Dates Offered:
April 12-16, 2010
August 2-6, 2010

COURSE OUTLINE & SYLLABUS

The goal of the week is for the participants to be able to place virtually all visible particles into meaningful categories and also to relate those particles to problems in buildings and to human health. Emphasis is on slit samples like those from the Air-O-Cell and Burkard and also on tape pull samples, and viable sampling will be discussed.

This process begins with a brief introduction to non-fungal particles and proceeds through naturally occurring outdoor fungus spores to the indicator spores from problem buildings. The most common spores from both indoor and outdoor environments will be emphasized throughout the week until they become familiar. The less common spores will be treated by introducing references from mycological literature.

The first step in this process is the recognition of three major groups within the fungus kingdom by their spores, basidiospores, ascospores and mitospores (molds). There will be detailed explanations of the effect of climate, season, and weather conditions on spores in air, and a discussion of health effects and background information of how the mold scare got into public awareness. Exercises include taking and reading air samples, conducting a building investigation, reading tape samples from actual cases, and taking a short field trip to investigate natural sources of fungi.

Materials provided to each enrollee include the classic mycology text The Fifth Kingdom by Bryce Kendrick, an illustrated, comprehensive, manual on building fungi, and a CD with additional spore images and copies of Powerpoint presentations. Equipment in the lab includes professional microscopes with oil immersion and phase contrast and a video projection system for group examination of samples. At the conclusion of the course, the attendees should be able to take, count, write a report, interpret and evaluate the health consequences of an air sample. It will also cover topics included in certification examinations.

4.5 CM credits

There is no prerequisite for this course.

Day 1:
The mold scare 1999 to present, Microscope basics, Lecture and lab on non-fungal particles, and basic fungus morphology and growth.

Day 2:
Lecture and lab on basidiospores, acospores, and mitospores,

Lecture and lab on zygomycetes, rusts, smuts, and myxomycetes,

Lab on most common outdoor spores.

Day 3:
Fungus ecology; Lab on “wet” and “dry” spores; Discussion of sampling methods, Field trip outside, Lab of tape samples from buildings.

Day 4:
Examination of samples brought by participants, take air samples,

Lecture on mold on construction materials,

Lab on air samples from buildings,

Investigation and discussion of McCrone Research Institute building,

Exercise on making and interpreting reports,

Brief introduction to Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium species.

Day 5:
Health effects of fungus spores,

Group viewing of air sample slides to review all topics.

Note: This course runs Monday-Friday with class ending at noon on Friday.