Office Suite of Minnesota Metropolitan School
Staff member had been suffering respiratory distress whenever working in the office at school. In door air quality studies over a 2 year period of time were unable to determine the cause.
Tamarack Environmental Inc., using micro vacuuming dust sampling techniques, identified elevated microbial levels in the carpet with the primary fungus present: Aspergillus versicolor. This fungus is known to cause upper respiratory infections and has been associated with occupational asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis reactions in office occupants.
Initial efforts to remove the fungus by vacuuming, followed by conventional hot water extraction, actually doubled the levels of the organism in the carpet.
A second attempt involved vacuuming the carpet and then applying a topical biocide, "Oxine", resulted in a 50% increase in microbial levels.
Subsequent treatment with CFR’s Altra 400 O-Z SP, using ozone to assist in the cleaning process, removed 93-99% of the viable spores from the carpet.
Conclusion:
Berglund & Associates believes that this study provides evidence that CFR’s "Ozone Assisted Cleaning" provides building owners/managers with a cost effective way to reduce microbial loading in carpet and gives them a new option to improve indoor air quality while maintaining clean carpet.
Saint Cloud, MN Elementary School
Students and teachers had been experiencing an "abnormal" amount of respiratory distress in the school environment.
Micro vacuuming dust sampling of the carpet, conducted by Tamarack Environmental Inc., in four of the fifteen rooms in the school, revealed elevated levels of fungi and bacteria when compared with other schools in the district. Fungi identified included Aureobasidium pullulans, Aspergillus niger, and Alternaria. All have been associated with occupational asthma and upper respiratory infections including hypersensitivity pneumonitis in office occupants.
Several conventional cleaning techniques including topical application of biocides were unsuccessful in reducing the fungal contamination.
Treatment with the CFR Altra 400 O-Z SP system using ozone to assist in the cleaning process removed 90% of the viable spores from the carpet.
Conclusion:
Berglund & Associates believe that this case study again shows that the CFR "Ozone Assisted Cleaning" system is a cost effective way to reduce microbial loading in carpet and provides school districts and others with a new option in the fight to improve Indoor Air Quality while maintaining clean carpet.
Big Lake, MN Elementary School
Concern over the proper way to clean carpet and maintain a healthy environment by the maintenance staff of the school led to a comparison of three methods:
1. Vacuuming with a micro efficient filter
2. Hot water extraction using a conventional carpet extraction system
3. "Ozone Assisted Cleaning" using the CFR Altra 400 O-Z SP
Micro vacuuming dust sampling in five classrooms, conducted by Tamarack Environmental Inc., revealed elevated levels of fungal spores including Alternaria, Rhodotorula, Cladosporium, and yeasts.
Vacuuming the carpet with a micro efficient filter reduced the fungal organisms by 37-48%.
Hot water extraction using a conventional carpet extractor removed 45-60% of the fungal organisms.
Cleaning with the CFR "Ozone Assisted Cleaning" system removed 75-80% of the viable fungal spores in the carpet.
Conclusion:
Berglund & Associates believe that this study provides additional evidence that the CFR "Ozone Assisted Cleaning" system is more effective in removing microbial contamination in carpets than other conventional techniques.
