Air quality

Mold Q&A:

Mold and humidity

Be aware, some degree of mold spores are always present. To assess whether or not the levels are harmful, analysis of sampled air is recommended. If there is a suspected mold growth in a room, a sample can be taken and shipped to an air quality testing service.

Q: Is mold harmful to humans?

A: Mold can be a health risk to humans, causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems. There are also some molds that produce mycotoxins that presents more serious risks.

Q: What is mold?

A: Mold is a fungi that is present in the air. Mold growth will most often occur in buildings with excess moisture, as the fungi grows best in warm and humid conditions. Specifically, mold needs three things to grow:

1. Moisture
2. Food source
3. Proper temperature

Q: How do I know if I have mold and if it is dangerous?

A: To distinguish between a discoloration or a mold growth, samples should be collected and submittted to a qualified environmental testing laboratory for analysis to identify if mold is present.

Q: What ways can I test for mold?

A: Mold testing can be done via air, surface, or bulk samples. Air samples are collected with a high volume sample pump. Surface samples are collected using a piece of clear scoth tape, pressing and lifting the suspect material with the tape and placing the tape on the inside of a zip-close plastic bag.  Bulk samples are collected by cutting a small piece of the area of concern and placing in a zip-close plastic bag.

Q: What is the cost for air quality testing specific to mold?

A: The cost for mold analysis with a five business day turnaround time is $45 per sample.

Asbestos contamination

Asbestos is a natural mineral. Asbestos has been used extensively in construction and other applications that required fire and chemical resistance or electrical insulation. Asbestos does not have an odor and dust particles can be too small to be seen with the naked eye. To ensure a workplace or dwelling is asbestos free, suspect material must be sampled and sent to an environmental testing laboratory.

Asbestos exposure is a known contributor to cancer and other diseases such as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Asbestos has been used extensively in kitchens and bathrooms in sealants and adhesives around tiles, but also in insulation around pipes and in asbestos roofing materials. Suspect material also includes plaster, wallboard, and joint compound. Asbestos is not currently banned in the USA but it is highly regulated. Today, exposure to asbestos is predominately through renovation or demolition of older buildings which causes asbestos to become air-borne.

Asbestos Q&A

Q: What is Asbestos?

A: Asbestos is a group of fibrous, naturally occurring minerals. Asbestos has been mined and used for many purposes due to valuable characteristics:

• high tensile strength
• very good thermal and electrical insulation properties
• resistance to chemicals
• long fibers - can be woven into fabric or mats
• large specific surface giving high absorptive capacity

Q: How do I know if asbestos is in my home and how do I test the air quality in my house?

A: Asbestos exposure in dwellings generally occurs as the result of damaged, degraded, or disturbed bulk building materials such as floor or ceiling tiles, insulation, caulking, drywall skim coats, and other building materials. If these materials contain asbestos fibers, they may be released into the atmosphere posing a potential inhalation risk to inhabitants. Asbestos fibers are microscopic - too small to be seen by the naked eye. The only way to determine if there are possible asbestos containing materials (PACM) in a home or workplace is to sample any suspected material and have it analyzed. Testing air quality in a home or workplace should be performed by a laboratory certified in asbestos analysis of bulk building materials using an approved asbestos testing method.

Q: How do I sample asbestos?

A: The following 10 step procedure is recommended for sampling PACM for asbestos: 

1. Wear a single use mask approved by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and disposable gloves along with protective clothing.
2. Turn off ventilation systems in the room and seal off the area to minimize the spread of any released fibres. Place a plastic sheet on the floor below the area where the sample will be taken.
3. Spray the material to be sampled with a fine mist of water to prevent any loose fibres from becoming airborne.
4. A 3X3 inch piece of material or 1 Tbsp of loose material is sufficient for analysis.
5. Be sure to penetrate any paint or protective coatings and sample all layers of the material. 
6. Place each individual sample in its own “zip close” sealable plastic bag to contain the sample and mark it with a unique sample identifier or description (e.g. “bathroom tile”).
7. After sampling, cover the exposed area with adhesive aluminium foil tape or duct tape to patch sample point.
8. Clean the sampling area using a damp cloth, not a vacuum, and seal the asbestos waste, gloves, mask, and plastic sheeting in a plastic bag for disposal. Check with your local municipality on how to dispose of suspected asbestos-containing waste. Wash clothing separately and shower after completing the work.
9. Chain of custody documents are available on the ALS website.
10. Ship or deliver the samples and accompanying chain of custody form to your nearest ALS laboratory for analysis.

Q: Why is asbestos harmful?

A: Tiny, thin asbestos fibres may be inhaled and can become stuck in lung tissue. The fibres do not dissolve in the lungs, instead irritating and, over time, altering the lung tissue. Depending on how severe these alterations become, various diseases can develop, e.g.:

• pleural plaques - scarring of the membranes lining the lung and chest
• asbestosis - the amount of connective tissue in the lungs increases, causing breathing abnormalities
• mesothelioma - a rare form of cancer in the membranes lining the chest and the abdominal cavity

Q: How do I order an asbestos analysis?

A: Please contact ALS by phone at 513-733-5336 or use our contact form. More information about asbestos testing can be found on our Asbestos landing page. 

Q: Is asbestos banned in the USA?

A: No, there is currently no ban on the use of asbestos in products in the USA. However, it is agreed that asbestos presents a threat to human health when inhaled. Asbestos is a regulated air pollutant and many, but not all, applications have been banned by the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Q: What does the asbestos test report contain and what do air quality tests measure specific to asbestos?

A: The report from the laboratory for PACM provides a general physical description of the bulk building material submitted for analysis with regard to homogeneity, color, texture, etc.  ALS reports asbestos as a percentage by type and total asbestos present, measuring the quantity of asbestos present in the submitted sample.

Q: What are the possible results of the asbestos test and how do I read air quality test results?

A: Possible outcomes for the analysis of PACM for asbestos include:

1. ND (None Detected)
2. Trace (<1%)
3. >1% (estimated in percentage ranges).

Q: What do these results mean to me – what is the next step?

A:  The three levels of test result require three possible responses:

1. A sample reported as ND is considered non-asbestos and no action is required.
2. A sample reported as Trace indicates that asbestos was detected, but some amount less than 1% of the total composition of the material submitted.
3. Samples reported as containing asbestos at some level >1% are considered asbestos containing materials (ACM). Because asbestos is considered hazardous only when inhaled, if the ACM is undamaged and undisturbed, and there is no danger of fibers becoming airborne, then no immediate action is necessary. However, if the ACM is damaged or disturbed and there is potential for fiber release into the air, then a professional asbestos removal company should be contacted immediately. Further testing of the material, the air, and/or settled dust may be necessary.

Q: How much does an air quality test cost specific to asbestos?

A: Asbestos analysis of bulk building materials cost depends on the sample type. The procedures necessary to prepare the sample for analysis differ from sample to sample. Some compact materials can be ground by mortar and pestle prior to analysis, other flexible or resinous materials must be ashed in a muffle furnace to remove organic binders, some cementitious materials may require acid digestion to remove mineral carbonates, and still others may require both ashing and acid digestion before they can be analyzed. A single PACM sample typically costs less than $ 30 to test for asbestos. However, more advanced preparation and analytical methods will incur higher costs.  Analysis of indoor air samples, settled dust samples, vermiculite insulation samples, soil samples and water samples for asbestos require preparation and analysis according to the methods developed for those individual sample types and can cost anywhere from $100-$200 per sample.

Q: How long will it take to get the results from the laboratory?

A: Standard reporting time for asbestos in PACM samples is five working days. More complex asbestos testing may require up to 10 working days. Rush requests can be accommodated for a 100% surcharge and analysis is completed ASAP.

Q: Is the ALS laboratory accredited for asbestos testing?

A: Yes, ALS is accredited for asbestos analysis by several accrediting bodies for a variety of asbestos analyses. Please contact the ALS QA/QC Manager at the ALS air quality testing laboratory near you for a complete list of all our certifications.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

Volatile organic compounds comprises a large group of chemicals, often man-made and frequently found in air. Volatile organic compounds, as the name suggests, are easily evaporated and will predominately exist in gas form.

Some typical parameters for which to test are in the table below

Some organic compounds will have a distinct smell and are easy to identify while others are harder to detect. Often, previous use of the land or nearby sources of potential contamination determines what contaminants for which to analyze.

Please contact the laboratory for a discussion with one of our experts if you have questions.

Volatile Organic Compounds Q&A

Q: What is a VOC?

A: A VOC is an organic compound i.e. a compound where the building block is carbon, with a boiling point of less than 250 ^oC (482 ^oF). Many of the most common VOC will have a boiling point of less than 100 ^oC (212 ^oF) i.e. lower than the boiling point of water.

Q: If I suspect VOC’s are in my workplace or home, what do I do?

A: If the suspicion is based on a particular smell or health problem, you can find the likely source by asking these questions:

• Have you recently changed any furniture, floorings, or similar?
• Has there been recent painting?
• Has a new business or manufacturing facility recently opened in the surrounding area?

Contact the laboratory to discuss the best strategy for sampling of air and target compounds.

Q: How do I take a sample for VOC testing and what ways are there to test air quality?

A: Typically samples will be taken using a pump and a named sorbent. The ALS laboratory will be able to provide all the pumps and media required for sampling. Sampling for certain VOCs can also be done with passive samplers or air canisters depending on the chemicals of concern.

Q: Are VOCs harmful?

A: As mentioned, VOC is a common name for a large number of compounds and some compounds are more harmful than others. Health effects include sensory irritation symptoms, nausea, and possible damage to liver, kidney or the central nervous system. Some compounds in the group are also suspected carcinogens. 

Q: Is the laboratory accredited for the VOC analysis?

A: Yes, the laboratory is accredited for an extensive list of VOCs.

Q: What do I do if the laboratory identifies VOC in my submitted samples?

A: There are recommended levels for concentrations of many VOCs in indoor air. OSHA has occupational exposure limits and EPA, ATSDR and the World Health Organization (WHO) have residential levels for various compounds.

The most efficient way of reducing the concentration of VOC is to ensure ventilation (when source is inside) and reduce intrusion.

Metals

In a residence or work place, metals are typically located in the accumulated dust because they setlle out of the air quickly and would require significant disturbance to re-entrain them into the air. Most of the metals in the periodic system can be tested for, however, not all metals are toxic or pose a health hazard to humans.

Some typical metals to test for with a known high toxicity are in this table:

Similar to organic contaminants, determination of metals for which to test is based on a risk assessment. What potential contamination sources are in the vicinity and what was the previous land use before construction of a workplace or residence at the site?

Q: What is the difference between metals and heavy metals?

A: Heavy metals are typically used as a definition for metals with high atomic weights and density. Some of the most frequently discussed heavy metals when talking about toxicity are Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic. Metals are often used as a definition for all the elements in the periodic table.

Q: Are metals harmful to humans?

A: Some metals are highly toxic such as Lead or Arsenic, while other metals are essential to humans such as Calcium, Iron, and Zinc.

Q: How do I sample for metals?

A: Settled dust sampels are collected using wipe sampling techniques. An ASTM approved ghost wipe is used for all metals except mercury, which requires a mercury wipe to be used.  Air samples are collected using an MCE cassette and a personal sampling pump for all metals except mercury.  Air sampling for mercury requires a sorbent tube and personal air sampling pump.

Q: What is the cost for metals testing?

A: Metals analysis is $30 per sample for the first compound and $10 for each additional compound on the sample. A $25 per pump rental fee is aslo included and a $30 shipping fee. Mercury analysis is $45 per sample plus a $25 pump rental fee and $30 shipping fee.