What does toxic mold look like?
Molds are simple, microscopic organisms present virtually everywhere, indoors and outdoors. Molds, including all mushrooms and yeast, are fungi and are needed to break down dead material and recycle nutrients in the environment. The longer that mold grows, the more mold damage to the building. Most kinds of mold are harmless and human bodies can tolerate molds and mycotoxins in small quantities. In larger quantities, they can be a health hazard. A few species can cause serious and even irreparable harm in humans. One of the most dangerous kinds of toxic mold is a black mold known as Stachybotrys chartarum. Stachybotrys chartarum is not uncommon and certainly not rare. Stachybotrys may produce compounds that have toxic properties known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced depending on what the mold is growing on, conditions such as temperature, pH and humidity. Mycotoxins can appear in both living and dead mold spores. Mold testing can be used to identify and quantify fungi and extent
