EVEN MORE Bull$#!+: Study: Bleach Cuts Allergy Triggers in Mold (Funded by Clorox)

[Guest guest]

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/112/110389.htm?z=1625_00000_5022_pe_02

Study: Bleach Cuts Allergy Triggers in Mold

Putting Bleach on Mold May Decrease Allergic Reactions

By Miranda Hitti

WebMD Medical News Reviewed By , MD

on Thursday, September 22, 2005

.lclist {text-indent: -6; margin: 0 20 6 18; font-size: 9pt;} More From

WebMD

Get Tips for Allergy-Proofing Your Home

Under Attack: Hidden Allergy Triggers

Sign Up for the Allergies & Asthma Newsletter

Sept. 22, 2005 -- Diluted bleach can kill a common household mold and cut its

allergy triggers, a new study shows.

" It has long been known that bleach can kill mold. However, dead mold may remain

allergenic, " says researcher Martyny, PhD, in a news release.

" We found that, under laboratory conditions, treating mold with bleach lowered

allergic reactions to the mold in allergic patients, " he continues.

In the future, bleach should be scientifically tested against mold in real-world

settings, notes Martyny. He is an associate professor of medicine at the

National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver.

The study appears in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and was

partially funded by The Clorox Company, which makes bleach and other cleaning

products.

Targeting Mold

The researchers focused on one type of household mold called Aspergillus

fumigatus.

First, they grew the mold on squares of three building materials: plywood,

gypsum drywall, and oriented strand board.

Next, the scientists sprayed the mold with distilled water, diluted bleach, or

Tilex (a Clorox cleaning product that includes bleach as one of its

ingredients).

Lastly, the researchers brought in 21 people who reported being allergic to

mold. Eight of those people were shown to be allergic to the mold used in the

experiment.

The mold died after being sprayed with diluted bleach or Tilex. Allergy triggers

in the dead mold also faded in the bleach- or Tilex-treated building materials,

the study shows.

Distilled water didn't kill the mold or tame its allergy triggers.

Allergic skin reactions were reduced with the bleach- or Tilex-treated molds.

Since few allergic people were tested, a bigger study should be done, the

researchers note.

Do-It-Yourself Fix?

The researchers' recipe for the diluted bleach was 1cup of household-strength

bleach per gallon of water.

Some government agencies and mold contamination authorities do not recommend

using household bleach to treat mold-contaminated buildings, partly because of

concerns about allergies, write Martyny and colleagues.

They call for that advice to be reconsidered in light of their findings.

Other studies should check whether bleach kills different types of mold and mold

on other surfaces, write the researchers.

---------------------------------

SOURCES: Martyny, J. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, September

2005; vol 116: pp 630-635. News release, National Jewish Medical and Research

Center.

---------------------------------

for Good

Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.