By Teresa Keysor
Tim Ryan is a mold detective, visiting local homes to "fingerprint" for evidence. But how do you fingerprint something that doesn't have fingers?
Each species of mold, Ryan explained, has its own distinct markings -- gasses emitted into the air called microbial volatile organic compounds or, more simply, MVOCs. The musty smell of a basement or the scent of mushrooms is an example of these fungal compounds in the air. But Ryan, an assistant professor of industrial hygiene, is finding that these gasses can do more than crinkle a nose. They also may reveal the type and quantity of mold growing in a house or other type of building.
"Mold fingerprinting," the technique Ryan is working to perfect to evaluate MVOCs, may provide a faster and less expensive alternative to today's standard of mold analysis called bioaerosol testing. This type of testing uses heavy tanks that are hard to travel with, while mold fingerprinting uses a small device the size of a walkie-talkie.
"The current way of sampling is labor intensive and takes weeks, sometimes even a month to process," said Ryan, whose preliminary study was funded by the Scholarly Activity Award from the College of Health and Human Services. "Using the new approach, it is entirely realistic to expect results within two days."
Ryan tested 10 homes in Athens last fall using mold fingerprinting and bioaerosol testing. The readings from both methods showed some relationship, indicating that mold fingerprinting may be just as reliable.
The researcher is conducting a larger study of 30 homes this summer with the help of Katy Taylor, an industrial hygiene student who will graduate in August. The study, funded by the Ohio University Research Committee, aims to more conclusively identify the different species of mold responsible for the MVOCs detected.
Efficient and early detection of mold could help protect people from the health hazards of certain molds. These types of molds are often found at safe levels, even in homes with small amounts of moisture such as from a leaky tub or very minor roof leak, but in extreme cases they can act as irritants or worse. Mold also may cause structural damage to a house or building under such extremes.
Ryan is seeking more participants who live in the Athens area for the study this summer. Interested persons should contact the researcher at ryant@ohio.edu.
Teresa Keysor was a student intern with Research Communications.
