Digital Transcranial Doppler Device

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based system can identify and quantify fungal species in a matter of hours, versus days or weeks by other methods.

Stachybotrys chartarum typically grows in buildings affected by water damage and has been found in homes, hospitals, schools, and office buildings. Exposure to fungi has been identified as a possible cause of many health problems, including asthma, sinusitis, infections, and pulmonary hemosiderosis. Fungi are believed to play a major role in cases of building-related illnesses.

The U.S. Environmental Technology Commercialization Center (ETC2, Cleveland, OH, USA) is introducing the technology by licensing it on a non-exclusive basis to laboratories, indoor air quality specialists, or other environmental specialists. Up to 96 analyses can be run simultaneously by lab technicians, says ETC2, reducing the labor required to analyze samples while increasing the accuracy and validity of the analysis.

The first license was recently granted to Aerotech Laboratories (Phoenix, AZ, USA) for indoor air quality testing. The company also plans to use the technology to develop its BioGard microbial surveillance system for use in healthcare facilities to monitor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Aspergillus, and Legionella.




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