Controlling Mold-Generated Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs)
Even though mold is “natural”, it produces what’s known as a volatile organic compound (or VOC), which means that even though it’s naturally-occurring, it’s still harmful to the human body.
Are Mold Allergies Making You Sick?
If you burn something on your stove… no matter how many windows you open or fans you turn on… that smell usually stagnates for at least a day later. Likewise, if you wait too long to take the trash out. But those things are strong and noticeable. What about the things that don’t carry such a strong, obvious smell to give them away?
Like mold?
If its presence is strong, you’ll either see it or start to smell something musky. But even if it’s not strong, the spores spread through the air – 100% invisible to the human eye- getting into your system and causing your allergies to overreact, making you miserable. Not to mention the long term effects mold can have on anyone’s health. According to the Mayo Clinic, exposure to mold can cause restricted breathing and other sinus and airway problems.
Fortunately, you don’t have to meticulously inspect your home every few days for visible traces as mold. Something as simple as using a VOC-focused HVAC filter can make a world of difference in your air quality. And HEPA filtration can actively remove airborne mold spores – both purifying your air and reducing the amount of mold in your home, if any.
Understanding the long-term effects and risks of environmental exposures to a variety of chemicals is of paramount importance. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you have a mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. This triggers a cascade of reactions that lead to allergic symptoms. Like other allergies, a mold allergy can make you cough, make your eyes itch, and cause other symptoms that make you miserable. In some people, mold allergy is linked to asthma and exposure causes restricted breathing and other airway symptoms.
Health Hazards
Indoor mold growth has long been associated with a musty or earthy smell, which most people find offensive. This characteristic smell has been found to result from the production of VOCs by various molds, such as Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Many different indoor molds produce VOCs, and a large variety of VOCs may be produced depending upon the species of mold, the specific conditions under which it is growing, and the substrate it is growing on.
“If mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk…”
– Center for Disease Control
The VOCs produced by molds have been determined to be hazardous to the health since they can damage the olfactory system and even be transported into the temporal lobe of the brain via the olfactory bulb. Some mold-generated VOCs have been demonstrated to be neurotoxic or to cause pulmonary inflammation. Persons exposed to indoor molds and mycotoxins (including mold-generated VOCs) have been shown to exhibit symptoms such as poor memory and concentration, in addition to the more commonly known symptoms of eye and throat irritation. The CDC states “If mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk…”
MVOC Control Measures
Recommended mold-generated VOC control measures center around ridding the building of the source of the VOCs, namely the growing mold. Contaminated materials should be removed from the structure and disposed of, and the conditions which permitted the mold growth should be addressed.
Additionally, the air inside the building will contain VOCs generated by the mold during the course of its growth. To prevent the health effects of VOC exposure, the building air should be purified. Air purification may need to continue for an extended period of time to allow any VOCs absorbed into the building’s interior surfaces, particularly porous surfaces, such as furniture or ceiling tile, to be released.
To tackle indoor air quality concerns after mold remediation, the experts at EnviroKlenz have introduced an air purification technology for non-invasive odor restoration. The enhanced chemical reactivity found in the EnviroKlenz HVAC filter and Mobile Air System Cartridge makes EnviroKlenz ideal for removing harmful MVOCs, thus improving the indoor air quality of water and mold damaged structures.
UVC- What Does It Do?
The following experiment was set up to illustrate the impact of the UVC light in the EnviroKlenz Air System. Two EnviroKlenz Air Systems were set up in the same indoor air environment with HEPA filters installed. HEPA filters are designed to capture a broad range of particulate matter 0.3 microns in size and larger.
In one system the UVC light bulbs were turned on, while in the other system UVC lights were not used. The systems were allowed to collect particulate matter for 1 week. After the week of collection ended, the systems were turned off and the HEPA surface was sampled with sterile collection swabs and streaked onto the nutrient agar plates (MEA). The plates were then allowed to incubate for 10 days.
In this image, the collection plates are observed. The MEA plate on the left has mold growth. This was the sample collected from the system without the UVC lights being utilized. The sample on the right shows the results from the system where the UVC lights were being used and resulted in a collection plate with no growth observed.
Remove MVOCs from Your Air
EnviroKlenz is a revolutionary, non-invasive, odor restoration process that can rapidly restore an odor an MVOC- compromised property to a workable and livable environment. When a property has an acute odor issue caused by fire, water, trauma, or other nuisance odors, EnviroKlenz can be immediately deployed. EnviroKlenz is the strongest, most environmentally friendly restoration process available as it removes the airborne VOCs without releasing chemicals into the air like typical hydroxl, ozone, masking agents, or thermal fogging processes. The EnviroKlenz technology has been proven to be both effective and safe for the chemically sensitive and those suffering from environmental illnesses and is backed with a 30-day money back guarantee.
It’s been a week since we have started using it. It makes the room air that previously had mold smell crisp and fresh and I feel better knowing that the spores are being destroyed with the UV bulbs.
This is a great air purifier for VOCs and mold removal, quiet on low and medium settings but high is a bit noisy unless you’re not going to sleep. I have no complaints and I am saving up to buy another one.
This air purifier works really well. Easy to set up and works almost instantly. I put it in my bedroom and can defiantly notice the difference of it removing that moldy/musty smell that was once there.
