PROBLEM! HUGE PROBLEM!

RESEARCH: Home MicroBiome TESTING is NOT Reliable.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/at-home-microbiome-tests-reveal-dramatically-different-results/

For mold and other microorganisms and their structures, we’ve either known with direct data or rationally assumed based on the known shortcomings of available sampling methodologies and the known variance of mold spores in any given space, that microbiological analysis is NOT very reliable.

The quote below, from today’s article in Scientific American (online) reveals the horrible quality of analyzing samples from a building.

“The results were even more disparate than the team had expected. Of the more than 1,200 taxonomic groups of microbes identified by all the tests combined, just three microbial genera were present in all seven companies’ results. Even tests processed by the same company didn’t always match.”

THREE Correct OUT OF ONE THOUSAND and TWO HUNDRED chances.

I’ve done similar, but smaller sampling and inter-lab comparisons for mold genera but sent to three labs, not seven. The possible fungal genera were in the dozens not 1200, but still quite a large set of possible results.

Over the past couple decades some of my colleagues have done the same. As far as I know, we all did this 10 to 20 years ago and nothing to date has shown the labs have improved. Not one IOTA.

And clients and doctors and practitioners and contractors wonder that I DO NOT NEED TO TAKE SAMPLES in 95% of my Health and Mold Assessments.

THIS is the reason you do NOT trust sampling for mold in a home environment: 3 of 1200 correct.

I’ll address this more in-depth with another article when I’ve a bit more time.

BUT the point is -the same as for mold sampling which most of you reading this want to know about - SAMPLING is NOT a good way to assess condition or exposure to mold in a building.