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Page 17 <br /> 4^40--o <br /> Toxicity from inhaled mold spores and particles in indoor environments is unlikely <br /> because spore concentrations that occur indoors are too low to produce a dose of mycotoxins <br /> sufficient to cause adverse health effects.19 There are many researchers and a great number of <br /> experts that draw the same conclusions and opinions from available data on mold and <br /> mycotoxin exposure in indoor environments and possible effects in humans. No learned body <br /> has concluded that exposure to mycotoxins in a residential, office, or school environment <br /> causes adverse effects in occupants.211 In fact, the American College of Occupational and <br /> Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)reported that "current scientific evidence does not <br /> support the existence of a causal relationship between inhaled mycotoxins in home, school, or <br /> office environments and adverse human health effects.i21 Most independent researchers have <br /> concluded that exposure to mycotoxins in residential, office, or school environments does not <br /> cause adverse effects in occupants.22 <br /> There is no scientific support for a claim that the Indian River County Fire Stations <br /> contained sufficient mold to cause toxicity, even if mycotoxins were present (and there is no <br /> evidence that they were). The levels of mold that were found have not been shown to be high <br /> enough to produce toxic effects due to inhaled or dermal contact with mycotoxins. Moreover, <br /> some of the mold observed during the inspections was located behind wallpaper. Thus, the <br /> pathway for a substantial amount of the mold spores to escape into the air is significantly <br /> obstructed, and therefore significant exposure by inhalation of airborne mold is unlikely. <br /> With any dust or chemical, exposure is necessary in order for an individual to receive a <br /> dose of the dust or chemical. In order for exposure to occur, there must be a pathway from <br /> 19 Kelman,B.J. et al. (2004).Risk from inhaled mycotoxins in indoor office and residential environments.Int J <br /> Toxicol.23(1):3-10. <br /> 2°ACOEM.(2011)loc. cit.;American Academy of Pediatrics and AAP.(2006).Policy Statement--Spectrum of <br /> Noninfectious Health Effects from Molds.Pediatrics. 118(6): 2582-2586.;American College of Medical <br /> Toxicology. (2006),American College of Medical Toxicology comment--Institute of Medicine report on Damp <br /> Indoor Spaces and Health.Accessed on: 12/1/6 A.D.;Bush,R.K. et al. (2006).loc. cit.; Institute of Medicine and <br /> Committee on Damp Indoor Spaces and Health.(2004).Damp Indoor Spaces and Health.The National <br /> Academies Press,Washington,DC.;World Health Organization.(2009). WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air <br /> Quality: Dampness and Mould. WHO Regional Office for Europe,Copenhagen. <br /> 21 ACOEM. (2011)loc. cit. <br /> 22 Assoulin-Dayan,Y. ei al. (2002). Studies of sick building syndrome.IV. Mycotoxicosis. J Asthma.39(3): <br /> 191-201.;Bardana,E.J. (2003).Indoor air quality and health--Does fungal contamination play a significant <br /> role?Immuno]Allergy Clin North Am.23(2):291-309.;Bennett,J.W. and Klich, M. (2003).Mycotoxins.Clin <br /> Microbiol Rev. 16(3):497-516.; Burge,H.A.(2001).Fungi: Toxic killers or unavoidable nuisances?Ann <br /> Allergy Asthma Immunol.(87): 52-56.;Chapman,J.A.(2003).Stachybotrys chartarum(chartarum=atra= <br /> alternans)and other problems caused by allergenic fungi.Allergy Asthma Proc.24(1): 1-7.;Chapman,J.A.et al. <br /> (2003).Toxic mold:Phantom risk vs science. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol.91(3): 222-232.; Fung,F.and <br /> Clark,R.F. (2004).Health effects of mycotoxins: A toxicological overview.J Toxicol Clin Toxicol.42(2):217- <br /> 234.;Fung,F. and Hughson,W.G.(2003).Health effects of indoor fungal bioaerosol exposure.Appl Occup <br /> Environ Hyg. 18(7): 535-544.;Gots,R.E. et al. (2003). Indoor health: Background levels of fungi.AIHAJ. <br /> 64(4):427-438.;Kuhn, D.M. and Ghannoum,M.A.(2003). Indoor mold,toxigenic fungi, and Stachybotrys <br /> chartarum: Infectious disease perspective.Clin Microbiol Rev. 16(1): 144-172.;Page,E.H. and Trout,D.B. <br /> (2001).The role of Stachybotrys mycotoxins in building-related illness.American Industrial Hygiene <br /> Association Journal. 62(5): 644-648,;Robbins,C.A. et al. (2000), Health effects of mycotoxins in indoor air: A <br /> critical review.App]Occup Environ Hyg. 15(10): 773-784.;Terr, A.I. (2001).Stachybotrys:Relevance to <br /> human disease.Ann Allergy Asthma lmmunol. 87(6 Suppl 3): 57-63.;Terr,A.I.(2004). Are indoor molds <br /> causing a new disease? J Allergy Clin Immunol. 113(2):221-226. <br /> 59 <br />