Maryland Professional Mold Services LLC

1325 Waterway Ct
Baltimore, MD 21226
ph: 410-360-7530
fax: 410-360-7530
alt: 410-360-6794
radondude@verizon.net

If you want to test for health, think ERMI

Testing for mold isn’t new, but there is a new, faster, more reliable method for testing. And faster, easier detection means less time between infestation and remediation. The ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) test is a DNA-based mold identification tool developed by scientists at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Used by professionals in homes, businesses, schools and hospitals, the ERMI test leverages the same DNA technology that has revolutionized forensic and criminal investigation.

DNA mold testing leverages a technology called quantitative PCR (qPCR) that is used in many scientific fields including genetics and cancer research. The qPCR technology directly probes the DNA of mold with incredible accuracy to detect which species of mold are present and how many spores of each species are contaminating the indoor environment.

The technology is based on targeting short, species-specific sequences of DNA, and allows for the rapid identification and quantification of molds in a matter of hours, eliminating the need for plating and culturing or identifying and counting. Genetic probes can prove particularly useful in situations where fungi are not otherwise easily differentiated on the basis of morphology (e.g., Aspergillus and Penicillium) or where culture methods are not useful because spores have lost their viability.

Developed by Scientists at the US EPA

Extensive research conducted by the EPA, using state-of-the-art DNA forensics, established the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index or ERMI. The DNA-based ERMI test analyzes a single sample of dust from a home using a highly specific DNA-based method for quantifying mold species. The ERMI report includes the detection and concentrations 36 mold species along with the ERMI value itself. This provides a single number to rank the "moldiness" making it easy to compare the results to a national scale.

The ERMI score lets a building or home owner know whether their home has an elevated mold burden; an indication of a water intrusion problem and the increased risk of respiratory illness.

Testing for mold isn’t new, but there is a new, faster, more reliable method for testing. And faster, easier detection means less time between infestation and remediation. The ERMI test is a DNA-based mold identification tool developed by scientists at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Used by professionals in homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals, the ERMI test leverages the same DNA technology that has revolutionized forensic and criminal investigation. Using the ERMI test, inspectors can accurately assess the extent of the problem or threat, and help home or building owners proactively manage mold, and prevent it.

The ERMI test benefits:

Home Owners

Industrial Hygienists, Home Inspectors, and Environmental

Real Estate and Property Managers/Builders

Physicians and Health Care Professionals

Financial, Legal, and Insurance Professionals

Why ERMI

Currently most mold samples are collected from the air. Inspectors pump air, often for as little as 5 minutes, onto a sticky device called a spore-trap (not unlike flypaper). They send the spore trap to a lab for analysis, and the lab sends back a report, based on the shape and size of the spores they observe under a microscope. It is important to keep in mind, that a mold cannot be identified as belonging to a particular species using a spore trap/microscopic analysis. There is also currently no standardized method for sampling or analysis of spore traps, and no QC program in the industry for spore identification or counting on spore traps. And recent studies have only served to reinforce that sampling and analytical errors inherent in traditional mold testing often render results that are inaccurate and unreliable (Brandys, R. 2007).

Below is a table that summarizes many of the advantages and disadvantages of different mold testing methods:

Method	Advantage	Disadvantage
Culture	Easy sampling Inexpensive	Qualitative to semi-quantitative Genus level identification Viable spores only Multiple samples required Slow turn-around-time (7-10days) Snap-shot sample may not be representative Inherently underestimates concentration due to: - Media limitations - Competitive inhibition - Clumping - Non-viability or dormancy No standardized protocol for sampling or analysis
Total Spore Count (Microscopic Exam)	Quick time-to-result (1 day) Inexpensive	Genus level identification (Presumptive identification at best) Snap-shot sample Multiple samples necessary Viability unknown Only representative of area sampled Genus level identification Inconsistant collection efficiencies Bias toward larger/dyer spores Accuracy highly dependent on lab expertise No standardized sampling or analysis
RT-PCR (ERMI)	Very quick time to result (2 hrs) DNA-based Highly sensitive Highly accurate & precise Species level identification Legally defensible Quantitative results More representative, historical sample Single composite sample Standardized methodology Simpler interpretation via comparison to national index	Depending on the testing laboratory, the ERMI test can be more expensive than a single spore trap analysis; however, air sampling with spore traps frequently involves obtaining multiple samples, resulting in multiple analyses (4-6) ERMI testing can only be performed by a licensed laboratory

1325 Waterway Ct
Baltimore, MD 21226
ph: 410-360-7530
fax: 410-360-7530
alt: 410-360-6794
radondude@verizon.net