MTS#6 MOLD HOME TESTS KITS (SETTLE PLATES)

What is a Mold Home Test Kit? A home test kit collects airborne spores that have settled from the
air onto a growth medium in a plate. After a few days (usually 3-5), some spores will grow colonies
and can be counted on the plate. Such tests are often referred to as settle plates. They can usually
be purchased at hardware stores, etc or over the internet for about $10/each (Pro-Lab,etc).
What Can the Tests Tell Me? Ideally, the tests can provide a crude estimate if high airborne mold
levels are present in a suspected room. Individual tests have little value. The key value of these tests
is to COMPARE test plates problem and non-problem rooms. NEVER TAKE JUST ONE TEST. Tests
should be taken in both suspected problem rooms and non-problem rooms. An outside test is usually
taken for comparison too. Problem plates (after growing 3-5 days) often will have many more mold
colonies (>20-40) than will non-problem plates (often with only a few colonies and usually <10-20).
The common mold Cladosporium will often grow olive-brown colonies while problem molds such as
Aspergillus and Penicillium may grow many white, blue, yellow colonies, etc.
How Do I Collect A Test? Petri plates (settle plates) can be obtained from labs with growth media
already in them (usually MEA or DG18). However, test kits sold individually often include a vial of
liquid growth media and an empty plastic petri plate and lid. Sampling sites should be chosen and the
back of the plates (not the upper lids) should be marked with a magic marker giving the date and
location (such as test #1, 5-2-10, living room). The growth media should then be added to the plate
and allowed to spread out evenly. Replace the lid immediately and allow hardening for about 30
minutes. The lid can then be removed and the settle plate exposed to the air for 1-2 hours. Choose a
specific time (such as 1 hr) and provide the same exposure for all test plates. Outside windows
should be kept closed and care taken not to stir up dust.
After exposure, replace the plastic lids and seal lightly around the edges with masking tape (do not
use tapes that block out all air). Place the plates in a paper bag and leave at room temperature for 23 days. After colonies have begun to grow, it can help to take some digital photos of the plates next to
each (include a label as to how many days growth and which plates are shown).
Lab Analysis. As noted, it helps to take digital photos. These can be e-mailed to MTS to look at. Or,
the plates can be sent to a lab (including MTS). However, these plates quickly become overgrown
after about 5-6 days. It is important to be able to count individual colonies (before becoming
overgrown). Therefore, if plates are submitted for lab analysis, plan ahead and make sure the lab
gets it within 3-5 days after exposure. Or, take a scotch tape test from the plates before they become
overgrown and submit the tape for analysis. Testing often has little value once the plates are
overgrown.
Limitations. Home test kits have severe limitations. They cannot be quantified as no known airflow
is measured. These test kits often fail to detect problem molds such as the lighter problem
Aspergillus-Penicillium and the heavier problem wet molds Chaetomium and Stachybotrys. Standard
airborne spore trap tests are MUCH MORE RELIABLE.
Contacting MTS. Contact Mike Meyer, Mold Testing Services, LLC, 2900 S. Phillips Ave., Suite 700,
Sioux Falls, SD 57105. Phone 605-951-4857. E-mail: moldymike@moldtestingsd.com. (MTS#6-6-210). Please see our web site at www.moldtestingsd.com.