Dr Jackson Kung'u- Mold Specialist

Helping People Resolve Mold Problems

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Dr. Jackson Kung’u (PhD)- Mold Specialist.
Phone: 905-290-9101

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Public Questions

Quick Take 15

Question: How long is the time needed by Quick Take 15 apparatus for detection of mould? Is there any incubation time needed after the sampling step? Or is the detection system different from culture followed by DME. In fact I am looking for a rapid detection system for Cladosporium.

Answer: Quick Take 15 is used for collection of air samples for fungal spore counting and identification. It’s designed for short sampling times (1-15 minutes) for airborne particulates including mould spores. It’s ideal for use with Air-O-Cell, VersaTrap, and Allergenco cassettes. Samples collected with quicktake 15 do not require incubation and hence you could use it for rapid detection of airborne spores and other particulates. Results can be obtained within the same day.

If you require identification of the moulds to species, then you need to use Quick Take 30. Quick Take 30 uses agar plates. After sample collection, the samples are sent to a laboratory for incubation and species identification and enumeration. It takes between 10-15 days (or more) to get the results.

Age Of Mold

Question: I would really appreciate an advice on a matter of mold.  I am having a hard time to get a straight answer locally.  I am a self-employed marine surveyor who, along with a food inspector, inspected and dumped about 200 bottles of jam that had broken in transit. This was on Christmas Eve. Because some of the jam had developed mold, I asked the food inspector if we could test for the age of the mold to determine the approximate time/location of the damage. He advised that to determine the age of the mold, the temperature and relative humidity (RH) of the environment in which it was transported was required. The jam had been transported in a shipping container but temperature or RH data was not available.

When I see forensics on CSI testing for age of dead bodies, I find it hard to believe that the age of mold cannot be similarly determined.

I would be grateful if you could let me know, for my edification, whether it is possible to test for the age of mold.

Thank you for your kind assistance. Best regards.

Answer: I am not aware of a simple test that could be used to determine the age of mold. Also, in the case of the damaged jam bottles, the age of the mold may not help determine the approximate time/location of the damage. If we define age as the duration of time during which a cell, tissue, or organism has existed as a distinct entity, defining the age of mold could be a problem. This is because the network of fungal filaments (the mycelia) or spores from which the visible mold develops could be several years old. Another fact that complicates defining the age of mold is that mold grows only at the hyphal tips, and therefore the cells at the advancing edge of a fungal colony are the youngest, and those progressively nearer the centre are older. If we could determine the time (and not the age) it took the mold to develop into visible growth, this could help us determine the approximate time of damage. From laboratory observations of the growth rates of molds under different growth conditions, we may speculate how long it took for the visible growth to appear on the jam if we knew the type of mold and the conditions under which the jam was transported.

Doctors Think It’s Lupus

Question: Hi, I don’t know if you can help me, I have worked every day for the past 6 years cleaning mold of mostly 100 plus year old paper which until recently no protective clothing was provided. I have now got an autoimmune disorder, they think it’s lupus, scarred bone marrow, scarred lungs, fungus of the nails, sinus problems, as well as slight bleeding of the lungs. I have done some reading on the net about the effects of mold and I have told the doctors that I think this is what’s causing my problems but I am always told no it wouldn’t be that. I cannot convince a doctor to do a blood test to see if this is what’s causing all my health problems. I don’t know where else to turn. What I am hoping is that you might know a doctor in the Sydney area (Australia) who will be willing to do a blood test. I would be forever grateful.

Thank you for taking the time in reading this.
 

 Answer: Thank you for your question. We really feel for you. Unfortunately we don’t know any doctor in Australia. It’s also possible that your doctors could be right. Give them a chance to try and diagnose your problem.

Mold Growth On Garments

Question: What can we do to rid our factories of mold or to prevent mold from forming? Some of our garments are coming in from Bangladesh with visible mold that seems to be forming/growing while in-transit? 
   
Answer: The best way to control mold growth on garments is to keep the garments dry. You may have to ask your suppliers in Bangladesh to use packaging that would minimize chances of the garments becoming damp during transit. Also ensure that your storage conditions are not favourable for microbial growth.

Black Mold Question

Question: We have black mold in our basement along the wall where water damage occurred 5 years ago. It has been there for some time and the basement smells terribly musty.

I have developed an allergic reaction in my eyes, and my father’s coughing has worsened.

We would like to have the black mold tested as soon as possible. Since the black mold is in the concrete wall, how would we extract samples?

Thank you for your help.

Answer: To get a sample of the black mold, please get clear scotch tape. Cut about 3 inches and stick the tape on the surface with mold. Peel the tape and stick it on a plastic bag (e.g., ziplock bag). Put the sample in an envelope and send it to us by mail or you can bring it to the lab. If the concrete surface is wet, use a cotton swab to get the sample since the mold may not stick to the tape. To use a swab, roll the tip of the swab several times on the surface with visible mold. Put the swab in a plastic bag and mail it to the lab.

If you suspect that you have a serious mold problem, I would suggest you get a professional to come and assess the extent of mold growth, determine the underlying cause(s) and then recommend the best way to remove the mold. You may find a mold testing company near your area listed on the following web pages:

1.  http://drjacksonkungu.com/business-directory/
2.  http://www.moldbacteria.com/servicelist/index.html