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New Study Suggests Chlorine Bleach [sodium hypochlorite] Kills
Household Mold and Neutralizes Mold Allergen
[but only
on hard surfaces]
By
University of Arizona News Services
March 24, 2004
Today at the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology's
(AAAAI) 60th Annual meeting, Kelly Reynolds, a research
scientist at the University of Arizona, announced the results
of a new study that proves, for the first time, a chlorine
bleach solution not only effectively kills mold but also
neutralizes the indoor mold allergen. The study, funded by a
grant from The Clorox Company, also found mold spores, a
common trigger for allergies in America, to be present in 100
percent of the homes surveyed.
When sensitive individuals are exposed to allergens, such as
mold spores, by either direct contact or inhalation, allergy
and asthma symptoms may result. Some of these symptoms may
include sinus congestion, coughing, upper respiratory
distress, chronic headaches and flu-like symptoms. In fact,
mold spores are suspected in the tripling of the asthma rate
in the past 20 years and have been blamed by a 1999 Mayo
Clinic Study for nearly all of the chronic sinus infections
afflicting 37 million Americans.
The primary cause of allergic responses from exposure to mold
can be attributed to surface allergens. These allergens become
a problem when they become airborne and contaminate indoor air
quality. The study found that low concentrations of chlorine
bleach, such as those common to commercial household products
certified to kill mold and mildew, were proven to be effective
at not only killing the mold spores, but also denaturing, or
neutralizing, the surface allergen, making it essentially
unable to produce an immune response in sensitive individuals.
"Remaining fragments of dead mold can linger indoors long
after the mold spores have been inactivated, and can be as
harmful as live mold," said Kelly Reynolds, lead investigator
for the study from the University of Arizona.
"The study results confirm that denaturing the mold spores with a dilute
chlorine bleach solution appears to be the most effective and efficient way
to reduce mold allergen on hard surfaces." [Comment
from mold expert Phillip Fry: a hard surface would be a non-porous
surface like a kitchen counter top or ceramic floor and wall tiles. Almost
any disinfectant can kill mold sitting on hard surfaces. The mold
remediation problem is mold growth in porous building materials like wood
timbers, drywall, chip board, plywood, and carpeting/padding. How to deal
with mold in porous materials by the combination of mold killing, mold
removal, and mold prevention techniques is explained at
Mold Remediation.
Molds can be classified as either the mycotoxin producing
molds such as Penicillium and Stachybotrys and the non-toxic
molds such as Trichophyton. While the toxicities differ, all
mold spores contain allergens, which according to the Asthma
and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), can aggravate
symptoms of both allergies and asthma.
The University of Arizona study yielded 1,330 mold samples and
evaluated the growth rate and distribution of household mold
on indoor surfaces in 160 homes in seven geographical regions.
The regions where sites were frequently positive for fungal
counts include the far west (San Francisco), Southwest
(Tucson, Dallas), Midwest (Chicago), Southeast (Atlanta,
Tampa, Fla.), and Northeast (New York) regions of the United
States.
The study, which also looked at consumer perceptions towards mold,
demonstrated that mold is far more pervasive in the home than
people believe. While consumers understand that mold is a
health concern, they are confused with the extent of the
problem in their homes, with just 17 percent believing mold is
an issue inside their own homes. Significant confusion also
exists with the best way to effectively treat the issue.
The abstract for this study, "Efficacy of Sodium Hypochlorite
Disinfectant on the Viability and Allergenic Properties of
Household Mold," (abstract 617) was published in the February
issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. |
