Mold - An Overview
One of nature’s most
prolific organisms, mold comprises many species of fungi that can grow
almost anywhere, though they seem to thrive best in warm, damp and humid
areas. It is responsible for the
spoiling of most food, and the creeping green stuff that grows on the walls
of homes, wrecking them gradually.
When enough mold builds up in an area, in fact, it can generate a
toxic effect that damages health and causes many adverse physical
conditions. Not all mold is
destructive, however. Certain
types of mold are indispensable to the culture and production of some kinds
of food, such as cheese, sausages and bread.
One particular type of mold is the source for penicillin, a
historically important antibiotic.
Moreover, mold is integral to the decaying of organic material,
allowing nutrients to return to the soil.
It does this by releasing a variety of enzymes that degrade complex
substances into simpler ones, which can then be absorbed by the mold and
used for energy. Regardless of
mold’s significant role in the natural world, it would be prudent,
nonetheless, to learn more about how mold begins to form, how it can harm
you, and what you can do to avoid its ill effects.
The first thing you
should know about mold fungi is that it is fairly tough, and can survive in
a wide variety of savage environments.
Your refrigerator may preserve your food a while longer, but mold is
quite capable of growing even in those low temperatures.
Wood, paper and carpeting are all susceptible to mold growth, which
will eventually erode these materials.
It can spread fairly quickly, reproducing through small spores, which
are carried through the air to locations where they can begin to cultivate.
These mold spores form part of dust that accumulates at home or in
the office, and are harmless in small quantities.
An overabundance of them, however, can lead to respiratory conditions
and allergic reactions, some of which can be fatal.
Of special concern is the possibility of prolonged exposure, which
happens when mold infestations are allowed to remain and grow in one place,
discharging their spores daily, to the detriment of the people who find
themselves exposed to it.
The dangers surrounding mold toxicity have become so prevalent that the
government, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has devoted resources to
properly informing people of the problem of mold and what can be done to
avoid it, or remedy it once an infestation has begun in the home or the
workplace. Control of moisture,
which is a prime breeding condition for most common molds, is said to be the
key to maintaining a mold-free environment.
Proofing your home against dampness and adjusting for humidity will
both help greatly in keeping a mold colony from emerging where you live.
In advanced cases, removal of the affected material may be necessary.
Offices are taking note of mold hazards as well, and adopting the
suggested measures to keep the area safe for employees.
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