Mold situation OK at county nurse’s office

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Mold situation OK at county nurse's office

The Daily Republic,,SD*

Ross Dolan

Published Wednesday, May 21, 2008

http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/articles/index.cfm?

id=26901 & section=news & freebie_check & CFID=37774565 & CFTOKEN=74312143 & js

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A professional sampling of air at the community health nurse's

office at the county public safety building shows minimal evidence

of airborne mold spores, county Maintenance Director Mark Ruml told

commissioners at their regular Tuesday meeting.

Samples collected by Steamway Cleaning and analyzed by GeoTek

Engineering & Testing Services, Sioux Falls, showed the nurse's

office with the lowest levels of detectible spores in areas tested

at the old Tower Building, said Ruml. Air quality of that office,

which serves large numbers of patients each month, was the primary

consideration for ordering the test.

With wetness problems in the basement and upper floors of the

building, commissioners were concerned that any mold produced by

roof or basement leaks could migrate to public areas of the

building.

The nurse's station area showed 371 assorted spores per cubic meter,

and the hallway of the building showed 425 per cubic meter.

Perhaps more significant were tests performed by Steamway at a

county-owned house rented by Stepping Stones, immediately to the

north of the public service building. That structure showed

significantly higher spore counts of 2,558 spores per cubic meter.

None of the locations showed high levels of dangerous mold-produced

toxins, or mycotoxins.

According to GeoTek guidelines, mold levels from 2,000 to 4,000

spores per cubic meter are not generally considered problematic. The

testing showed that outdoor spore readings were higher than indoor

levels, with outdoor readings of mixed spores at 4,212 per cubic

meter. Areas at the Stepping Stones house were cleaned, treated with

mold killers, sealed and repainted, said Ruml, who noted that

basement and upstairs levels at the public safety complex (the old

Tower Building) are as yet untested. No further testing was

authorized Tuesday.