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ASSESSMENT OF STACHYBOTRYS REGROWTH ON CONTAMINATED WALLBOARD AFTER TREATMENT WITH COMMON SURFACE CLEANERS/DISINFECTANTS
Citation:
Foarde, K. K. AND M Y. Menetrez*. ASSESSMENT OF STACHYBOTRYS REGROWTH ON CONTAMINATED WALLBOARD AFTER TREATMENT WITH COMMON SURFACE CLEANERS/DISINFECTANTS. Presented at Indoor Air Quality Problems and Engineering Solutions Symposium, RTP, NC, 21-23 July 2003.
Description:
The paper describes results of experiments assessing the efficacy of treating mold-contaminated gypsum wallboard with cleaners and/or disinfectants. Although the accepted recommendations for handling Stachybotrys chartarum contaminated gypsum wallboard are removal and replacement of the contaminated material, these recommendations are often not followed. Instead, surface cleaning with cleaners and/or disinfectants is a commonly attempted remedy. As part of an on-going study to address the prevention and control of biocontamination in the indoor environment, a number of control strategies involving antimicrobials are being investigated. Gypsum wallboard was wallpapered, painted (with either water-based or oil-based paint), or left untreated prior to S. chartarum inoculation. Plain untreated gypsum wallboard served both as a control and as a mimic of conditions when the wall cavity side of the gypsum board was contaminated. Once mature growth had been established, the pieces were cleaned with one of eight commonly available surface cleaners/disinfectants. Each cleaner/disinfectant was evaluated as to its ability to prevent regrowth of S. chartarum. The experiments described in the paper show that the eight cleaner/disinfectants studied achieved limited success in retarding regrowth of S. chartarum when the infected wallboard was immediately returned to its original environment after cleaning. Somewhat greater success was achieved when the contaminated wallboard was dried after cleaning before it was returned to its original environment.