.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore, Insects.
· Where it is found indoors: Most homes built with lumber have areas of growth on wood framing inside walls.
· Where it is found outdoors: Commercial lumber, tree and plant pathogen.
Cercospora:
· Distribution: Cosmopoliran. Approximately 2,000 Form-species described, according to plant host.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCasserte tm. Detectable on spore traps.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Spores recovered indoors are likely from outdoor sources.
· Where it is found outdoors: Parasite of higher plants, causing leaf spot.
Chaetomium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 81 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identi6able on tape lift samples.
· How they are spread: Wind, insects, water splash.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, cellulolytic, very commonly found on damp sheetrock paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, seeds, cellulose substances, dung, woody and straw materials.
Chrysonilia:
· Distribution: Common and may be more common in the eastern and southeastern areas of the United States. There are approximately 3 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore traps and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind. Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors, but is not common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Natural habitat is said to be soil, according to some (but nor all) references
Chrysosporium:
· Distribution: Chrysosporium species are common. There are approximately 40 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place them in the other colorless category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is not common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Natural habitat includes soil, dung, children's sand boxes, seeds, bird's nests, and plant remains such as leaf litter.
Chrysotile - A fibrous mineral variety of serpentine group of minerals forming part of commercial asbestos. Also called as "white asbestos".
Cladosporium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 28---40 species in this genus. One of the most common genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore (formed in very fragile chains, easily dispersed), Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, on many substrates, including textiles, wood, moist window sills. Grows at 0°C, and so is associated with refrigerated foods.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil of many different types, plant litter, plant pathogen, leaf surfaces, old or decayed plants.
Coelomycetes - Conidial anamorphs produced within a protective fruiting body such as a pycnidia.
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. Recovered from a wide range of ecological niches. Approximately 700 species.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place the spores of most species of this group in the other colorless category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Spore masses may be dry or slimy. Spread by insects, water splash, and wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Many substances, including ceiling tile and linoleum.
· Where it is found outdoors: Saprophytic or parasitic on higher plants, other fungi, lichens, vertebrates.
Conidia - An asexual spore formed by many different types of fungi.
Conidiophores - Specialized hyphae on which conidia are formed.
Crocidolite - A mineral of the amphibole group. Also known as "blue asbestos" and "riebeckire asbestos".
Culturable air sample - A sample taken for the purpose of determining what organisms are alive, capable of growing on specific nutrient media, and capable of competing with the other organisms that may be present.
Culturable spore - A spore that is alive, capable of growing on the agar provided, and capable of competing with the other fungi that are present.
Curvularia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 30 species in this genus. More commonly found in tropical, subtropical regions.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substances.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant debris, soil, facultative plant pathogens of tropical or subtropical plants.
D
Dicyma:
· Distribution: not uncommon. There are approximately 11 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm, but unlikely using standard laboratory media. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other brown" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Paper, cardboard, cotton wool, woody materials and wallboard.
· Where it is found outdoors: Dead stems and leaves as well as a wide variety of other plant materials.
Dry rot - A type of brown rot decay caused by the basidiomycete Serpula lacronans. See also "Brown rot"
Dust Characterization - A process by which the components of a mixed dust sample can be determined, and the relative proportion of each type of particle estimated. See Dust Characterization testing.
Absolute levels - The total spore concentration at any given location. See also "Relative levels"
Acremonium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 80-90 in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Not distinctive on spore trap samples and may be either counted as "other colorless" or may be missed due to their small size. Distinctive, readily idenci6able on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insect/water droplet. Wind (old growth)
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Requires very wet conditions. Common in metalworking fluids.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, dead organic debris, hay, food stuffs.
Actinolite - A green mineral of the amphibole group. It is an intermediate member in a series between tremolite (Mg-rich) and ferro-actinolite (Fe-rich). Some forms of asbestos are formed from fibrous actinolite.
Actinomycetes - A group of filamentous gram-positive bacteria many of which produce airborne spores.
Airborne mold - Generally refers to mold spores in the air. See also "Spores"
Air sample (Culturable) - A culturable air sample identifies the types of organisms present in the air char are alive, capable of growing on the agar used, and capable of competing with the other types of organisms present. Most culturable air samples are collected by impacting a known volume of air onto the surface of a nutrient media. The nutrient medium is incubated for a period of time during which the organisms mature and then can be identi6ed and enumerated by the laboratory. Examples of culturable air samplers include the BioCassette tm, and the Andersen.
Air sample (Non-culturable)- A known volume of air is impacted onto the surface of an adhesive that captures particulate matter present including but not limited to fungal spores, pollen and skin cells. The particulate matter collected can then be identified and enumerated by the laboratory.
Examples of non-culturable air samplers include the Zefon Air-O-Cell' and the Allergenco"
Algae - Unicellular or multi cellular organisms having chlorophyll but lacking multi cellular sex organs vascular systems typical of plants.
Alternaria:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous: cosmopolitan. There are approximately 40-50 in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Can be detected on spore crap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substrates including wallboard, painted walls, etc.
· Where it is found outdoors: One of the most common fungi worldwide. Soil, dead organic debris, on food stuffs and textiles. Plant pathogen, most commonly on weakened plants.
Amosite - A mineral in the amphibole class of asbestos. Also known as "brown asbestos".
Anamorph - The asexual part of a Fungal life cycle. The spores produced are asexual (microscopic). For most molds this is the only type of reproduction that occurs.
Anthophyllite - A mineral of the amphibole group. Some forms of anthophyllite are lamellar or fibrous and are used as asbestos.
Aphanodadium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores are very small and non-distinctive. Spore trap analysis would place them in the "other colorless" category.
· How spores are spread: Spores are dry and are designed for wind dissemination.
· Where it is found índoors: Commonly recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Recorded sources of isolation are 6-om other fungi, spiders, dung, and litter.
Arthrinium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores can be detected on surface samples and spore traps.
· How spores are spread: Spares are wind dispersed
· Where it is found indoors: Nor commonly recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decomposing plan t material
Arthrobotrys:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 28 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. The spores can be detected on sur61cc samples and spore traps.
· How they are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is nor common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Found primarily in the soil and is one of those fungi capable of capturing nematodes.
Asbestos - The asbestiform varieties of Chrysotile (serpentine); crocidolite (riebeckice); amosite (cummingtonite, grunerite); anthophyllite; tremolite; and actinolice.
Asbestos - Containing Material (ACM)- Any material or product that contains more than one percent asbestos.
Asbestos - Containing Building Material (ACBM) - Surfacing ACM, thermal system insulation ACM, or miscellaneous ACM that is found in or on interior scruccural members or other parts of a school building.
Asbestos - Containing Construction Material (ACCM) - Means any manufactured construction material, which contains more than one tenth of one percent asbestos by weight (Cal/OSHA definition).
Ascomycete - A large group of fungi that produce their meiospores (ascospores) within structures called asci. See also "Meiospores".
Ascospores - The meiospore produced in the ascus of an ascomycete.
Ascotricha:
· Distribution: Relatively common. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Recovery of Ascotricha from a BioCassette tm is possible but unlikely. Spores detected on spore traps may be placed in the spore category "Smuts, Pericoma, Myxomycetes" or may be called "ocher brown." Surface sample identification is possible due to the presence ofdistinctwe structural elements.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Damp sheer-rock paper as well as a variety of other cellulosic building material.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of woody materials.
Aspergillus:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 200 species in this genus it is one of the most common fungal genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Free spores are usually similar to those of Penicillium, and other genera with small round to oval spores on spore trap samples. If sporulating structures are present, Aspergillus is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a wide range of substances. Water requirements range widely (dependent on species). Aw=0.71 0.94 (minimum for various species).
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant debris, compost piles, stored grain.
Aureobasidium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: The identification of Aureobasidium pullulans except in culture is difficult because of the variety of morphologic forms it takes. Generally, we report irregular clumps of dark brown mycelia dividing m more than one plane as A. pullulans. Vegetative hyphae from other unrelated demariaceous fungi, especially those, which form chlamydospore-like structures, may be indistinguishable from Aureobasidium. The morphology of Aureobasidium is distinctive (in a broad sense) and is identifiable if enough structures have been lifted by tape. (A. pullulans is a yeast-like organism which, when it is moist, may not lift well on tape.)
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Wind (when dried out), water droplet.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, where moisture accumulates, especially bathrooms and kitchens, on shower curtains, tile grout, window sills, textiles, liquid waste materials.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, Forest soils, fresh water, aerial portion of plants, fruit, marine estuary sediments, wood.
B
Bacteria - A group of prokaryotic organisms with distinctive cell wall structures, some ofwhi.ch are important as pathogens and for their biochemical properties.
Basidiomycete - A large group of fungi that produce their meiospores (basidiospores) on projections from a structure called a basidium.
Basidiospores - The meiospores of a basidiomycete.
Beauveria:
· Distribution: Worldwide. There are approximately 4-5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place them in the "other colorless" category or as Penieblium Aspergillus. Occasionally found on tape lifts. Optical resolution through cape is sometimes inadequate to identify the delicate structures of Beauveria.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors, but is nor common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, plant debris, dung. Parasite of insects.
Beltrania:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCassette tm using standard laboratory media. Detectable on spore traps. Spores have a very distinctive morphology.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Spores recovered indoors are likely from outdoor sources.
· Where it is found outdoors: Leaves and plant litter of semi-tropical and tropical plants.
Biocide - A substance that kills living organisms.
Biodegradable - A material capable of being broken down by micro organisms.
Biodeteriogen - An organism capable of causing an undesirable change by its physical or metabolic activity.
Botrytis:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous. Primarily in temperate and subtropical regions. There are approximately 30 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore traps and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind, also liberated by rain splash.
· Where it is found indoors: May be found in conjunction with indoor plants, fruits, and vegetables.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, stored and transported fruit and vegetables. Plant pathogen and saprophyte on flowers, leaves, stems, fruit. Leaf roc on grapes, strawberries, lettuce, cabbage, onions.
Brown rot - A fungal disease causing decay and brown discoloration on the wood surface. Brown rot fungi degrade only the cellulose in wood. In the process they modify the lignin, but do not use it for food. The rotted wood is brownish and both longitudinal and transverse cracks appear, giving the wood a cubed appearance. Only a few fungi can produce brown rot, and all are basidiomycetes.
Bulk sample - A physical piece of a material suspected of being contaminated that can be sent to the laboratory for analysis.
C
Cellulolytic fungi - Fungi capable of utilizing (breaking down) cellulose-containing material. Examples include Chaetomium species and Stachybotrys species.
Cellulose - The principal polysaccharide of plant cell walls.
Ceratocystis/Ophiostoma group:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 56 species in both general. Sometimes referred to as "Lumber" or "Lumberyard" mold.
· Sampling information: Do not frequently grow on fungal media and so are not recovered using the BioCassette tm. Only some species may grow on specialized fungal media. Not identifiable on spore trap slides. On rare occasions the spores of Gonatobotryum, which grows parasitically on Ceratocvstis, are seen on spore trap samples (an indirect indication of the presence of this group of fungi). Distinctive fruiting bodies with long necks are identifiable on tape lifts.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore, Insects.
· Where it is found indoors: Most homes built with lumber have areas of growth on wood framing inside walls.
· Where it is found outdoors: Commercial lumber, tree and plant pathogen.
Cercospora:
· Distribution: Cosmopoliran. Approximately 2,000 Form-species described, according to plant host.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCasserte tm. Detectable on spore traps.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Spores recovered indoors are likely from outdoor sources.
· Where it is found outdoors: Parasite of higher plants, causing leaf spot.
Chaetomium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 81 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identi6able on tape lift samples.
· How they are spread: Wind, insects, water splash.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, cellulolytic, very commonly found on damp sheetrock paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, seeds, cellulose substances, dung, woody and straw materials.
Chrysonilia:
· Distribution: Common and may be more common in the eastern and southeastern areas of the United States. There are approximately 3 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore traps and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind. Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors, but is not common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Natural habitat is said to be soil, according to some (but nor all) references
Chrysosporium:
· Distribution: Chrysosporium species are common. There are approximately 40 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place them in the other colorless category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is not common.
· Where it is found outdoors: Natural habitat includes soil, dung, children's sand boxes, seeds, bird's nests, and plant remains such as leaf litter.
Chrysotile - A fibrous mineral variety of serpentine group of minerals forming part of commercial asbestos. Also called as "white asbestos".
Cladosporium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 28---40 species in this genus. One of the most common genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore (formed in very fragile chains, easily dispersed), Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread, on many substrates, including textiles, wood, moist window sills. Grows at 0°C, and so is associated with refrigerated foods.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil of many different types, plant litter, plant pathogen, leaf surfaces, old or decayed plants.
Coelomycetes - Conidial anamorphs produced within a protective fruiting body such as a pycnidia.
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. Recovered from a wide range of ecological niches. Approximately 700 species.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place the spores of most species of this group in the other colorless category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Spore masses may be dry or slimy. Spread by insects, water splash, and wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Many substances, including ceiling tile and linoleum.
· Where it is found outdoors: Saprophytic or parasitic on higher plants, other fungi, lichens, vertebrates.
Conidia - An asexual spore formed by many different types of fungi.
Conidiophores - Specialized hyphae on which conidia are formed.
Crocidolite - A mineral of the amphibole group. Also known as "blue asbestos" and "riebeckire asbestos".
Culturable air sample - A sample taken for the purpose of determining what organisms are alive, capable of growing on specific nutrient media, and capable of competing with the other organisms that may be present.
Culturable spore - A spore that is alive, capable of growing on the agar provided, and capable of competing with the other fungi that are present.
Curvularia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 30 species in this genus. More commonly found in tropical, subtropical regions.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substances.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant debris, soil, facultative plant pathogens of tropical or subtropical plants.
D
Dicyma:
· Distribution: not uncommon. There are approximately 11 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be detected using the BioCassette tm, but unlikely using standard laboratory media. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other brown" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Paper, cardboard, cotton wool, woody materials and wallboard.
· Where it is found outdoors: Dead stems and leaves as well as a wide variety of other plant materials.
Dry rot - A type of brown rot decay caused by the basidiomycete Serpula lacronans. See also "Brown rot"
Dust Characterization - A process by which the components of a mixed dust sample can be determined, and the relative proportion of each type of particle estimated. See Dust Characterization testing.
E
EDX - Stands for Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. This is also known as EDS, WEDS is a related technique. X-rays are generated when high-energy electrons strike materials, and the energy of these X-rays can be corresponded with the individual element generating the X-ray. Using EDX, materials can be identified based on atomic composition as a part of an electron microscope investigation.
Encapsulation - The treatment of ACBM with a material that surrounds or embeds asbestos fibers in an adhesive matrix to prevent the release of fibers, as the encapsulant creates a membrane over the surface (bridging encapsulant) or penetrates the material and binds its components together (penetrating encapsulant).
Enclosure - An airtight, impermeable, permanent barrier around ACBM co prevent the release of asbestos fibers into the air.
Engyodontium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "ocher colorless" category. Fresh growth is possibly identifiable on rape lifts, but optical resolution through tape is sometimes inadequate for the very small structures.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Commonly isolated from paper,)uce, textiles, and painted walls.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
Epicoccum:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are 2 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On many different substrates including paper, textiles, and insects.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant debris, soil. Secondary invader of damaged plant tissue.
F
Fly Ash - Small, hollow spherical particles primarily composed of aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides that are formed from combustion at high temperatures. These particles, being small and hollow, can often migrate on air currents away from the source of combustion. Fly ash is often found in coal combustion processes, as well as potentially in some oil firing processes.
Friable ACBM - Material that may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Friable ACBM also includes previously non-friable material when it becomes damaged to The extent that when dry it may it may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Fruitingbody - A general term for the structures that enclose spore bearing cells in fungi.
FTIR - Stands for Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy. FTTR is a spectroscopy technique that allows for the structural components of an organic compound to be determined. By correlating observed peaks with organic functional groups, a variety of organic compounds can be classified and idend6ed.
Fungus (pl. Fungi) - Eukaryotes that produce exoenzymes and absorb the predigested food: usually producing a network of apically extending, branched cubes, called hyphae.
Fusarium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 50-70 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. The macroconidia are distinctive and recognizable on spore trap slides. The microconidia are less distinctive and would most probably be identified as "other colorless." Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insects, water splash, and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found on a variety of substrates. Fusarium requires very wet conditions.
· Where it is found outdoors: Sail, saprophytic or parasitic on plants. Many species are important plant pathogens.
G
Genus - Taxonomic rank below family. Examples of genus level names are Cladosporium, Alcernaria , and Pithomyces. These names are always capitalized and italicized.
Gliomastix:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 8 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. May be identified on spore trap samples if the presence of this genus has already been demonstrated (for example, on tape lifts). Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
Graphium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Spread by insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Woody substrata, plant debris, soil, manure, and polluted water.
H
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) - Refers to a filtering system capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97 percent of all mono dispersed particles 0.3 mm in diameter or larger.
Homogeneous area - An area of surfacing material, thermal system insulation material, or miscellaneous material that is uniform in color and texture.
Hypha (pL Hyphae) - One of the individual filaments of a mycelium.
Hyphomycetes - Conidial anamorphs producing exposed conidiophores.
I
Indoor air sample - A sample taken from an indoor source. Usually compared with an outdoor sample to determine if there are elevated concentrations of spores present indoors.
L
Lichen - A duel organism composed of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium (green bacterium)
Lumber mold - See"Ceratocystis/Ophiostoma group".
M
Macrofungi - Fungi having large Fruiting bodies that protect-spore-bearing structures.
Meiospores - Spores resulting from sexual reproduction (meiosis).
Memnoniella:
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. There are approximately 5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore crap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on cape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substrates, Cellulolytic.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant litter, soil, many types of plants and trees.
Miscellaneous ACM - Other, mostly non-friable, produces and materials (found on structural components, structural members or fixtures) such as floor tile, ceiling tile, construction mastic for floor and ceiling materials, sheet flooring, fire doors, asbestos cement pipe and board, wallboard, acoustical wall tile, and vibration damping cloth. Undamaged non-friable ACBM should be treated as friable if any action performed would render these materials friable. When previously non-friable ACBM becomes damaged, Or the extent that when dry it may it may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure, it should be treated as friable.
Mucor:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 50 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Round colorless spores, variable in size, sometimes angular. Very difficult to identify in any definitive way, and most probably called "other colorless".
· How spores are spread: Rain splash except for M. plumbens, which is commonly dry and disseminated by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on a variety of substrates, including leftover food, soft fruits, Where it is found outdoors: Organic matter, dung, soil.
Mycelium - A mass of hyphae.
Myrothecium:
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. There are approximately 8 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore, Insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Considered an indoor contaminant. Occurrence is rare.
· Where it is found outdoors: Found on grasses, plants and soil: on decaying Fruiting bodies of Russian mushrooms.
Myxomycetes - The Slime molds. Although not fungi, produce spores that are morphologically similar to spores of several groups of the true fungi.
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 45 genera in this category.
· Sampling information: Do not grow on general fungal media and so are not recovered using the BioCassette tm. While a few are distinctive, many of the myxomycere spores are dif6cuit to distinguish from the smuts in spore trap samples. These spores are placed in the category "Smurs, Periconia, Myxomyceres," due to their similar "round, brown" morphology. Occasionally seen and identified on cape lifts. Distinctive especially when fragments of the lacy fruiting bodies are present.
· How spores are spread: These organisms have both dry and wet spores. Wind disperses the dry fruiting body spores, whereas the wet amoebic phase is motile.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found indoors, but rarely growing.
· Where it is found outdoors: Decaying logs, stumps and dead leaves, particularly in forested regions,
Myxotrichum:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 7 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCassette tm using standard laboratory media, If Myxotrichum spores are isolated on culturable sampling, the Geomyces, Malbranchea, or Oidiodendron anamorph is likely to be the identifiable result, at least with primary growth within one week. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other colorless" category. Can be identified nom surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Paper substances, damp drywall, decomposing carpets.
· Where it is found outdoors: The natural habitat is soil.
N
Nigraspora:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Especially abundant in warm climates. There are approximately 4---5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Can be detected on spare trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Active discharge mechanism. Does not require wind or rain.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Decaying plant material and soil.
Non-biological particles - Particles such as geologic debris, synthetic fibers, gypsum dust, etc.
Non-culturable sample - A sample taken for the purpose of determining what organisms are present using methods other than culture (e.g., microscopy). A non-culturable sample cannot differentiate between culturable and non-culturable organisms.
Non-friable ACBM - Material that, when dry, may not be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
EDX - Stands for Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. This is also known as EDS, WEDS is a related technique. X-rays are generated when high-energy electrons strike materials, and the energy of these X-rays can be corresponded with the individual element generating the X-ray. Using EDX, materials can be identified based on atomic composition as a part of an electron microscope investigation.
Encapsulation - The treatment of ACBM with a material that surrounds or embeds asbestos fibers in an adhesive matrix to prevent the release of fibers, as the encapsulant creates a membrane over the surface (bridging encapsulant) or penetrates the material and binds its components together (penetrating encapsulant).
Enclosure - An airtight, impermeable, permanent barrier around ACBM co prevent the release of asbestos fibers into the air.
Engyodontium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "ocher colorless" category. Fresh growth is possibly identifiable on rape lifts, but optical resolution through tape is sometimes inadequate for the very small structures.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Commonly isolated from paper,)uce, textiles, and painted walls.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
Epicoccum:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are 2 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On many different substrates including paper, textiles, and insects.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant debris, soil. Secondary invader of damaged plant tissue.
F
Fly Ash - Small, hollow spherical particles primarily composed of aluminum, magnesium, silicon and calcium oxides that are formed from combustion at high temperatures. These particles, being small and hollow, can often migrate on air currents away from the source of combustion. Fly ash is often found in coal combustion processes, as well as potentially in some oil firing processes.
Friable ACBM - Material that may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Friable ACBM also includes previously non-friable material when it becomes damaged to The extent that when dry it may it may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Fruitingbody - A general term for the structures that enclose spore bearing cells in fungi.
FTIR - Stands for Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy. FTTR is a spectroscopy technique that allows for the structural components of an organic compound to be determined. By correlating observed peaks with organic functional groups, a variety of organic compounds can be classified and idend6ed.
Fungus (pl. Fungi) - Eukaryotes that produce exoenzymes and absorb the predigested food: usually producing a network of apically extending, branched cubes, called hyphae.
Fusarium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 50-70 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. The macroconidia are distinctive and recognizable on spore trap slides. The microconidia are less distinctive and would most probably be identified as "other colorless." Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insects, water splash, and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found on a variety of substrates. Fusarium requires very wet conditions.
· Where it is found outdoors: Sail, saprophytic or parasitic on plants. Many species are important plant pathogens.
G
Genus - Taxonomic rank below family. Examples of genus level names are Cladosporium, Alcernaria , and Pithomyces. These names are always capitalized and italicized.
Gliomastix:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 8 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. May be identified on spore trap samples if the presence of this genus has already been demonstrated (for example, on tape lifts). Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
Graphium:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Spread by insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Woody substrata, plant debris, soil, manure, and polluted water.
H
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) - Refers to a filtering system capable of trapping and retaining at least 99.97 percent of all mono dispersed particles 0.3 mm in diameter or larger.
Homogeneous area - An area of surfacing material, thermal system insulation material, or miscellaneous material that is uniform in color and texture.
Hypha (pL Hyphae) - One of the individual filaments of a mycelium.
Hyphomycetes - Conidial anamorphs producing exposed conidiophores.
I
Indoor air sample - A sample taken from an indoor source. Usually compared with an outdoor sample to determine if there are elevated concentrations of spores present indoors.
L
Lichen - A duel organism composed of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium (green bacterium)
Lumber mold - See"Ceratocystis/Ophiostoma group".
M
Macrofungi - Fungi having large Fruiting bodies that protect-spore-bearing structures.
Meiospores - Spores resulting from sexual reproduction (meiosis).
Memnoniella:
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. There are approximately 5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore crap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on cape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: On a variety of substrates, Cellulolytic.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant litter, soil, many types of plants and trees.
Miscellaneous ACM - Other, mostly non-friable, produces and materials (found on structural components, structural members or fixtures) such as floor tile, ceiling tile, construction mastic for floor and ceiling materials, sheet flooring, fire doors, asbestos cement pipe and board, wallboard, acoustical wall tile, and vibration damping cloth. Undamaged non-friable ACBM should be treated as friable if any action performed would render these materials friable. When previously non-friable ACBM becomes damaged, Or the extent that when dry it may it may be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure, it should be treated as friable.
Mucor:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 50 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Round colorless spores, variable in size, sometimes angular. Very difficult to identify in any definitive way, and most probably called "other colorless".
· How spores are spread: Rain splash except for M. plumbens, which is commonly dry and disseminated by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on a variety of substrates, including leftover food, soft fruits, Where it is found outdoors: Organic matter, dung, soil.
Mycelium - A mass of hyphae.
Myrothecium:
· Distribution: Cosmopolitan. There are approximately 8 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore, Insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Considered an indoor contaminant. Occurrence is rare.
· Where it is found outdoors: Found on grasses, plants and soil: on decaying Fruiting bodies of Russian mushrooms.
Myxomycetes - The Slime molds. Although not fungi, produce spores that are morphologically similar to spores of several groups of the true fungi.
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 45 genera in this category.
· Sampling information: Do not grow on general fungal media and so are not recovered using the BioCassette tm. While a few are distinctive, many of the myxomycere spores are dif6cuit to distinguish from the smuts in spore trap samples. These spores are placed in the category "Smurs, Periconia, Myxomyceres," due to their similar "round, brown" morphology. Occasionally seen and identified on cape lifts. Distinctive especially when fragments of the lacy fruiting bodies are present.
· How spores are spread: These organisms have both dry and wet spores. Wind disperses the dry fruiting body spores, whereas the wet amoebic phase is motile.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found indoors, but rarely growing.
· Where it is found outdoors: Decaying logs, stumps and dead leaves, particularly in forested regions,
Myxotrichum:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 7 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Not detectable using the BioCassette tm using standard laboratory media, If Myxotrichum spores are isolated on culturable sampling, the Geomyces, Malbranchea, or Oidiodendron anamorph is likely to be the identifiable result, at least with primary growth within one week. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other colorless" category. Can be identified nom surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Paper substances, damp drywall, decomposing carpets.
· Where it is found outdoors: The natural habitat is soil.
N
Nigraspora:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Especially abundant in warm climates. There are approximately 4---5 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the Biocassette tm. Can be detected on spare trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Active discharge mechanism. Does not require wind or rain.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Decaying plant material and soil.
Non-biological particles - Particles such as geologic debris, synthetic fibers, gypsum dust, etc.
Non-culturable sample - A sample taken for the purpose of determining what organisms are present using methods other than culture (e.g., microscopy). A non-culturable sample cannot differentiate between culturable and non-culturable organisms.
Non-friable ACBM - Material that, when dry, may not be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
O
Outdoor air sample - A sample taken outdoors. Usually compared with indoor samples to determine if there are elevated concentrations of spores indoors.
P
Paecilomyces:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 9-30 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm Free spores are indistinguishable from Penicidium/Aspergidus, and other genera with small round to oval colorless spores on spore trap samples and so may be grouped along with Penicillium/Aspergillus types or as "other colorless". If sporulating structures are present, Paecilomyces is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been isolated from jure fibers, paper, PVC, timber (oak wood) optical lenses, leather, photographic paper, cigar tobacco, harvested grapes, borded fruit, and fruit juice undergoing pasteurization.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil and decaying plant material, composting processes, legumes, cottonseeds, some species parasitize insects.
Pathogen - A parasite capable of causing disease in a particular host or range of hoses.
Penicillium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 200 species in this genus. It is one of the most common fungal genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Free spores are similar to those of Aspergillus, and other genera with small round to oval spores on spore trap samples and so are commonly grouped as Penicillium/Aspergillus types. Can be separately identified by highly trained analyst if sporulating structures are present, Penicillium is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind, insects (Fungus serves as a food source for storage mites)
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Commonly found in house dust. Grows in water damaged buildings on wallpaper, wallpaper glue, decaying fabrics, moist chipboards, and behind paint. Also found in blue rot of apples, dried foodstuffs, cheeses, fresh herbs, spices, dry cereals, nuts, onions, and oranges. Aw = 0.78-0.86 (minimum for various species).
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant debris, compost piles, fruit rot.
Periconia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: It is infrequently isolated in culture using the BioCassette tm. While a few are distinctive, many of the Periconia spores are difficult to distinguish from the smurs and myxomyceres in spore trap samples. These spores are placed in the category "Smuts, Periconia, Mvxomvcetes ' due to their similar "round, brown" morphology. Rarely seen and identified on tape lifts although spores with underlying sporulating structures are distinctive.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, blackened and dead herbaceous seems and leaf spots, grasses, rushes and sedges. Almost always associated with other fungi.
Phialophora:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 50 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How they are spread: Spread by insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: If as been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Wood, roots, stems and leaves of plants and grasses, and soil
Phoma:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 80 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Not recognizable on spore trap slides. Identifiable on tape lifts if the spores and entire fruiting body are present.
· How spores are spread: Insects, Wind (when dried out).
· Where it is found indoors: Frequently found on walls, ceiling tiles, on the reverse side of linoleum. Also found on cement, paint, paper, wood, wool, and foods such as rice and butter. May have little effect on the indoor air because the spores are not readily disseminated by air currents.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant material, and as a fruit parasite.
Pithomyces:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive multi celled, brown conidia of Pidromyces chartarum are recognizable on spore trap slides. Other species are common but more difficult to identify. Distinctive. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors. Can grow on paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Common on dead leaves of more than 50 different plants, especially leaf fodders, soil and grasses.
PLM - Stands for Polarized Light Microscopy. Polarized light is light where the electric field of the light waves is oriented only in one direction. Using Polarized light allows for observation of interaction effects in objects in the field of view where the object has an arusotropic structure, leading to a variation in optical indices, or bireffingence.
Pycnidia - An often flask shaped fruiting body composed of fungal tissue that is lined on the inside with conidiophores.
R
Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM) - It means (a) Friable asbestos material, (b) Category I non-friable ACM char has become friable, (c) Category I non-friable ACM that will be or has been subjected to sanding, grinding, cutting, or abrading, or (d) Category E non-friable ACM char has a high probability of becoming or has become crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by the forces expected to act on the material in the course of demolition or renovation operations regulated by the Asbestos.
Relative levels - The spore concentration of one location relative to that of another. An example would be comparing the indoor concentration of spores relative to the outdoor concentrations.
Response action - a method, including removal, encapsulation, enclosure, repair, operations and maintenance chat protects human health and the environment from friable ACBM.
Rhinocladiella:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found on a variety of substrates. One species is called the cellar fungus, most commonly found on brickwork and adjacent timber in wine cellars.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, herbaceous substrates and decaying wood.
Rhizopus:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 12 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive, identifiable on spore trap slides. Some species produce spores, that are angular and faintly pigmented with striations. The presence of zygomycetes is easily noted on tape lifts. Rhizopus is distinctive and readily identifiable, ifrbizoids and all sporulating structures are clearly visible.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on a variety of substrates. Common on spoiling food; 1ess common on indoor environmental surfaces.
· Where it is found outdoors: Forest and cultivated soils, decaying fruits and vegetables, animal dung and compost; a parasitic plant pachogen on potato, cotton and various Fruits.
Rusts:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 14 families, 105 genera and 5,000 species.
· Sampling information: This spore type can be detected using direct exam or spore trap methods.
· How spores are spread: Rusts have both wet and dry spores. Wind disperses the urediospores, reliospores, basidiospores, and acciospores. The basidiospores and acciospores have an active spore release mechanism.
· Where it is found indoors: Rusts do not grow indoors unless their host plants are present. They are parasitic plant pathogens and need a fiving hose for growth.
· Where it is found outdoors: Rusts are found on a diverse range of plant species.
S
Saprobe - A hecerotrophic organism that derives food from dead organisms or from organic substances liberated by fiving ones.
Scientific name - An organism's scientific name usually consists of a genus designation and a species designation, together this is called a binomial. Examples of binomials are Ulodadium atra, Alternaria alternata and Homo sapien.
SEM - Stands for Scanning Electron Microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy is a technique that substitutes a beam of focused electrons for fight. This allows for objects to be examined with increased depth of field, showing three-dimensional images. Using an electron beam also allows magnifications to be obtained below the resolution limit of visible light.
Smuts:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Two families, approximately 50 genera, and 950 species.
· Sampling information: This spore type can be detected using direct exam or spore trap methods. Their saprophytic yeast phase can also be detected using the BioCassette tm.
· How spores are spread: Wind disperses the powdery brown reliospores of smut.
· Where it is found indoors: Smuts do not usually grow indoors. They are parasitic plant pathogens that require a living host for the completion of their life cycle.
· Where it is found outdoors: Smuts are found on a diverse range of plant species.
Soft rot - A decomposition of plant parts (fruits, roots, stems, etc) by fungi resulting in the tissues becoming soft. The soft rot fungi can degrade all three of the structural wood components (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin), although the major food sources are cellulose and hemicellulose. A wide variety of fungi can cause soft rot, including the ubiquitous Chaetomium. For soft rot to occur, liquid water must be continuously present. Wood with soft rot is spongy.
Soot - Often defined as a solid particle or particulate residue resulting from a combustion process. These types of particles can often range from aerosol particles after below a micron in size ca large charred particles of partially combusted fuel source material. The definition of soot often varies, depending on the speci6c application and type of combustion being discussed. See project management for additional information referring to any potential projects.
Specíes - The lowest-ranking common taxonomic rank. These names are italicized, but not capitalized.
Spegazzinia:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 6 species in this genus Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm if a long enough incubation period is provided so that sporulation occurs. Can be detected on spore trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Our laboratory has never found this organism growing on indoor environmental surfaces.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil and many kinds of trees and plants.
Spore chains - Chains of fungal spores, all linked together, usually in preparation for dissemination into the environment. Examples of genera char produce spores in chains include Aspergillus, Penicillium and Cladosporium.
Spore (fungal) - A microscopic propagule acting as an agent of dispersal capable of giving rise to a new colony.
Sporothrix:
· Distribution: Uncommon. There are approximately 40 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Fresh growth is possibly identifiable on tape lifts, but optical resolution through rape is sometimes inadequate for the very small structures.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, such as plant litter, bark, straw and living plants.
Stachybotrys:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape life samples. Direct microscopic observation of samples is often necessary as Stachybotrys may be missed if only culture methods are used.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insects, water splash. Wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Commonly found indoors on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard, jure, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant substrates, decomposing cellulose (hay, straw), leaf litter, and seeds. Growth not influenced by soil pH or copper; growth enhanced by manure.
Stemphylium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive, not easily confused with other genera, although young spores or spore fragments may be confused with other pigmented multiform spores such as Ulocladium, Alternaria or Pithomyces. Distinctive and readily identifiable on tape lifts, Although Stemphylium is rarely found growing indoors, it may be seen in dust as part of the normal influx of outdoor particles.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Growth indoors is rare.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, wood, decaying vegetation. Some species found on leaves are plant pathogens.
Surface sample - A sample taken from the surface of a material suspected of being contaminated. These types of samples include swabs samples and tape samples.
Surfacing ACM - Interior ACM chat has been sprayed on, toweled on, or otherwise applied to surfaces (structural members, walls, ceilings, etc.) for acoustical, decorative, fire proofing, or other purposes.
Swab sample - A sample collected by applying a swab to an area suspected of being contaminated with mold. The sample thus collected can be processed and analyzed by the laboratory to detect the mold present.
Syncephalastrum:
· Distribution: Common. There is l species in this genus (Syncephalastrum racemosum) Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "ocher colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
T
Tape sample - A sample collected by applying and peeling away a transparent piece of cape on a surface area suspected to be contaminated. During this process, the contaminate present on the ' surface sampled adheres to the surface of the tape. The sample thus collected can be processed and analyzed by the laboratory.
TEM - Stands for Transmission Electron Microscopy. TEM uses a Focused beam.
Thermal System ACM - Insulation used to control heat transfer or prevent condensation on pipes and pipe Strings, boilers, breeching, tanks, ducts, and other parts of hot and cold water systems heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; or other mechanical systems.
Thermophiles - Fungi that thrive at high temperatures.
Tremolite - A member of the amphibole group of silicate minerals. A fibrous variety of tremolite is used as asbestos.
Torula:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 8 species in this genus. Found most frequently in temperate regions.
· Sampling information: Grows vegetative on general fungal media and so are mostly grouped as "non-sporulating fungi" using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found indoors on cellulose containing materials such as jure, old sacking, wicker, straw baskets, wood, and paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil dead herbaceous stems, wood, grasses, sugar beet root, groundnuts and oats.
Trichocladium:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm, but very uncommon. Can be detected on spore trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is uncommon.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, wood, tubers of various plants, and pine needles.
Trichoderma:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous: cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus. Found in northern alpine o tropical areas.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Conidia size and shape are similar to Penicillium and Aspergillus, but Trichoderma forms sticky clumps of conidia with a distinctive green pigment rather than in chains. Typical green spore clumps are identified as Trichoderma. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Rain, insects, water splash, and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on paper, tapestry, wood, in kitchens on the outer surface of unglazed ceramics and on a variety of other substrates. Strongly celluloivric.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil decaying wood, grains, citrus fruit, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, paper, textiles, and damp wood.
U
Ulocladium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 9 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Found on gypsum board, paper, paint, tapestries, jure, and other straw materials. It has a high water requirement.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, dung, paint, grasses, fibers, wood, decaying plant material paper and textiles.
V
Viable sample - A sample taken For the purpose of determining what organisms are capable of growing on specific nutrient media.
Viable spore - A spore char is alive.
W
Wall cavity samples - Samples taken from inside a wall. This is usually accomplished by sampling at the mouth of an electrical outlet after removing its cover or from any other opening to the inside of a wall.
Wallemia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Monocypic (only one species) Sampling information: Poor growth on general fungal media but can often be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Recognizable when young, fresh, and when still in chains m spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on cape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: It grows on relatively dry surfaces, found on wood in crawl spaces. Common in mattress dust; may colonize human skin scales.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, good stuffs. hay, textiles. Grows on salted fish.
Water activity - Expressed as aw; refers to the available water or moisture in a substrate expressed as a decimal fraction of the amount present when the substrate is in equilibrium with a saturated atmosphere.
Wet spore dispersal - A spore dispersal strategy. Wet spores are often slimy and usually carried away in water or by animals.
White rot - White rot fungi primarily degrade the lignin component of the wood structure. These fungi remove the lignin and leave the white cellulose. Wood that has been decayed by a white rot fungus is whitish, and stringy. Most of the fungi that cause white roc are basidiomyceres and Phellinus is a common white rot fungus.
Wind spore dispersal - A spore dispersal strategy. Dry spores are often designed to be carried away by wind currents.
Wood rot - There are three major types of fungal induced wood decay: brown rot, soft rot, and white roc. In order to cause wood rot, a fungus must be able to degrade one or more of the complex sugar sources (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) present in the wood, See also "Brown rot", "Soft rot" and "White rot".
X
Xerophiles (fungal) - Fungi that thrive at low water activities. Discolorization Agar (DG-18) media is commonly used to detect these fungi.
Z
Zygomycetes - A large group of fungi, which usually produce a structure called a zygosporangium as part of its sexual cycle. Counts of "Zygomyceres" on spore crap reports are most probably particular Rhizopus species. The presence of a zygomycete is easily noted on tape lifts, although identification to genus may be more difficult. Recognition depends on the condition of the sporulating structures of the particular zygomycere present.
Outdoor air sample - A sample taken outdoors. Usually compared with indoor samples to determine if there are elevated concentrations of spores indoors.
P
Paecilomyces:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 9-30 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm Free spores are indistinguishable from Penicidium/Aspergidus, and other genera with small round to oval colorless spores on spore trap samples and so may be grouped along with Penicillium/Aspergillus types or as "other colorless". If sporulating structures are present, Paecilomyces is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been isolated from jure fibers, paper, PVC, timber (oak wood) optical lenses, leather, photographic paper, cigar tobacco, harvested grapes, borded fruit, and fruit juice undergoing pasteurization.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil and decaying plant material, composting processes, legumes, cottonseeds, some species parasitize insects.
Pathogen - A parasite capable of causing disease in a particular host or range of hoses.
Penicillium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 200 species in this genus. It is one of the most common fungal genera, worldwide.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Free spores are similar to those of Aspergillus, and other genera with small round to oval spores on spore trap samples and so are commonly grouped as Penicillium/Aspergillus types. Can be separately identified by highly trained analyst if sporulating structures are present, Penicillium is readily identifiable on tape samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind, insects (Fungus serves as a food source for storage mites)
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Commonly found in house dust. Grows in water damaged buildings on wallpaper, wallpaper glue, decaying fabrics, moist chipboards, and behind paint. Also found in blue rot of apples, dried foodstuffs, cheeses, fresh herbs, spices, dry cereals, nuts, onions, and oranges. Aw = 0.78-0.86 (minimum for various species).
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant debris, compost piles, fruit rot.
Periconia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: It is infrequently isolated in culture using the BioCassette tm. While a few are distinctive, many of the Periconia spores are difficult to distinguish from the smurs and myxomyceres in spore trap samples. These spores are placed in the category "Smuts, Periconia, Mvxomvcetes ' due to their similar "round, brown" morphology. Rarely seen and identified on tape lifts although spores with underlying sporulating structures are distinctive.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, blackened and dead herbaceous seems and leaf spots, grasses, rushes and sedges. Almost always associated with other fungi.
Phialophora:
· Distribution: Common. There are approximately 50 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How they are spread: Spread by insects, water splash and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: If as been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Wood, roots, stems and leaves of plants and grasses, and soil
Phoma:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 80 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Not recognizable on spore trap slides. Identifiable on tape lifts if the spores and entire fruiting body are present.
· How spores are spread: Insects, Wind (when dried out).
· Where it is found indoors: Frequently found on walls, ceiling tiles, on the reverse side of linoleum. Also found on cement, paint, paper, wood, wool, and foods such as rice and butter. May have little effect on the indoor air because the spores are not readily disseminated by air currents.
· Where it is found outdoors: Plant material, and as a fruit parasite.
Pithomyces:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive multi celled, brown conidia of Pidromyces chartarum are recognizable on spore trap slides. Other species are common but more difficult to identify. Distinctive. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Rarely found growing indoors. Can grow on paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Common on dead leaves of more than 50 different plants, especially leaf fodders, soil and grasses.
PLM - Stands for Polarized Light Microscopy. Polarized light is light where the electric field of the light waves is oriented only in one direction. Using Polarized light allows for observation of interaction effects in objects in the field of view where the object has an arusotropic structure, leading to a variation in optical indices, or bireffingence.
Pycnidia - An often flask shaped fruiting body composed of fungal tissue that is lined on the inside with conidiophores.
R
Regulated Asbestos-Containing Material (RACM) - It means (a) Friable asbestos material, (b) Category I non-friable ACM char has become friable, (c) Category I non-friable ACM that will be or has been subjected to sanding, grinding, cutting, or abrading, or (d) Category E non-friable ACM char has a high probability of becoming or has become crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by the forces expected to act on the material in the course of demolition or renovation operations regulated by the Asbestos.
Relative levels - The spore concentration of one location relative to that of another. An example would be comparing the indoor concentration of spores relative to the outdoor concentrations.
Response action - a method, including removal, encapsulation, enclosure, repair, operations and maintenance chat protects human health and the environment from friable ACBM.
Rhinocladiella:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 10 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genus in the "other colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Occasionally found on a variety of substrates. One species is called the cellar fungus, most commonly found on brickwork and adjacent timber in wine cellars.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, herbaceous substrates and decaying wood.
Rhizopus:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 12 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive, identifiable on spore trap slides. Some species produce spores, that are angular and faintly pigmented with striations. The presence of zygomycetes is easily noted on tape lifts. Rhizopus is distinctive and readily identifiable, ifrbizoids and all sporulating structures are clearly visible.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on a variety of substrates. Common on spoiling food; 1ess common on indoor environmental surfaces.
· Where it is found outdoors: Forest and cultivated soils, decaying fruits and vegetables, animal dung and compost; a parasitic plant pachogen on potato, cotton and various Fruits.
Rusts:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 14 families, 105 genera and 5,000 species.
· Sampling information: This spore type can be detected using direct exam or spore trap methods.
· How spores are spread: Rusts have both wet and dry spores. Wind disperses the urediospores, reliospores, basidiospores, and acciospores. The basidiospores and acciospores have an active spore release mechanism.
· Where it is found indoors: Rusts do not grow indoors unless their host plants are present. They are parasitic plant pathogens and need a fiving hose for growth.
· Where it is found outdoors: Rusts are found on a diverse range of plant species.
S
Saprobe - A hecerotrophic organism that derives food from dead organisms or from organic substances liberated by fiving ones.
Scientific name - An organism's scientific name usually consists of a genus designation and a species designation, together this is called a binomial. Examples of binomials are Ulodadium atra, Alternaria alternata and Homo sapien.
SEM - Stands for Scanning Electron Microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy is a technique that substitutes a beam of focused electrons for fight. This allows for objects to be examined with increased depth of field, showing three-dimensional images. Using an electron beam also allows magnifications to be obtained below the resolution limit of visible light.
Smuts:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Two families, approximately 50 genera, and 950 species.
· Sampling information: This spore type can be detected using direct exam or spore trap methods. Their saprophytic yeast phase can also be detected using the BioCassette tm.
· How spores are spread: Wind disperses the powdery brown reliospores of smut.
· Where it is found indoors: Smuts do not usually grow indoors. They are parasitic plant pathogens that require a living host for the completion of their life cycle.
· Where it is found outdoors: Smuts are found on a diverse range of plant species.
Soft rot - A decomposition of plant parts (fruits, roots, stems, etc) by fungi resulting in the tissues becoming soft. The soft rot fungi can degrade all three of the structural wood components (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin), although the major food sources are cellulose and hemicellulose. A wide variety of fungi can cause soft rot, including the ubiquitous Chaetomium. For soft rot to occur, liquid water must be continuously present. Wood with soft rot is spongy.
Soot - Often defined as a solid particle or particulate residue resulting from a combustion process. These types of particles can often range from aerosol particles after below a micron in size ca large charred particles of partially combusted fuel source material. The definition of soot often varies, depending on the speci6c application and type of combustion being discussed. See project management for additional information referring to any potential projects.
Specíes - The lowest-ranking common taxonomic rank. These names are italicized, but not capitalized.
Spegazzinia:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 6 species in this genus Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm if a long enough incubation period is provided so that sporulation occurs. Can be detected on spore trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Our laboratory has never found this organism growing on indoor environmental surfaces.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil and many kinds of trees and plants.
Spore chains - Chains of fungal spores, all linked together, usually in preparation for dissemination into the environment. Examples of genera char produce spores in chains include Aspergillus, Penicillium and Cladosporium.
Spore (fungal) - A microscopic propagule acting as an agent of dispersal capable of giving rise to a new colony.
Sporothrix:
· Distribution: Uncommon. There are approximately 40 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "other colorless" category. Fresh growth is possibly identifiable on tape lifts, but optical resolution through rape is sometimes inadequate for the very small structures.
· How spores are spread: Can be dispersed by wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, such as plant litter, bark, straw and living plants.
Stachybotrys:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape life samples. Direct microscopic observation of samples is often necessary as Stachybotrys may be missed if only culture methods are used.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Insects, water splash. Wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Commonly found indoors on wet materials containing cellulose, such as wallboard, jure, wicker, straw baskets, and other paper materials.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, decaying plant substrates, decomposing cellulose (hay, straw), leaf litter, and seeds. Growth not influenced by soil pH or copper; growth enhanced by manure.
Stemphylium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous, cosmopolitan. There are approximately 6 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Distinctive, not easily confused with other genera, although young spores or spore fragments may be confused with other pigmented multiform spores such as Ulocladium, Alternaria or Pithomyces. Distinctive and readily identifiable on tape lifts, Although Stemphylium is rarely found growing indoors, it may be seen in dust as part of the normal influx of outdoor particles.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Growth indoors is rare.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, wood, decaying vegetation. Some species found on leaves are plant pathogens.
Surface sample - A sample taken from the surface of a material suspected of being contaminated. These types of samples include swabs samples and tape samples.
Surfacing ACM - Interior ACM chat has been sprayed on, toweled on, or otherwise applied to surfaces (structural members, walls, ceilings, etc.) for acoustical, decorative, fire proofing, or other purposes.
Swab sample - A sample collected by applying a swab to an area suspected of being contaminated with mold. The sample thus collected can be processed and analyzed by the laboratory to detect the mold present.
Syncephalastrum:
· Distribution: Common. There is l species in this genus (Syncephalastrum racemosum) Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Spore trap analysis would place spores of this genera in the "ocher colorless" category. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors.
· Where it is found outdoors: A wide variety of substrates.
T
Tape sample - A sample collected by applying and peeling away a transparent piece of cape on a surface area suspected to be contaminated. During this process, the contaminate present on the ' surface sampled adheres to the surface of the tape. The sample thus collected can be processed and analyzed by the laboratory.
TEM - Stands for Transmission Electron Microscopy. TEM uses a Focused beam.
Thermal System ACM - Insulation used to control heat transfer or prevent condensation on pipes and pipe Strings, boilers, breeching, tanks, ducts, and other parts of hot and cold water systems heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; or other mechanical systems.
Thermophiles - Fungi that thrive at high temperatures.
Tremolite - A member of the amphibole group of silicate minerals. A fibrous variety of tremolite is used as asbestos.
Torula:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 8 species in this genus. Found most frequently in temperate regions.
· Sampling information: Grows vegetative on general fungal media and so are mostly grouped as "non-sporulating fungi" using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Found indoors on cellulose containing materials such as jure, old sacking, wicker, straw baskets, wood, and paper.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil dead herbaceous stems, wood, grasses, sugar beet root, groundnuts and oats.
Trichocladium:
· Distribution: Not uncommon. There are approximately 15 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm, but very uncommon. Can be detected on spore trap and surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore. Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Has been recovered indoors but is uncommon.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, wood, tubers of various plants, and pine needles.
Trichoderma:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous: cosmopolitan. There are approximately 20 species in this genus. Found in northern alpine o tropical areas.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Conidia size and shape are similar to Penicillium and Aspergillus, but Trichoderma forms sticky clumps of conidia with a distinctive green pigment rather than in chains. Typical green spore clumps are identified as Trichoderma. Can be detected from surface samples.
· How spores are spread: Wet spore. Rain, insects, water splash, and wind when dried out.
· Where it is found indoors: Found on paper, tapestry, wood, in kitchens on the outer surface of unglazed ceramics and on a variety of other substrates. Strongly celluloivric.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil decaying wood, grains, citrus fruit, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, paper, textiles, and damp wood.
U
Ulocladium:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. There are approximately 9 species in this genus.
· Sampling information: Can be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Can be detected on spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on tape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: Widespread. Found on gypsum board, paper, paint, tapestries, jure, and other straw materials. It has a high water requirement.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, dung, paint, grasses, fibers, wood, decaying plant material paper and textiles.
V
Viable sample - A sample taken For the purpose of determining what organisms are capable of growing on specific nutrient media.
Viable spore - A spore char is alive.
W
Wall cavity samples - Samples taken from inside a wall. This is usually accomplished by sampling at the mouth of an electrical outlet after removing its cover or from any other opening to the inside of a wall.
Wallemia:
· Distribution: Ubiquitous; cosmopolitan. Monocypic (only one species) Sampling information: Poor growth on general fungal media but can often be recovered using the BioCassette tm. Recognizable when young, fresh, and when still in chains m spore trap samples. Distinctive, readily identifiable on cape lift samples.
· How spores are spread: Dry spore, Wind.
· Where it is found indoors: It grows on relatively dry surfaces, found on wood in crawl spaces. Common in mattress dust; may colonize human skin scales.
· Where it is found outdoors: Soil, good stuffs. hay, textiles. Grows on salted fish.
Water activity - Expressed as aw; refers to the available water or moisture in a substrate expressed as a decimal fraction of the amount present when the substrate is in equilibrium with a saturated atmosphere.
Wet spore dispersal - A spore dispersal strategy. Wet spores are often slimy and usually carried away in water or by animals.
White rot - White rot fungi primarily degrade the lignin component of the wood structure. These fungi remove the lignin and leave the white cellulose. Wood that has been decayed by a white rot fungus is whitish, and stringy. Most of the fungi that cause white roc are basidiomyceres and Phellinus is a common white rot fungus.
Wind spore dispersal - A spore dispersal strategy. Dry spores are often designed to be carried away by wind currents.
Wood rot - There are three major types of fungal induced wood decay: brown rot, soft rot, and white roc. In order to cause wood rot, a fungus must be able to degrade one or more of the complex sugar sources (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) present in the wood, See also "Brown rot", "Soft rot" and "White rot".
X
Xerophiles (fungal) - Fungi that thrive at low water activities. Discolorization Agar (DG-18) media is commonly used to detect these fungi.
Z
Zygomycetes - A large group of fungi, which usually produce a structure called a zygosporangium as part of its sexual cycle. Counts of "Zygomyceres" on spore crap reports are most probably particular Rhizopus species. The presence of a zygomycete is easily noted on tape lifts, although identification to genus may be more difficult. Recognition depends on the condition of the sporulating structures of the particular zygomycere present.
