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Aerotech P&K Mold Gold
is our way of showing
appreciation
to our existing customers
and allowing new
customers to give us a try!
Come see us at the
IAQA Conference
in Nashville
to pick up your Mold Gold.
You can then use it towards the purchase of analytical services or products at any of our Aerotech P&K locations.
For more information, go to our website.
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![[Accreditation Logos]](http://www.aerotechlabs.com/gfx/techtipgfx/static/Logos_Accred.gif) |
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| *A2LA accreditation relates to microbiological testing performed at Aerotech Laboratories, Inc., Phoenix. Complete Scope of Accreditation available here. |
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**AIHA EMLAP Accreditation relates to bacterial and fungal analyses performed at Aerotech Laboratories, Inc. and P&K Microbiology Services Inc. Complete Scope of Accreditation available by request. Additional information available here.
***AIHA IHLAP Accreditation relates to Industrial Hygiene analyses performed at Aerotech Environmental Laboratories. Complete Scope of Accreditation available by request. |
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Check out Aerotech P&K's
NEW website.
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| IH News: |
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Occupational Hazards magazine and Penton Custom Media to Launch Free Safety Web Expo and Conference
On October 4, Penton's Occupational Hazards magazine along with Penton Custom Media presents its first Safety WebExpo and Conference ...more |
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| Links |
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Go to The Environmental Protection Agency
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Go to MedLine Plus
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Go to National Safety Council
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![[LAB IMAGE]](http://www.aerotechlabs.com/gfx/techtipgfx/static/aeromiddle.jpg) |
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View October
Promotion Sales
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Radon In The Air
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What is Radon?
Radon-222 is a radioactive gas released during the natural decay of thorium and uranium, which are common, naturally occurring elements found in varying amounts in rock and soil. Odorless, invisible, and without taste, radon cannot be detected with the human senses.
Radon-222 decays into radioactive elements, two of which -- polonium-218 and polonium-214 -- emit alpha particles, which are highly effective in damaging lung tissues. These alpha-emitting radon decay products have been implicated in a causal relationship with lung cancer in humans.
The Health Risk
Outdoors, where it is diluted to low concentrations in the air, radon poses significantly less risk than indoors. In the indoor air environment, however, radon can accumulate to significant levels. The magnitude of radon concentration indoors depends primarily on a building's construction and the amount of radon in the underlying soil. The soil composition under and around a house affects radon levels and the ease with which radon migrates toward a house. Normal pressure differences between the house and the soil can create a slight vacuum in the home that can draw radon gas from the soil into the building.
Radon gas can enter a home from the soil through cracks in concrete floors and walls, floor drains, sump pumps, construction joints, and tiny cracks or pores in hollow-block walls. Radon levels are generally highest in basements and ground floor rooms that are in contact with the soil. Factors such as the design, construction, and ventilation of the home affect the pathways and sources that can draw radon indoors. Another source of radon indoors may be air released by well water during showering and other household activities. Compared to radon entering the home through soil, radon entering the home through water will in most cases be a small source of risk.
How Does Radon Induce Cancer?
If inhaled, radon decay products (polonium-218 and polonium-214, solid form), unattached or attached to the surface of aerosols, dusts, and smoke particles, become deeply lodged or trapped in the lungs, where they can radiate and penetrate the cells of mucous membranes, bronchi, and other pulmonary tissues. The ionizing radiation energy affecting the bronchial epithelial cells is believed to initiate the process of carcinogenesis. Although radon-related lung cancers are mainly seen in the upper airways, radon increases the incidence of all histological types of lung cancer, including small cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Lung cancer due to inhalation of radon decay products constitutes the only known risk associated with radon. In studies done on miners, variables such as age, duration of exposure, time since initiation of exposure and especially the use of tobacco have been found to influence individual risk. In fact, the use of tobacco multiplies the risk of radon-induced lung cancer enormously.
The Solution: "Measure Radon in Your Home, Now!"
Two good reasons why you should test your home for radon:
- Indoor radon is a major indoor pollutant that causes lung cancer. It is next only to smoking as causative agent for lung cancer - measure radon now, know your risk and fix if necessary.
- In most States, radon measurement is needed as a part of the home inspection before selling your home. Measure radon now and let this not be last minute block while selling your home.
Why Should Every Home be Tested?
The EPA and the U. S. Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. Data gathered by the EPA national radon survey indicate that elevated radon levels are present in about six million (6,000,000) homes throughout the United States. In every state there are homes with dangerously high radon levels. Because the radon concentration inside a home is due to factors relating to its structure and geographic location, each individual home must be tested to determine its radon level. Two adjacent houses may have radically different radon levels. And any kind of home can have elevated levels -- new or old, drafty or well-sealed, and basement or non-basement.
If an elevated radon level is discovered in a home, it can be corrected. It is recommended that a confirmed radon level of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air or higher be reduced to decrease the risk of developing lung cancer. The cost of radon mitigation in a typical home ranges from about $500 to about $2,500. Your state radon information office can provide general advice about radon testing and mitigation.
Radon Is Easy To Detect And Reduce In A Home
The danger posed by radon can be detected rather easily through inexpensive do-it yourself testing, or through a trained radon contractor. STL affiliate, Aerotech P&K's Phoenix location, offers radon analysis in air using Rad Elec Inc.’s E-PERM® System, the most used and most accurate EPA listed technology for the last eleven years. Aerotech is licensed by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), an experienced certification body that has been in existence since 1937. All equipment used in the analysis is calibrated annually by the manufacturer and all analysts are proficiency tested through the University of Colorado Radon Measurements Laboratory.
What it is the E-Perm System?
The E-PERM system consists of three components: an electrostatically charged Teflon disk called an electret which collects ions, an ion chamber made of conductive plastic into which an electret can be loaded, and a reader to read the surface voltage of the electret.
How It Works
A radon measurement always involves taking two voltage readings, an initial reading (I) before the exposure and a final reading (F) after the exposure. Such a decrease is measured using the electret voltage reader. The difference in voltage (I-F) and the exposure time (D) information can then be converted into the radon concentration using an experimentally derived calibration factor for the chamber and electret combination.
Radon gas (not radon progeny present in the room air) diffuses through the filtered inlet into the chamber until the concentration of radon inside the chamber is the same as that in the room. Radiation emitted by the decay of the radon and the progeny formed inside the chamber ionizes the air. The positively charged electret attracts the negative ions generated by the radiation in the chamber resulting in a net decrease of the electret voltage. Positive ions go to the wall of the chamber and get dissipated. This voltage decrease of the electret is proportional to the radon concentration and the time of exposure. The drop in voltage of the electret is a measure of the product of the radon concentration and the exposure time given in picocuries per liter-days.
Features and Benefits
Short-term measurements of radon in air in homes, schools, workplaces, mines, caves, crawlspaces or outdoors:
- True integrating monitor-won’t adsorb or desorb radon like charcoal detectors
- No effects from varying temperature, humidity, air drafts, radon progeny concentrations, mechanical shocks, external high voltages, ions, or televisions
- Immediate calculation of results with consistent factory calibrated equipment
- The small, rugged, lightweight E-PERM® electret ion chambers are passive sensors—they need neither power nor batteries.
- They are efficient at detecting alpha radiation and, therefore, suitable for monitoring contamination from uranium, plutonium, and other alpha emitters.
- They can be affixed on contaminated walls, ceilings, floors, or equipment and left in place for two days to three months.
- Sensitivity from 0.3 pCi/L for a 2 day exposure to 0.2 pCi/L for a 7 day exposure
E-PERMs are widely accepted
- The U.S. EPA used E-PERMs for measurement of U.S. ambient radon levels for its Citizens Guide to Radon publication.
- Chosen by the IAEA for its 60-country global radon study. Also used by IAEA for area monitoring following the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.
- The U.S. Postal Service and several other large federal government agencies have specified E-PERMs for use in their radon surveys of public properties in the U.S.
- Accepted and used widely in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, and South Africa.
- Accepted by over 500 laboratories across the US and over 30 countries worldwide.
- The U.S. Department of Energy’s 1994 Intercomparison Study demonstrated that E-PERMs perform as well as the more expensive continuous radon monitors.
- More E-PERM users have successfully participated in the U.S. EPA’s Radon Proficiency Programs than any other technology.
For more information on Radon In The Air, please call 800.651.4802. |
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Product Spotlight:
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Fluke® IR InSight® XS Thermal Imaging Camera
007-3268-00
The Fluke IR InSight XS is a portable infrared imager used to combine outstanding image quality and thermal sensitivity. This Thermal Imager is optimized for low contrast thermal applications encountered in building sciences applications and show problems that other infrared cameras cannot. These easy to use cameras include SmartView™ software to customize and prepare professional infrared survey report. Use the Fluke IR InSight XS Thermal Imager for Industrial Roofing, Moisture Remediation, Building Energy, and Home Inspection. |
Fluke® IR InSight® XST Thermal Imaging Camera
007-3269-00
The Fluke IR InSight XST is a portable infrared imager used to combine outstanding image quality and thermal sensitivity. This Thermal Imager is optimized for low contrast thermal applications encountered in building sciences applications and show problems that other infrared cameras cannot. These easy to use cameras include SmartView™ software to customize and prepare professional infrared survey report. Use the Fluke IR InSight XST Thermal Imager for Industrial Roofing, Moisture Remediation, Building Energy, and Home Inspection. |
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Fluke® Ti20 Thermal Imager
007-3272-00
This easy to use Thermal Imager features a one-handed ‘point-and-shoot’ operation and intuitive on-screen guidance. The Ti20 Thermal Imager does not require specialist training to obtain accurate measurements. Just point at the target, focus the instrument, and the instrument automatically adjusts the temperature range to show a clean and crisp image. When the user pulls the trigger, the image and associated temperature measurement data is stored. Through the software that is included the user can change image parameters to optimize the image and extract maximum detail. |
Fluke® TiR2 FlexCam
007-3270-00
The Fluke TiR2 FlexCam is for professionals demanding the best solutions in building diagnostics applications. The Fluke TiR2 provides the industry’s largest LCD to view on-camera images. Use the Fluke TiR2 thermal imager for these and other types of building diagnostics applications: |
- Roofing Surveys-Detect wet insulation in flat-roof systems quickly and efficiently. Find damaged portions of the roofing structure and repair or replace before the entire roof is contaminated.
- Energy Audits-Perform infrared energy audits for residential and commercial applications. Increase the thermal efficiency of a home or building by scanning for thermal heat loss and cool infiltration or exfiltration, moisture invasion, concrete integrity and heat ventilation problems.
- Moisture/Restoration-Accurately detect moisture issues located behind exterior and interior walls, in ceilings or under carpet-covered floors.
- Mold Remediation-Control mold by finding unknown sources of moisture that would otherwise go undetected. Infrared scanning is the fastest most efficient way to provide 100% moisture detection coverage.
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Fluke® TiR2 FlexCam with Fusion
007-3271-00
The Fluke TiR2 FlexCam is for professionals demanding the best solutions in building diagnostics applications. The Fluke TiR2 provides the industry’s largest LCD to view on-camera images. Use the Fluke TiR2 thermal imager for these and other types of building diagnostics applications: |
- Roofing Surveys-Detect wet insulation in flat-roof systems quickly and efficiently. Find damaged portions of the roofing structure and repair or replace before the entire roof is contaminated.
- Energy Audits-Perform infrared energy audits for residential and commercial applications. Increase the thermal efficiency of a home or building by scanning for thermal heat loss and cool infiltration or exfiltration, moisture invasion, concrete integrity and heat ventilation problems.
- Moisture/Restoration-Accurately detect moisture issues located behind exterior and interior walls, in ceilings or under carpet-covered floors.
- Mold Remediation-Control mold by finding unknown sources of moisture that would otherwise go undetected. Infrared scanning is the fastest most efficient way to provide 100% moisture detection coverage.
Fusion Technology captures real-time visible light images in addition to the infrared image. With 5 different viewing modes the end-user will be able to identify and report suspect components with more flexibility. |
Aerotech P&K Sponsored Seminars and Training:
Council-certified Residential Mold Inspector - The participants of this two-day course will understand the basic principles of indoor air quality contamination including fungal (mold) and other allergen contamination in residential structures. Students will learn and indicate one’s knowledge of the IESO (Indoor Environmental Standards Organization) sampling and assessment standards. This will include equipment usage in swabs, tape, air sampling for cultureable and spore trap cassettes, dust collection, and the standard for inspecting residential structures for IAQ contamination. Students will learn the proper procedures for the paperwork involved i.e. chain of custody forms and laboratory reports. In addition, they will acquire a fundamental understanding of laboratory reports and how to interpret the results from those reports according to recognized guidelines. Approved credits: 15 FABI, 16 AmIAQ, 16 NACHI, 16 NAHI, 4 NADCA, 2 ABIH, 2 ASHI, 1 IICRC
Advanced IAQ Sampling & The Science Behind Microorganisms - The scope of this course is to cover additional Indoor Air Quality sampling parameters outside of standard mold sampling. The topics discussed include sampling by using the PCR method, bacteria and sewage screen sampling, clandestine drug lab sampling, Hepatitis A and Norovirus, amongst others. We will discuss each of these in detail, what to look for, when to use these methods, and data interpretation for each. The second part of the course, "The Science Behind Microorganisms", is an interesting look into the roles microbes play in our daily lives. It covers the typical genera of fungi that consultants see in their laboratory reports when it comes to indoor air quality sampling. We will also discuss certain fungi that can infect the human body, cause diseases and the medical and industrial uses of fungi.
Description: The Certified MoldTech® Inspector and Moisture Management Assessor Course is a 2-Day class developed jointly by Core Environmental Corporation, The Makers of MoldTech® Software, and Healthy World Environmental, Inc. The course was developed, in part, due to the acceptance by the Western Alliance of the Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) of the Moisture Management System powered by MoldTech® Software as a reliable system that will benefit its members. The class addresses the business practices and stipulations that the PIA has set forth as standard operating procedures when PIA members contract Mold Inspectors who have completed the course certification process.
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| CRMI, Advanced IAQ Sampling, and Mold Tech Training Schedule: |
CRMI
Oct 17-18, 2006
Orlando, FL
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CRMI
Nov 13-14, 2006
Tampa, FL
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CRMI
Nov 2-3, 2006
Phoenix, AZ
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CRMI & Advanced IAQ
Nov 29-30, & Dec 01, 2006
Greenwood Village, CO |
CRMI & Advanced IAQ
Nov 6-8, 2006
Raleigh, NC
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| For more information please go to www.aerotechtraining.com, or contact Zeeba Mirza. |
Schedule for MidAtlantic Environmental Hygiene Resource Center (MEHRC) Sponsored Courses:
"A Retrospective Assessment of Mold Contamination in Buildings"
October 9 and 10, 2006
8:00 to 5:00
P&K Microbiology
$575.00
1936 Olney Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Philip A. Morey, Ph. D., CIH
Leslie O’Neal-Coble, Esq.
Michael Berg, Ph.D., P&K Microbiology
2 ABIH credits
Register Now
* A 10% discount will be provided if
registration is received by September 25, 2006.
** Included in the class fee is a $50.00 non-refundable administration fee. This fee is
waived in the event MEHRC must cancel
the class. | | --
"How to Conduct a Sick Building
Syndrome IAQ/HVAC Assessment"
October 17 and 18, 2006
8:00 to 5:00
P&K Microbiology
$575.00
1936 Olney Avenue
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Howard Bader, PE
John Tiffany, Tiffany Bader Environmental
2 ABIH credits
Register Now
* A 10% discount will be provided if
registration is received by October 3, 2006.--
** Included in the class fee is a $50.00 non-refundable administration fee. This fee is
waived in the event MEHRC must cancel
the class. |
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| Look for Aerotech P&K at the following Tradeshows: |
October 22-24, 2006
International Water Conference
Pittsburgh, PA
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October 25-26, 2006
IAQA - Conference & Expo
GOLD SPONSOR
Nashville, TN
www.iaqa.org
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December 7-9, 2006
7th Annual IAQ Tools for Schools for Healthy Kids
Washington, DC
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/
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For more information about Aerotech P&K's services, contact:
Andrea Bailey
Aerotech P&K
Phone: 800-651-4802 xt 1029
Email: webinfo@aerotechpk.com |
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This is a commercial email produced by Aerotech Laboratories, Inc. and P&K Microbiology Services, Inc.
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