Frequently Asked Questions
How will the Mycometer®-test stand up in court?
While we cannot predict the actions of any Court, we can discuss the past performance of MycoMeter in Court Cases in Texas and Florida. Expert opinions based on MycoMeter samples have been accepted in three Courts in Florida and six Courts in Texas. The widespread acceptance of the MycoMeter test results by Federal Government Agencies, including DOD, and State Agencies (Florida and Texas Departments of Health) illustrate acceptance of the method by scientific peers. Acceptance of the MycoMeter depends on the expert opinions based upon the data. Over reaching interpretations jeopardize the acceptance of any test method.
Can the Mycometer®-test help in making the remediation process more efficient and economic?
Yes. Time is MONEY. Not having to wait for lab results allows for rapid demobilization of remediation barriers and containment systems, enabling the re-occupancy of an area that much faster. Additionally, we can use the MycoMeter test to evaluate cleaning efficacy of certain methods for contaminated materials. Test Cleaning Assessment using the MycoMeter enables remediators and consultants to quickly, and empirically, identify materials that can and cannot be cleaned.
What is the return on investment when purchasing a Mycometer?
100 samples, charged at $75/sample, can generate fees sufficient to pay for the MycoMeter Equipment Purchase and Sample Kit Supplies.
Is the Mycometer®-test more fair to the contractor?
If you define “fair” as confirming or verifying that the contractor has accomplished the task of returning materials to a like-new condition, then the MycoMeter is extremely fair. However, it can be argued that the MycoMeter is a rigorous, unbending test that may be more difficult for many contractors to pass than previously used air samples or visual inspections.
Does the Mycometer results correlate to CFU?
Cultivation methods such as Rodac or Dip slides can be used for quantifying fungal spores which are typically unicellular (with few exceptions). One cell one colony. However, mold growth consists of multicellular hyphae and “one cell one colony” does not apply. As the spores typically only consist of 0-5 % of the total fungal biomass when having mold growth, cultivation methods are not well suited for quantifying fungal (mold) biomass. The Mycometer test quantifies mold by measuring the activity of an enzyme which is present in both spores and hyphae in roughly the same amount per biomass unit.
How does the Mycometer test compare to ATP based technology?
The Mycometer does not correlate well with ATP based methods. ATP is present in all living organisms, in the cells and in excudates and secretions. The enzyme activity (N-acetylhexosaminidase) that are detected in the Mycometer-test gives a much more specific measure of fungal presence. As an example: Slide a finger cross a surface. This will leave high amounts of ATP on the surface while no N-acetylhexos-aminidase can be measured.
How does the Mycometer results correlate to tapelifts?
In general Mycometer-test results correlate well with tape lifts. The two methods aim at measuring fungal biomass meaning both hyphae and spores. A more comprehensive review of this correlation can be found in the the paper “Measuring the efficacy of Mold Remediation on Contaminated Ductwork” by JD Krause and YY Hamad. Read more here.
Who can operate the Mycometer-test and what training is required?
Almost everyone can learn to perform the analysis. All users of the Mycometer-test have to go through a training course. It is now available on CD-rom. It goes through all the steps of sampling and analysis contains and test questions. To pass the exam, at least 80 % of the question should be answered correct.
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