Indeed, mycotoxins don’t die, because …
Mycotoxins were never living organisms to begin with.
Mycotoxins are chemical substances deliberately produced by hazardous molds, mostly with the objective of inflicting damage. Why do molds produce mycotoxins?
Well molds have a great sense of survival and they will do whatever is necessary to safeguard their space, their food source and their existence.
Why do molds enter a defensive state and produce mycotoxins?
- Defense Mechanism — In response to threats from other microbes, mold synthesizes mycotoxins to keep the competition away. Consider it their declaration of territorial ownership.
- Competition for Resources – Mycotoxins keep other mold species and bacteria away to safeguard their food (dust) and habitat (damp or wet surface).
- Environmental Stressors: Variations in temperature, humidity, or nutrient availability may prompt mold to excrete mycotoxins as a survival mechanism.
It is crucial to acknowledge that mycotoxins may persist in your environment even after you’ve removed the mold from your house. This is why we recommend a detailed cleaning or “Bio Cleaning” after remediation. Mycotoxins are chemically very stable and will endure long after the mold has disappeared.
Mycotoxins burden the liver and kidneys, undermining your ability to eliminate toxins. This can cause a variety of symptoms even after the mold is gone. This underscores the significance of mycotoxin testing. Eliminating the sources of mold constitutes merely the initial element of the cleanup process. The second phase involves eliminating the byproducts disseminated by those sources within your residence (bacteria, beta glucans, mites, etc.).
For more information on testing your home for mold and mycotoxins, contact our office at 800-MY-AIR-TEST.
Above illustration courtesy of Mosaic Diagnostics, formerly Great Plains Laboratories