Re: Allergen Testing Question

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

In addition to frank allergens (the presence of and reaction to can be

tested for, as described by others,) there can be non-allergen

sensitivities involved.

If the allegen study fails to turn up any likely culprits, testing for

VOCs by EPA Method TO-15, and / or formaldehyde testing by NIOSH

Method 2016 may be appropriate.

There are also several ways to look at the particulate loadings in the

indoor environment.

These areas do not encompass all of the possibilities, but cover a

large number of common potential irritants.

Vince Daliessio, CIH

EMSL Analytical

vdaliessio@...

>

> A friend has a child with extreme asthma. Their doctor has asked them

> to have a comprehensive IAQ investigation conducted in their home. In

> addition to the usual mold concerns, they are also focused on common

> allergens. Several questions:

>

> 1. What qualifications should an inspector possess for this

> situation?

> 2. What types of tests should be included in the IAQ investigation

> for allergens?

> 3. Are all allergen tests universal? In other words - do specific

> target allergens require specific type of tests or is there a

> universal sampling protocol?

> 4. Once results are collected - Is there is safe/unsafe threshold for

> the presence of allergens? Is it realistic to have a zero count?

>

> Any information on the process and sampling equipment would be

> helpful in vetting the inspector. This is a money no object situation

> so please detail the perfect world testing scenario for a

> comprehensive evaluation.

>

> Thanks All,

>

> Will

>