Contact person
Johanna Elam
Forskare
Contact Johanna
Microbial analysis of building materials
Moisture puts buildings at risk for mould damages, with negative consequences to both economy and health. Mould is not acceptable in a building if there is a risk of it affecting the indoor environment. When mould is indicated, or the end users experience problems in the indoor environment, microbial analyses are often used as an investigative aid.
Purpose
The purpose of this service is to determine the presence and extent of microbial growth, commonly called mould, on material surfaces. The service is mainly used for analyses of microbial growth on building materials from buildings. Other materials can also be analysed, such as textiles and packaging materials.
Method
Analyses are performed according to SP-MET 3881, a well-documented method with proven efficacy which is used by several institutions nationally in Sweden. A quantitative analysis of the material is performed under light microscopy. The analysed microorganisms are fungi and a type of bacteria, actinomycetes. The extent of growth is evaluated and classified as ample, moderate, sparse, or no extent.
Delivery
Analysis results are given in tabular form in a written report, along with guidelines for interpretation of results. The analyses provide the status of the sample provided, not the construction as a whole. Any suggested corrective measured for the building can not be based solely on these analysis results. Please bear in mind also that even if there is a documented connection between moisture, mould and health problems in the indoor environment, there is not currently any single microbial analysis which can determine potential ill health effects.
