CMA CMA Sampling & Testing Methods 2

Question 1

A spore trap analysis report shows predominantly Cladosporium at low levels both indoors and outdoors. What does this finding most likely indicate?

Accepted Answer

Normal background fungal ecology with no indoor source

Answer

Cladosporium at low concentrations matching outdoor levels is normal background; it is ubiquitous outdoors and its indoor presence often reflects normal air exchange.

Question 2

Which mold genus is considered a strong indicator of water-damaged building materials when found in elevated concentrations indoors?

Accepted Answer

Stachybotrys chartarum

Answer

Stachybotrys chartarum requires chronically wet cellulosic materials to grow and is rarely found in outdoor air, making its indoor presence a reliable indicator of water damage.

Question 3

What does the ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index) score measure?

Accepted Answer

A DNA-based index comparing water-damage indicator molds to common outdoor molds in dust

Answer

ERMI uses qPCR to quantify 36 mold species in settled dust, calculating a score that compares Group 1 (water-damage associated) species against Group 2 (common outdoor/background) species.

Question 4

When collecting a tape lift sample from a surface, which laboratory analysis method is typically used?

Accepted Answer

Direct microscopy

Answer

Tape lifts are examined directly under a microscope, allowing identification of fungal structures (spores, hyphae) by morphology without requiring culture growth.

Question 5

What minimum air volume is typically recommended when collecting an Air-O-Cell spore trap sample?

Accepted Answer

75 liters

Answer

Standard Air-O-Cell protocol recommends collecting 75 liters of air (typically at 15 L/min for 5 minutes) to obtain a representative sample for analysis.

(CMA) Certified Mold Assessor Practice Test

(CMA) Certified Mold Assessor Practice Test

CMA CMA Sampling & Testing Methods 2