Wonder Makers Environmental, in conjunction with Realtime Labs, has developed a detailed white paper for individuals with questions relating to mycotoxins. The purpose of the paper is to share critical information with mold remediation contractors and occupants of structures with fungal contamination regarding the importance of addressing mycotoxins during evaluation and remediation. Mycotoxins, the chemical byproducts produced by mold, are linked with many health effects and need to be removed during remediation, as well as the visible colonies and microscopic spores. 

The paper progresses logically from a review of the current approach to mold remediation procedures and is followed by a more detailed discussion of mycotoxins and their health effects. The controversial elements of what role mycotoxins play in the symptoms of individuals in water-damaged buildings are buttressed with information related to mycotoxin exposure routes and some of the known differences between short-term and long-term exposures. A comparison of common testing procedures to assist contractors and occupants in evaluating the effectiveness of mold remediation projects is offered, which incorporates information on mycotoxin testing, as well as spore trap and polymerase chain reaction testing.

Incorporating mycotoxin testing more regularly into assessments of water-damaged facilities, particularly where occupants are complaining about health effects that could be related to the environmental conditions, has a variety of important benefits. One of the main advantages of mycotoxin testing, as compared to other types of air or surface samples, is that such tests can more definitively link the poisons recovered from the environment to poisons recovered from medical samples from the occupants. Evaluating this potential connection helps to clarify whether the primary remediation effort needs to be directed toward cleaning up the environmental contamination, addressing residual contamination in the occupant’s body, or both.

More information, including the white paper itself (as well as other educational resources, testing services, and consulting services) can be found at:

https://realtimelab.com/environmental-division/
https://www.wondermakers.com/Portals/0/Realtime%20Labs%20Mycotoxin%20White%20Paper_Attachment%201_FINAL.pdf