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Page 19 <br /> An exposure pathway to the building occupants must exist in order to establish whether or <br /> how much exposure has occurred. <br /> Dermal contact is of secondary importance because skin is an effective barrier against <br /> mold particles and mycotoxins.27 Molds do not have mechanisms that enable them to cross the <br /> intact skin. Similarly, while incidental ingestion of mold spores present on indoor surfaces <br /> may occur as a result of hand-to-mouth activity, it is nearly impossible to ingest a sufficient <br /> amount of mycotoxins from hand-to mouth activity after dermal contact to result in <br /> mycotoxicosis. <br /> Because inhalation is the most relevant route of exposure with mold spores, air samples <br /> are typically compared to background air mold spore levels (usually of outdoor air). If indoor <br /> air mold spore levels are not elevated compared to background levels, then there would not be <br /> an increased risk of adverse health effects from mold spores in the subject environment. <br /> The only air sampls at the Indian River County Fire Stations 1, 7, 10, and 11, were <br /> collected in July 2014 by AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. The samples were <br /> analyzed by EMSL Analytical, Inc. for fungal spores and particulates. The highest indoor <br /> concentration of mold spores reported from each fire station was lower than the respective <br /> highest outdoor concentration collected on the same day(Table 1). <br /> Outdoor Indoor <br /> Fire Station Highest Reported Highest Reported <br /> Concentration Location Concentration Location <br /> (spores/m') (spores/m3) <br /> Exterior <br /> 1 15,374 administrative 220 Kitchen <br /> /office area <br /> 7 3,477 Rear of building— 270 Lounge/ready <br /> bay doors room <br /> 10 7,500 Exit off kitchen 327 Bunk <br /> 11 9,400 Front/main entry 1,790 Weight room <br /> Table 1: Highest indoor and outdoor concentrations of mold spores collected. <br /> D. Only exposure to mold or mycotoxins at a sufficient dose can result in adverse <br /> health effects. <br /> Mere exposure to an environmental agent(such as molds or mycotoxins) is not sufficient <br /> to cause an adverse health effect. There are exposures for all environmental agents at which <br /> no effect occurs. At higher exposures the environmental agent must be present at sufficient <br /> concentrations for a sufficient amount of time to elicit an adverse response. In order for <br /> 27 Boonen,J. et al. (2012). Human skin penetration of selected model mycotoxins. Toxicology.301(1-3):21-32. <br /> 61 <br />