LATHAM, NY — Aerotech Laboratories, Inc., has become the first firm to secure a manufacturing license for a mold-detection system developed by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists.

The DNA-based system will allow rapid identification and quantification of molds in a matter of hours, the company said. Current methods are said to require days or weeks to identify molds before remedial action can be taken.

The new technology can be used to detect stachybotrys, more commonly known as black mold, and more than 50 other possible molds.

Also, the technology allows for up to 96 analyses to be run simultan-eously by laboratory technicians, reducing the labor required to analyze samples while increasing the accuracy.

Publication date: 05/21/2001