Curvularia spp.

Curvularia spp. - This spore typically has three septations (Websters Dictionary) with one middle cell larger than the other three when viewed from the proper orientation.  The organism is readily grown on culture plates and easily viewed using an spore trace sample.  Because the spore is often greater than 20 microns in length it will deposit in the upper respiratory tract. Due to the large size it also falls out in the air rather quickly and requires mechanical disturbance  to keep it in the air.   It is not uncommon to find it in an outdoor air sample when snow cover is not present.  

The organisms grows on cellulose based interior surfaces with water damage. Outdoors it grows on vegetation and decaying vegetation. 

The colony growth on culture plates is somewhat similar to Alternaria spp.  Viewing the colony under higher magnification will easily allow differential identification.  It grows well on malt extract agar.

Single Curvularia spp. spore - approx. 30 microns in length - N.Carlson

Production of Curvularia spp. spores at various stages of maturity. An air bubble is often present in one of the cells. - N. Carlson

Multiple Curvularia spp. spores - Note that there will occasionally be 4 septations or 5 cells in a spore. - N. Carlson

Curvularia spp. growth on culture plate - N. Carlson

Curvularia spp. information from Health Homes - 2 min.

Turning carbon dioxide into stone

Scientific American - Iceland powerplant

An Iceland power plant is turning carbon emissions into stone (phys.org) - June 9, 2016.   Recent studies have found that carbon dioxide injected with water into basalt rock formations turns to stone much more quickly than previously thought.  The minerals in the basalt react with the carbon dioxide in the water to form calcium carbonate and other rocks.  The process was over 90% efficient over a 2 year period.  This surprised scientists as they expected the process to take much longer.

Turning the carbon dioxide into limestone reduces the problems with injecting the carbon dioxide into structures that just capture the gas.  There have been concern over the rapid release of this gas into the atmosphere if there are leaks in the structure.

Downsides: The process resquires heavy use of water and injection the solution is not cheap. Some microbes may produce methane gas as an unintended bi-product of the process.  Seafloor injection of carbon dioxide into basalt or other rock formations may work better.  This eliminates the need for fresh water.  As basalt makes up over 10% of the earth's crust, this may be a process that could work at many locations.

Other research has focused on using the carbon dioxide to speed up the efficiency of algal production of fuel.  Other engineering firms are exploring the use of carbon dioxide for building carbon fiber autobody parts.

Turning carbon dioxide into stone - 11 min. 

MIT grad student studies ophiolite rock structures in Oman, Jordan to understand natural carbon capture.  - 7 min. - 2009

Electric shock drowning

Electric Shock Drowning - Boat US

Good Morning America reports on the hazards of electroshock drowning.   Electroshock drowning is a  relatively rare event with 15 reported US cases in the past five years.  In freshwater or in low salt water areas along the ocean, An electrical ground fault from a boat attached to a dock can produce an electric current in the water.  A swimmer in the water may conduct the current and be shocked sometimes resulting in death.

Prevention begins with installing Ground Fault Interrupter Outlets at boat docks.  Swimming anywhere near a dock without this circuit poses a potential hazard.  Attempting to rescue a person without shutting off the current may result in additional fatalities or injuries.

Electric Shock Drowning facts - Boat US -3 minutes

Reason to sample close to a source during a mold investigation

Below grade abandoned electrical outlet

SAS 180 air sampler

Air sample in control area

Air sample in room using DG-18 Outside air and hallway control on right

Air samples below the floor DG-18

Indoor air samples for 100 liters were taken in a below grade room.  Occupants in the space reported a musty odor.  Air samples in the breathing zone did not find a problem.   Air samples below the floor had elevated levels of Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp.  Outside air sample 50 liters. 

Cell phone Infrared camera -FLIR One

FLIR-ONE infrared image of classroom just after students left - N. Carlson

The above image shows dark seats where students did not sit and purple colored seats where students were sitting at a class where I had just been a guest lecturer.

I am currently weighing the purchase of two low cost IR camera attachments. A FLIR One and a Seek thermal imager.  The models that can be used on some android phones and other models that can be used on most i-phones.  Because of the location of the charger on some android phones it will be necessary to use cord to allow camera to attach to the phone. The FLIR One needs a battery to operate the Seek does not.  The FLIR has better image quality with a wider field of view.  The Seek has a wider temperature range.

Amazon has the FLIR ONE Thermal Imager for Android available for less than $300.

FLIR-ONE versus SEEK infrared camera - 3 minutes

Jet air driers disperse viruses

Fortune Magazine reports on a study of virus dispersion comparing drying with warm air, drying with a towel and Jet air drying.    The mechanical energy provided by the jet air drier dispersed non infectious viral particles in the air 60 times more than warm air driers.  The safest method was a paper towel.  The warm air dryer distributed more viral particles than paper towels but less than the jet drying model.

Jet air drier particle distribution - TOMO news - 1 min.

Butanediol production from corn and sugar beet stover

Corn Stover

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a more efficient way of  first producing Tricarboxylic acid (TCA) from inedible lignocellulose parts of plants.  The TCA is then converted to butanediol (BDO)  The raw material of orange peels, corn or sugar beet stover are digested by modified E. coli bacteria in a 5 part process to produce butanediol  BDO.

Over a billion pounds of BDO containing spandex are produced each year for clothing and furniture.   The pathway could also be used to produce chicken feed and food additives.

An abstract of the article, Engineering nonphosphorylative metabolism to generate lignocellulose-derived products, appears in the Journal Nature Chemical Biology

Use of corn stover (leaves and stalks)  for cattle feed - 2 min. 

Optimizing the amount of corn stover removal for no-till agriculture - 3 min.

U of MN Duluth to receive Solar feasiblity Grants from NREL

Solar Panel at the UMD Bulldog Football Stadium

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will be providing solar feasibility grants to eight college campuses including the University of Minnesota Duluth.  As part of the Department of Energy's Sun Shot Initiative, NREL will assess possibilities and economic payback for the installation of photovoltaic cells on campus. This will also provide learning opportunities for students and faculty on campus.

DOE Sun Shot - SHINE initiative for Solar Power - 2 min. Jan. 2016.

Carbon dioxide deaths due to soda fountain cylinder leaks

image by Mikael Häggström

There will be changes to how building codes handle the location, monitoring and ventilation of carbon dioxide cylinder storage.  The changes are the result of fatalities at several locations where  carbon dioxide cylinders were venting into small spaces.  The carbon dioxide displaced the oxygen and death resulted.  For small restaurants, the cylinders can be located outside the building.  This may be a concern for larger buildings where the cylinders can not be stored outside.

Carbon dioxide should not be confused with carbon monoxide which is produced by incomplete combustion.  According to US OSHA the carbon monoxide 8 hour exposure limit is 50 ppm.  The eight hour exposure limit for carbon dioxide is 5,000 ppm.

Carbon dioxide connections inside an enclosure at a Sanford Florida McDonald's restaurants in January of 2005 led to the death of two individuals - Orlando Sentinel

In September of 2011 an 80 year old woman died in a bathroom in McDonald's in south Georgia due to a venting CO2 cylinder. - Reuters

Foldscope evaluation of suspected mold growth in records room

Suspected mold growth on drywall in a records storage area (photo - N. Carlson)

Close-up view of suspected mold growth (photo - N. Carlson)

Previous problems with leaks in this space caused suspected mold growth on the wall and pipe insulation in this records storage space.  3M Scotch Transparent Tease tape samples were taken from the surface.  The tape was placed on a microscope slide using clear fingernail polish as a mounting fluid.  Photos were taken with Foldscope microscope attached to a Samsung S-5 Cell phone.   Photos were cropped using Adobe Photoshop Elements 12. Click to enlarge photos.

Uncropped photo of Chaetomium spp. (N. Carlson

Cropped Foldscope image of Chaetomium spp. from wall (N. Carlson)

Cropped Foldscope image of Aspergillus spp. from wall (N. Carlson)

Suspected mold growth on pipe insulation in records storage area (photo - N. Carlson)

Cropped Foldscope image of Stachybotrys spp. (N. Carlson)