Webster Elementary School and Yankton High School To Test For Mold

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Saturday, February 16, 2002

Schools To Test For Mold

By Chamley

P & D City Editor

Small patches of peeling paint and discoloration in a few spots at Webster

Elementary School and Yankton High School have prompted administrators to

bring in a specialist to test for mold.

" We're not sure whether it's mold or not. We don't think it is, " said

Superintendent Joe Gertsema. " We've hired a firm to investigate it. "

ATC Associates, of Roseville, Minn., was approved by the Yankton Board of

Education on Feb. 11 to do a mold assessment.

Murdock, a biologist for the company, said numerous samples will be

taken some time next week.

" Mold is a living organism, so we take samples and do different things with

those samples, " said Murdock. One process is called simply direct

examination, which Murdock compared to throwing garden seeds on a desk and

identifying which looks like a tomato seed, which looks like a bean seed,

etc.

Or, a spore could be put on a growth medium and the fungus could be grown

out. " That makes it much easier for the analyst to identify the species, "

Murdock said.

Besides air samples, tape lift and bulk samples will be taken.

" When we talk about tape lift, it's purely a clear piece of Scotch tape

pressed down on what we believe is mold, lift it and put it on the slide.

Then it is examined on direct examination under the microscope, " Murdock

said.

Samples will be collected in the areas in which the discoloration is found,

as well as away from the impacted areas and even outside the buildings.

The turnaround time for results will depend on the test. Direct examination

results take only a matter of days, whereas a culture will take 7 to 10 days

before they are identified.

" Mold exists everywhere, " Murdock said. " You just look at the concentrations

that are there. "

Gertsema said ACT Associates has done asbestos testing for the school in the

past.

In a letter to the superintendent, Business Manager Dick Unruh said the

proposed cost of the testing, $4,790, is minimal compared to the damage that

runaway rumors could do.

" We're going to be very proactive, " Gertsema said. " We don't think it is

mold, and we just want to be sure. If it is mold, we're going to deal with

it immediately. "

Gertsema said there have been no outbreaks of illness since the discovery of

the mold. All buildings are not being tested since the discoloration has

been found only in those two buildings.

" We hope to know within the next couple of weeks. Whenever they get their

work done, we'll know, " Gertsema said.

To contact Chamley, e-mail her at lchamley@...