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Stachybotrys
Images
and Text © 2008 Jeffrey C. May
| Stachybotrys chartarum is often referred to as
"toxic black mold," although only about a third of the strains
actually produce toxins while growing. The black patch on the
drywall at the right is Stachybotrys mold growing under a pipe leak. This
black mold only grows on cellulose (paper, wood, etc.) that has remained
soaked for days, and never grows on non-porous surfaces
such as metal or glass, where you can sometimes see other types of black
mold growing on dust. |
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In the photograph at the left, Stachybotrys mold
is growing on the drywall just above a two-by-four resting on a concrete
basement
floor. The stains on the drywall, wood, and floor suggest water
leaks. Stachybotrys spores grow in large clumps
and adhere to one another within the clump. For this reason, it
is relatively rare to find Stachybotrys spores in the air, unless
moldy surfaces have been disturbed. |
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Photo Gallery
• Feather Bioaerosol
Small, bacteria-like organisms on feather fragments
may cause allergy or coughing.
• Bacteria from
a Smelly Sponge
The surface of a kitchen sponge that reeked.
• Humidifiers
A white film on the surface of water in
a humidifier.
• Mites
A mold-eating mite.
• Stachybotrys Mold
Often referred to as the "toxic black mold".
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