NIOSH HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION REPORT 

HETA #2005-0126 and #2005-0138-3004 

International Marine Terminal 

Scotia Prince Cruises and Department of Homeland 

Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Portland, Maine 

May 2006 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
ii 

PREFACE

The Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch (HETAB) of the National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NI OSH) conducts field investigations of possible health hazards in the 

workplace. These investigations are conducted unde r the authorit y of Section 20(a)(6) of the 

Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. 669(a)(6) which authorizes the Secretary 

of Health and Hum an Services, following a writte n request from any employers or authorized 

representative of em ployees, to deter mine whether any substance normally found in t he place of 

employment has potentially toxic effects in such concentrations as used or found. 

HETAB also provides, upon request, technical and consultative assistance to federal, sta te, and local 

agencies; labor; industry; and other groups or indivi duals to control occupational health hazards and to 

prevent related trauma and disease. Mention of co mpany names or pro ducts does n ot constitute 

endorsement by NIOSH. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND AVAILABILITY OF REPORT

This report was prepared b y Gregory Thomas and Nancy Clark Burton of HETAB, Division of 

Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies (DSHEFS). Field assistan ce was provided by Ken 

Wallingford, Donnie Bo oher, Deborah Sammons, a nd Barbara MacKenzie. Analy tical support wa s 

provided by Ray Biagini (DART), Steve Vesper (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and P&K 

Laboratories, Cherry Hill, New Jersey . Desktop pu blishing was performed by Robin Smith. Editorial 

assistance was provided by Ellen Galloway. 

Copies of this report have been sent to employee and management representatives at IMT and the OSHA 

Regional Office. This report is not copyrighted and may be freely reproduced. The report may be viewed 

and printed from the following inter net address: http://www.cdc.gov/ni osh/hhe. Copies may be 

purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at 5825 Port Royal Road, Springfield, 

Virginia 22161. 

For the purpose of informing affected employees, copies of this report 

shall be posted by the employer in a prominent place accessible to the 

employees for a period of 30 calendar days.
iii 

Highlights of Health Hazard Evaluation 

Highlights of the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received management requests for health hazard 

evaluations (HHEs) at Scotia Prince Cruises (SPC) and the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) offices 

at the International Marine Terminal (IMT) in Portland, Maine. This request concerned possible health problems 

related to expo sure to mold in the IMT offices, which were leased from the city of Portland. The IMT was 

undergoing mold abatement during the investigations in March 2005.

What NIOSH Did

 We reviewed industrial hygiene reports and conducted 

walk-through surveys of the IMT building. 

 We collected air, bulk, and surface samples for mold 

in the IMT building. 

 We measured temperature, relative humidity, and 

carbon dioxide levels. 

 We conducted a similar surv ey at the U.S. Customs 

House, a building without a history of mold 

contamination also located in Portland, Maine, to 

serve as a comparison. 

 We analyzed blood samples from CBP, SPC and 

Customs House em ployees for the pr esence of 

StachylysinTM, a possible marker of exposure to 

Stachybotrys chartarum. 

 We administered questionnair es to emplo yees at all 

three sites to ob tain information about their work and 

medical history and possible bu ilding-related 

symptoms. 

What NIOSH Found

 The IMT building had visible signs of water incursion, 

bird roosting, and fungal growth in SPC and CBP 

areas. 

 Environmental evaluations of SPC areas of the IMT 

by contractors showed microbial contamination 

throughout that section of the building. 

 Our sampling showed fungal contaminatio n in the 

second floor SPC offices but not in other SPC areas 

that we tested. 

 Low levels of airborne fungi were found in the CBP 

section of the IMT after abatement. 

 Numerous fungi including Pencillium and 

Stachybotrys chartarum were fo und in bulk and dust 

samples, especially air filters, in the CBP section of 

the IMT. 

 SPC and CBP IMT employees had higher rates of 

respiratory complaints than Customs House 

employees (whose building was not moldy). 

 The StachylysinTM test did not distinguish between 

employees who worked in are as where Stachybotrys

was found and those who wo rked in areas where 

Stachybotrys was not found. 

What Scotia Prince Cruises and The U.S. Customs and 

Border Patrol Management with the City of Portland 

Can Do

 Install vapor b arriers between interior and exterior 

walls. 

 Seal holes in the building envelope. 

 Consult an eng ineering firm to evaluate grade and 

settling issues a nd ways to stop water from entering 

into the IMT building. 

 Improve ventilation in the CBP area. 

 Follow a routine m aintenance schedule fo r all 

ventilation systems. 

 Seal roof openings to prevent bir d roosting and water 

incursion. 

 Completely seal off the second floor of the IMT from 

the remainder of the building if it rem ains unremediated. This includes the ventilation system. 

 Implement an I EQ management plan for the IMT 

facility. 

What Employees Who Have Worked in the IMT 

Building Can Do 

 Report work-related h ealth concerns to the pr oper 

management officials. 

 Seek evaluation and care from an exper ienced 

occupational medicine ph ysician if you have Our 

sampling showed fungal contamination in the second 

floor SPC offices but not in oth er SPC areas th at we 

tested. 

What To Do For More Information:

We encourage you to read the full report. If you would like 

a copy, either ask your health and safety representative to 

make you a copy or call 1-513-841-4252 and ask for 

HETA Report #2005-0126; 2005-0138-3004
iv 

Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 

International Marine Terminal 

Portland, Maine 

May 2006 

Gregory Thomas, M.D. 

Nancy Clark Burton, M.P.H., M.S., C.I.H. 

SUMMARY

On February 14, 2005, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and H ealth (NIOSH) received a 

management request for a health hazard evaluation (HHE) at the offices of Scotia Prince Cruises (SPC) in 

the International Marine Ter minal (IMT) in Portland, Maine. Employees of Scotia Prince Cruises wer e 

concerned their respiratory and neur ologic symptoms might be related to m old exposure in the IM T 

building. An indoor environmental quality (IEQ) eval uation by a S PC consultant during t he summer of 

2004 revealed extensive fungal contamination of the SPC portion of the IMT, and employ ees were 

relocated in August 2004 to temporary offices. 

On February 16, 2005, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency , which is also housed in 

the IMT building, submitted a separate HHE request based on their concern ab out exposure to mold and 

water intrusion. On March 9–11, 2005, NIOSH investigators made an initial site visit of t he IMT. This 

visit included the collect ion of air, dust, and bul k samples for fungal anal yses, and environm ental 

measurements of hum idity, temperature, and car bon dioxide. Information c oncerning the ventilation 

systems was collected. Confidential interviews were conducted with the SPC and CBP employees. 

On March 2 9–30, 2005, NIOSH returned to the IMT to conduct further en vironmental testing and to 

complete the confidential interviews of the CBP em ployees. Blood was collected fr om the CBP 

employees for measurement of StachylysinTM, a possible marker of exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum. 

In addition, NIOSH performed an environmental assessment of the U.S. Customs House, another CBP 

site in Portland with no k nown history of fungal (m old) contamination in order to co mpare findings 

between employees exposed to mold and those not exposed to mold. Confide ntial interviews and blood 

collection for StachylysinTM were performed with the employees of the U.S. Customs House. Blood from 

some SPC employees that had been previously collected and stored by physicians in Maine and Maryland 

between September and November 2004, was obtain ed by NIOSH for Stachy lysinTM analysis because it 

was closer in time to when the employees occupied the building in August 2004. 

The SPC section of the I MT had sign s of ong oing water intrusion, pi geon roosting, and visible mold 

growth in wall cavities. Active fungal growth was noted in areas of the second floor by surface (tape) 

sampling. The CBP section of the IMT had sim ilar signs of water intrusion and pigeon roosting. Overall, 

in both portions of the IMT building, low levels of airborne fungi were noted. Most airborn e fungi were 

of the Basidiospore genus, common in water-damaged buildin gs. Settled dust sam ples revealed many 

types of fungi, including Penicillium chrysogenum. Microscopic analysis of tape sa mples and culturable 

air samples showed that Stachybotrys chartarum spores and numerous other fungi were present. The 

walk-through survey of the U.S. Customs House revealed no evidence of water intrusion. F ungal ranking 
v 

at the U.S. Customs House was found to be similar between indoor and outdoor samples and fungal levels 

overall were lower indoors than out doors, providing further evidence that there was no fungal 

contamination problem in the building. 

Among the SPC employees, the most commonly reported work-related sy mptoms were memory 

problems, irritability, and cough. The CBP-IMT wo rkers reported work-related sy mptoms of sinus 

problems, fatigue, concentration problem s, and irritability most frequently. SPC employ ees had 

statistically significantly greater rates of work-related cough, wheeze, irritated eyes, headaches, 

concentration and memory problems, irritability, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fever/sweats, body 

aches, sinus problems, fatigue, sore or dry throat, sneezing, dizziness, confusion, depression, and changes 

in sleep than Customs House employees. The CBP I MT group had higher rates of work-rel ated cough, 

shortness of breath, body aches, sinus problem s, fatigue, irritated/watery eyes, headaches, nosebleeds, 

sore or dry throat, sneezing, concentration proble ms, confusion, memory problems, irritability, and 

depression than Customs House employees but these differences were not statistically significant. 

Serum StachylysinTM concentrations exhibited poor reproducibility, with same sample mean coefficient of 

variation of 35.8%. Only one blood sample (from an SPC em ployee) was considered positive (greater 

than or equal to 41.4 nanogram per milliliter [ng/ml]) for StachylysinTM. Overall, neither the presence of 

StachylysinTM nor its concentrations correlated with our assessment of fungal exposure. 

NIOSH investigators documented ongoing wa ter incursion and subseque nt fungal 

contamination in the IMT building. Employees in the IMT had symptoms consistent with 

fungal exposure. Therefore, a health hazard did exist at the IM T building. The serum 

StachylysinTM test showed poor reproducibility when used in the field. Recommendations 

concerning remediation and the establishmen t of an IEQ management program are 

included in this report. 

Keywords: NAICS 483114 (Ferries), 9211 30 (Public Finance, Taxation, and Monet ary Policy), 

biological monitoring, StachylysinTM, ChrysolysinTM, mold, mold spores, moisture incursion, ventilation, 

IEQ, indoor environmental quality 
Table of Contents 

Preface..........................................................................................................................................................ii

Acknowledgments and Availability of Report..........................................................................................ii

Highlights of Health Hazard Evaluation .................................................................................................iii

Summary.....................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1

Background .................................................................................................................................................1

Facility Descriptions ...............................................................................................................................1

IMT ......................................................................................................................................................1

U.S. Customs House............................................................................................................................2

U.S. Customs Vehicle Inspection Building........................................................................................2

Review of Previous Indoor Environmental Quality and Health Complaint Evaluations of the 

IMT Building...........................................................................................................................................2

Methods........................................................................................................................................................3

Medical.....................................................................................................................................................3

Environmental Evaluation .....................................................................................................................3

StachylysinTM Assay ................................................................................................................................4

Evaluation Criteria .....................................................................................................................................4

Microbial Contamination.......................................................................................................................4

Mold .....................................................................................................................................................4

Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning .........................................................................................5

Carbon Dioxide ...................................................................................................................................6

Temperature and Relative Humidity ................................................................................................6

Results ..........................................................................................................................................................6

Medical Evaluation .................................................................................................................................6

Environmental Evaluation .....................................................................................................................7

SPC.......................................................................................................................................................7

CBP- IMT ............................................................................................................................................8

CBP Vehicle Inspection Building.......................................................................................................8

U. S. Customs House...........................................................................................................................9

Serum StachylysinTM Results .................................................................................................................9

Discussion/ Conclusions..............................................................................................................................9

Recommendations.....................................................................................................................................10

References..................................................................................................................................................12
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 1 

INTRODUCTION

On February 14, 2005, the National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

received a management request for a health 

hazard evaluation (HHE) at the offices of Scotia 

Prince Cruises (SPC) in the International Marine 

Terminal (IMT) in Portland, Maine. The request 

stated that staff had concerns about exposure to 

mold in their IMT offices. Employees reported a 

variety of health effects, including fatigue; 

sweats; body aches; weakness; sinus p roblems; 

photosensitivity; blurred vision and watery , 

irritated eyes; cough; shortness of breath; 

headache; vertigo; memory and concentration 

difficulty; numbness; tingling; and mood 

swings. On February 16, 2005, the U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection (CBP) agency , which is 

also housed in the IMT building, submitted a 

separate HHE request. 

After review of t he requests and telephone 

consultations with th e requesters and 

representatives of the Ci ty of Portland, a site 

visit was made on March 9, 20 05. An opening 

conference was held at the Portland City hall 

with the management and em ployee 

representatives of SPC, representativ es of the 

CBP (including their local uni on 

representatives), representatives of the City of 

Portland (including their general counsel), and 

representatives of t hree environmental 

consultant groups (two hi red by SPC and one 

hired by the City of Portland). Following the 

opening conference, a walk-throu gh tour of t he 

IMT was conducted. O n March 10, 200 5, 

confidential interviews were conducted with 

SPC and CBP employees. In a ddition, 

environmental sampling was performed in the 

IMT. Following the site visit, a closing 

conference was held in the Portland City Hall so 

that preliminary findings and recommendations 

could be communicated to all interested parties. 

On March 29, 2 005, NIOSH investigators 

returned to Portland for a follow-up evaluation. 

The purpose of this vi sit was to conduct 

confidential interviews w ith CBP e mployees 

absent on t he initial vi sit, collect additional 

environmental samples, and draw b lood for 

fungal hemolysin testing to field test a 

laboratory method developed to look fo r 

biomarkers of fungal exposure. In addition, an 

environmental survey, confidential int erviews, 

and blood sampling were performed at the U.S. 

Customs House, another CBP site in Portland 

with no known history of fungal contamination. 

BACKGROUND

Facility Descriptions 

IMT 

The IMT building was constructed in 1909 as a 

warehouse. It sits on the edge of the Portland 

Harbor on wooden supp orts. Both the CBP and 

SPC lease space in the I MT from the City of 

Portland and e mployed 10 and 15 workers, 

respectively. SPC operates a passenger and auto 

ferry between Portland , Maine and Yarmouth, 

Nova Scotia. The CBP officers are responsible 

for inspecting incoming international passengers 

and goods and have correspondi ng 

administrative duties. 

Originally, the IMT consisted of two separate 

buildings sharing a common ro of canopy. The 

“west” or “south” buil ding housed the SPC 

operational offices, ticke t office, and storage 

warehouse. The “east ” or “north” building 

contained two passenger boarding are as, SPC 

administrative offices, a tourism counter, the 

mailroom, and the CBP offices and inspection 

areas. The city started abatement of waterdamaged, moldy parts of the IMT building (the 

“east” or “north” building) in October 2004. In 

January 2005, the City of Portland dem olished 

the “west” or “south” IMT building because of 

structural deficiencies related to water incursion. 

The current IMT building is divided into two 

areas (the SPC area and the CBP area). The SPC 

area consists of two large open passenger areas 

with a two-story office and administrative space 

between the open areas. The south passenger 

area has a drop ceiling and the north passenge r 

area is open to the roof deck. There is also a 

banking area in one corner that consists of a 

secure metal room with a single win dow air 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 2 

conditioning unit that provides ventilation to the 

area. With the exception of the office a nd bank 

areas, planned m old abatement of this SPC 

space was approximately two thirds com plete at 

the time of the first NIOSH site visit and was not 

occupied by the SPC staff. 

The SPC space is ventil ated by thre e heating, 

ventilating, and air-condi tioning (HVAC) units 

located on the second floor. These HVAC units 

are part of a constant air volume (CAV) system 

that provides at l east 10% outside air. The 

outside air intakes for thes e units are located on 

the outside of the building over the can opy roof 

facing the parking lot. The units had undergone 

routine maintenance work in the winter of 200 5, 

including cleaning and fiberglass filter 

replacement. Gas-fired heating units are 

suspended from the c eiling of the SPC area to 

provide additional heating. In 2000, a portion of 

the exterior walls w as replaced by a sealed 

concrete surface over a corrugated metal surface 

with fiberglass insulation between the exterior 

walls and sheet rock. 

The CBP area has perimeter offices and a large 

open public area in t he center with two 

entryways on either side o f the building. Fungal 

growth in the exterior walls of the CBP side was 

abated in the winter of 2005 prior t o the first 

NIOSH site visit. The main office area is served 

by four fan coil units (FC Us) located along t he 

perimeter walls. The units have perm anent 

plastic matrix filters designed to be cleaned and 

reused. The air intakes for these units are located 

on the o utside harbor s ide of the building 

approximately one foot from large flower 

planters. Gas-fired heating units are suspended 

from the cei ling of the CBP area to provide 

additional heating. The CBP offi ces are 

carpeted, and the public area has v inyl tile 

flooring. Two CBP offices in the fro nt of the 

building are not mechanically ventilated. 

U.S. Customs House 

The U.S. Customs House is located a few blocks 

from the IM T. It has no significant history of 

water incursion or m old problems, and was 

chosen by NIOSH investigators as a com parison 

to the IMT based on locat ion and sim ilarity of 

workforce duties for the CBP. It was built i n 

1871 and is being full y restored and updated to 

comply with current building codes. The 

ventilation system for this building consists of a 

geothermal hot water system for heating, and 

traditional air-conditioning for cooling. 

Some staff of the U.S. Customs House use a 

separate parking garage st orage area across the 

street for paper record storage and spend up to 3 

hours per d ay at this l ocation. There is no 

mechanical ventilation system in this storage 

area. 

U.S. Customs Vehicle Inspection 

Building 

The U.S. Custo ms staff uses a small two-story 

office building in the pa rking lot of the IMT 

while performing vehicle inspections in the 

summer. At the time of the NIOSH site visit, the 

building was not staffed. The buildin g has a 

history of pipes freezing and breaking during the 

winter. The building has an ele ctric airconditioning and heating system. 

Review of Previous Indoor 

Environmental Quality and 

Health Complaint Evaluations of 

the IMT Building 

Employee health complaints attributed to the 

deteriorated condition of the IMT building 

prompted SPC to hire Environmental 

Management, Inc. (EMI) to perform an indo or 

environmental quality (IEQ) evaluation of both 

IMT buildings during July/August 2004. This 

consultant identified extensive funga l 

contamination within the buildings, i ncluding 

Penicillium and Stachybotrys chartarum. 

Elevated levels of these fungi com pelled SPC to 

evacuate the building on August 23, 2004. The 

City of Portland contracted its own IEQ 

consultant, Turner Building Science, LLC, who 

released a report concerni ng the IMT i n August 

2004. The Turner Building Science report 

detailed evidence of moisture incursion and 

mold growth in bot h sections of the IMT 

building, with the heaviest growth along the 

walls that faced the harbor. They found evidence 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 3 

of bird roost ing, moisture damage around the 

edges of the doorwa ys, and mold growth in the 

interior wall cavities. 

In early fall 2004, abatement efforts were begun 

on the “east” or “north” IMT building. During 

this process, SPC continued to function at a 

reduced capacity out of trailers in the IMT 

parking lot. In September and October 2004, 

SPC employees were evaluated by a local 

physician, and blood was drawn t o assess 

exposure to mold and ot her compounds that 

might be found in the I MT environment. In 

November 2004, all SPC em ployees went to a 

physician in Maryland for evaluation of possible 

mold-related illnesses. This phy sician collected 

blood from the SPC em ployees, part of which 

was used for testing and the re mainder frozen 

for possible future testing. The CBP staff 

remained in the IMT building during the 

abatement process and none sought medical 

care. 

METHODS

Medical 

Private interviews were conducted using a 

questionnaire either in pe rson or b y telephone 

with SPC, CBP, and U.S. Customs House 

employees. The interviews focused on job 

history, overall health, respiratory and allergy 

history, and any symptoms perceived to be 

building related. Questionnaire dat a were 

analyzed using SAS so ftware Version 8 .2. 

Between group differences in sy mptom 

prevalence were analyzed using the Fisher’ s 

Exact Test. Findings with a p-value less than or 

equal to 0. 05 were cons idered statistically 

significant. 

After obtaining inform ed consent from CBP 

employees at the IMT and U.S. Customs House, 

we drew blood sam ples. With their consent, we 

obtained the stored bloo d samples from SPC 

employees collected between Septe mber and 

November 2004. These blood sam ples were 

tested for St achylysinTM, a potential biomarker 

of exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum, a fungus 

found in t he IMT. Ad ditional testing was 

planned for ChrysolysinTM, a potential 

biomarker for Penicillium chrysogenum, another 

fungus found in the IMT, but this test was not 

completed due to ongoing analytical issues. The 

NIOSH Human Subject Review Board reviewed 

and approved all aspects of the medical 

evaluation. 

Environmental Evaluation 

Prior environmental sampling reports 

concerning the IMT buil ding were reviewed . 

Environmental samples were collected in the 

IMT, U.S. Customs House, U.S. Customs House 

storage, and the vehicle inspections building. 

During the f irst site visit on March 1 0, 2005, 

eight sticky tape samples for microscopic fungal 

analysis were collected i n the SPC area fro m 

ventilation grilles and wall surfaces, and two 

sticky tape samples were collected from the two 

FCU filters in the CBP a rea. Three bulk dust 

samples were collected f rom the F CUs in the 

CBP area and were cultured for fungi using corn 

meal agar (CMA) and malt extract agars (MEA). 

A smoke tube was us ed to visualize airflow 

patterns within the bui lding and t o assess 

pressurization with respect to the outside. A 

TRAMEX Moisture Encounter meter was used 

to qualitatively assess the interior wall moisture 

levels. 

During the second site visit, a more detailed 

environmental evaluation was conducted. Air 

sampling using Andersen N-6 sam plers with 

MEA agar plates at 28.3 liters per minute (Lpm) 

was performed at three indoor l ocations in the 

CBP area and near the outside air intakes. 

Similar sampling was perfor med at the U.S. 

Customs House at two indoor and one outdoor 

location. Spore trap s amples were collected 

using Air-o-Cell® samplers at 15 Lpm at the 

same sampling locations. Three additional air 

samples were collected at the C BP location 

using an SKC Inhalable ButtonTM Sampler with 

a 2.0-micrometer pore size pol ycarbonate filter 

at 3.5 Lpm. These samples were analyzed using 

quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). 

The PCR an alysis panel includes 35 species of 

fungi commonly associated with water-damaged 

indoor environments as patented b y the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 4 

(http://www.epa.gov/nerlcwww/moldtech.htm). 

Five dust sam ples were collected using a filter 

“sock” with a high effi ciency particulate air 

(HEPA) vacuum. Three sam ples were fro m 

areas where water incursion was known to have 

occurred in the CBP-IMT section, and two were 

from occupied are as in the U. S. Customs 

House. These samples were analyzed using the 

same standardized quantitative PCR technique. 

The PCR an alyses were conducted by the U.S. 

EPA in Cincinnati, Ohio. Two sticky tape 

samples were collect ed of filter dust from the 

U.S. Customs House. Measurements o f carbon 

dioxide (CO2 ), temperature, and relative 

humidity were made throughout the workday 

using TSI Q-TrakTM Indoor A ir Quality 

monitors. 

StachylysinTM Assay 

StachylysinTM enzyme-linked immunosorbent 

assays (ELISAs) w ere performed (with some 

modification) by the ELI SA II method (1-day, 

4°C incubation of sample with antibody) of Van 

Emon, et al.1

 Microtiter plates (NUNC Maxisorb 

microplates [Nalgene, Naperville, IL] ) were 

coated with 100 m icroliters (μl) of 250 ng/m l 

stachylysin-bovine serum conjugate in coating 

buffer (0.1 M carbonate-bicarbonate b uffer, pH 

9.6 Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, M O) and 

incubated overnight at 4°C. 2,3 After incubation, 

the coated plates w ere washed three times with 

phosphate-buffered saline-0.05% Tween 20 

(PBST, Sigma). Standards of 11 different 

concentrations of stachy lysin-BSA (0 to 62.5 

ng/ml) diluted in 1: 20 diluted (PBST) 

commercially available human sera o r diluted 

(1:20 in PBST) subject sera (in triplicate) were 

mixed with affinit y-purified rabbit antistachylysin IgG ( Bethyl Larboratories, 

Montgomery, TX) diluted 1:20,000 in PBST) in 

test tubes and incubated at 4 °C for 2 4 hours. 

Two-hundred μl of the in cubated standards or 

sera mixtures were added to the wells of a 

previously coated microtiter plate and incubated 

for 2 hours at 23°C with shaking. The plates 

were washed three times with PBST and 100 μl 

(diluted 1:1200 in PBST) of goat anti-rabbit IgG 

alkaline phosphatase conj ugate (Sigma) added. 

The plates were again incubated for 2 hours at 

23°C with shaking and wa shed three times with 

PBST. One-hundred μ l of alkaline ph osphatase 

substrate (SIGMAFASTTM p-nitrophenyl 

phosphate reconstituted in distilled w ater) was 

added to the wells and incubated (with shaking) 

for 21 minutes at room temperature. The optical 

density (OD) of the y ellow p-nitrophenol was 

read at 405 nm (Molecular Devices SpectraMax 

190 plate reader). Sam ples were run in two 

batches three times independentl y. 

StachylysinTM concentration was inversely 

proportional to OD. 

Standard curves were co nstructed. A one way 

analysis of variance (ANO VA) (SigmaStat, 

Systat) was used to inve stigate whether there 

were any significant differences in standard 

curve versus sample responses or in interpolated 

values between triplicates. Seru m samples 

having a Stachy lysinTM concentration greater 

than the m ean value of the com parison group 

plus two standard deviati ons were co nsidered 

positive based on the analytical limit of 

quantification. A type 1 e rror level of p <0.05 

was considered statistically significant. 

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Microbial Contamination 

Exposure to microbes is not unique to the indoor 

environment. No environment, indoors or out, is 

completely free fro m microbes, not even a 

surgical operating room . Nevertheless, media 

reports and so me scientific studies hav e 

suggested an association between building 

occupant symptoms and indo or fungi (mold), 

bacteria, or endotoxin concentrations. 

Remediation of m icrobial contamination may 

improve IEQ conditions even though a specific 

cause-effect relationship is not de termined. 

NIOSH investigators rout inely recommend the 

remediation of observed m icrobial 

contamination and the c orrection of situations 

that are fav orable for microbial growth and 

bioaerosol dissemination. 

Mold 

The types and severity of sy mptoms related to 

exposure to mold in the indo or environment 

depend in part on the extent of the m old present, 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 5 

the extent of the individu al’s exposure, and the 

susceptibility of individuals (for exam ple, 

whether they have pre- existing allergies or 

asthma). In general, excessive exposure to fungi 

may produce health problems by several primary 

mechanisms, including: (1) alle rgy or 

hypersensitivity, (2) infection, and (3) toxic 

effects. Additionally, molds produce a variety of 

volatile organic co mpounds, the most common 

of which is ethanol. 

Allergic responses are the most common type of 

health problem associated with exposure to 

molds. These health problems may include 

sneezing; itching of the nose, eyes, mouth, or 

throat; nasal stuffiness and runny nose; and red, 

itchy eyes. Repeated or single exposur e to mold 

or mold spores may cause previously nonsensitized individuals to beco me sensitized. 

Molds can tr igger asthma symptoms (shortness 

of breath, wheezing, cough) in persons who ar e 

allergic to m old. A recent review of the 

scientific literature concluded that exposure to 

molds in the indoor environment may make preexisting asthma worse, but also concl uded that 

there was n ot enough evidence to d etermine 

whether exposure to mold in the indoor 

environment could cause asthma.4

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is another 

allergic response that has developed in people 

following extensive short-term (acute) or longterm (chronic) exposure t o molds. It i s a very 

rare illness, which may resemble bacterial 

pneumonia, and typically involves respiratory 

symptoms (such as cough, wheezing, or 

shortness of breath) as well as other sy mptoms 

(such as extreme fatigue and low-grade fever). 

People with weakene d immune systems 

(immune-compromised or immune-suppressed 

individuals) may be more vulnerable to 

infections by m olds. For example, Aspergillus

fumigatus, a mold that has been found on almost 

every substrate, has been known t o infect the 

lungs of immune-compromised individuals after 

inhalation of the airborne spores. 5

 Healthy 

individuals are usually not vulne rable to 

infections from airborne mold exposure. 

Recently, there has bee n increased concern 

related to exposure to specific molds that 

produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. 

Illness associated with exposures (fro m 

inhalation and/or skin contact) to mycotoxins in 

agricultural or industrial environm ents has been 

reported. However, there is currently no 

conclusive evidence of a link between 

mycotoxin exposure in th e indoor environm ent 

and human illness.6, 7, 8 It i s important to no te 

that many molds can potentially produce toxins 

given the right conditions. 

No exposure guidelines fo r mold in air exist, so 

it is not poss ible to distinguish between “safe ” 

and “unsafe” levels of exposure. Nevertheless, 

the potential for health problems is an important 

reason to prevent indoor mold growth and to 

remediate any indoor mold contamination. 

Moisture intrusion along with nutrient sources 

such as building m aterials or furnishings allows 

mold to grow indo ors, so it is important to keep 

the building interior and furnishings dry. NIOSH 

concurs with the EPA’s reco mmendations to 

remedy mold conta mination in ind oor 

environments (www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/mold_ 

remediation.html). 

Heating, Ventilating, and Air 

Conditioning 

One of the m ost common deficiencies in the 

indoor environment is the im proper operation 

and maintenance of ven tilation systems and 

other building components.9

 NIOSH 

investigators have found correcting HVA C 

problems often reduces reported symptoms. The 

majority of studies of ventilation rates and 

building occupant symptoms have shown that 

rates below 10 liters per second per person 

(Ls-1/person) (which equates to 20 cubic feet per 

minute per person [cfm/person]), are associated 

with one or more health symptoms.10 Moreover, 

higher ventilation rates, from 10 Ls-1/person up 

to 20 Ls -1/person, have been associ ated with 

further significant decreases in the prevalence of 

symptoms.10 Thus, improved HVAC operation 

and maintenance, higher ventilation rates, and 

comfortable temperature and RH can al l 

potentially serve to im prove symptoms without 

ever identifying any specific cause-effect 

relationships. When conducting an IEQ survey , 

NIOSH investigators often m easure ventilation 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 6 

and comfort indicators, such as CO 2, 

temperature, and RH to provide inf ormation 

relative to the functioning and control of HVAC 

systems. 

Carbon Dioxide 

CO2 is a nor mal constituent of exhaled breath 

and is not considered a building air pol lutant. It 

is an indicator of whether sufficient quantities of 

outdoor air are being introduced into an 

occupied space. Ho wever, CO2 is not an 

effective indicator of ventilation adequacy if the 

ventilated area is not occ upied at its usual level 

at the ti me the CO2 is mea sured. ASHRAE 

recommends an indoor CO2 concentration within 

700 ppm of the outdo or concentration for 

comfort (odor) reasons. 11 Elevated CO 2

concentrations suggest that othe r indoor 

contaminants may also be increased. If CO 2

concentrations are elevated, the amount of 

outdoor air introduced into the ventilated space 

needs to be increased. ASHRAE’s most recently 

published ventilation standard, ANSI/ASHRAE 

62.1-2004: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor 

Air Quality, recommends outdoor ai r supply 

rates of 17 cfm/person for office sp aces and 

libraries, 13 to 15 cfm /person for c lassrooms 

(depending on the students’ age), 7 cfm/person 

for reception areas, an d 5 cfm /person for 

auditoriums.11

Temperature and Relative 

Humidity 

Temperature and RH measurements are often 

collected as part of an IEQ investigation because 

these parameters affect the perce ption of 

comfort in an in door environment. The 

perception of thermal comfort is related to one’s 

metabolic heat production, the transfer of heat to 

the environment, physiological adjustments, and 

body temperature.12 Heat transfer from the body 

to the environment is influenced by factors such 

as temperature, humidity, air movement, 

personal activities, and clothi ng. The 

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2004: Thermal 

Environmental Conditions for Human 

Occupancy, specifies conditions in which 80% 

or more of the occupants would be ex pected to 

find the environm ent thermally acceptable.13

Assuming slow air movement and 50% RH, the 

operative temperatures recommended by 

ASHRAE range from 68.5°F to 76°F in t he 

winter, and from 75°F to 80.5°F in the s ummer. 

The difference between the two is largely due to 

seasonal clothing selection. ASHRA E also 

recommends maintaining RH at or below 65%.11

Increased humidity can prom ote the e xcessive 

growth of microorganisms and dust mites. 

RESULTS

Medical Evaluation 

One hundred percent (15/15) of the SPC 

employees were interviewed; four by telephone 

and the rest in person. Stored blood samples 

were available for eleven of these fifteen. One 

hundred percent (10/10) of the CBP em ployees 

working in the IMT were interviewed in person. 

Blood samples were collected fro m all ten . 

Seventy-five percent (15/20) of CBP e mployees 

at the U.S. Customs House were interviewed in 

person and gave blood samples. 

The demographic characteristics of t he three 

employee groups are listed in Table 1. The 

average age for SPC, CBP IMT, and CBP U.S. 

Customs House employees was 39, 46, and 54 

years, respectively. Average job duration at the 

IMT for SPC and CBP was 47 m onths, while at 

the U.S. Custo ms House it was 134 m onths. 

There were m ore smokers am ong SPC 

employees than CBP. 

Atopy is the genetic predisposition to develop 

the classical allergic diseases, which are allergic 

rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis or eczema. 

Forty-seven percent (7/15) of interviewed SPC 

employees reported a history of allergic rhinitis, 

eczema, and/or asth ma, and thus would be 

considered atopic. The CBP IMT and the U.S. 

Customs House groups had a prevalence of 

atopy of 30% and 43%, respectively . There was 

no statistically significant difference i n atopy 

prevalence between the three groups. 

Symptoms that were reported to be bett er when 

off work or since evacuating the IMT building 

were characterized as work-related. Of note, 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 7 

most SPC e mployees reported no change in 

symptoms after evacuating the IMT, but did 

acknowledge an im provement in symptoms 

following treatment by the phy sician in 

Maryland. These symptoms are also reported as 

work-related. 

Table 2 c ompares work-related symptom 

prevalence between the three groups. Among the 

SPC employees, the most common work-related 

symptoms reported were memory problems 

(71%); irritability (71%); cough (71%), wheeze 

(64%), eye irritation (64%), sinus com plaints 

(64%); difficulty concentrating (64%); fatigue 

(64%), and s neeze (62%). SPC e mployees had 

statistically significantly higher rates of workrelated cough, wheeze, chest tightness, shortness 

of breath, fe ver or sweats, body aches, sinus 

problems, fatigue, itchy or watery eyes, 

headaches, sore or dry throat, sneezing, 

dizziness, concentration and memory problems, 

confusion, irritability, depression, and change in 

sleep patterns than tho se in the U.S. Customs 

House. 

SPC employees also had statistically significant 

higher rates of work-related cough, wheeze, 

fever/sweats, chest tightness, itchy or watery 

eyes, dizziness, memory problems, and sleep 

disturbances than the CBP IMT employees did. 

Rates of irrit ability, depression, and change in 

appetite were also highe r but the di fferences 

were not statistically significant. 

CBP IMT e mployees reported m ore workrelated cough, sinus problems, headache, itch y 

or watery eyes, sore or dry throat, confusion, and 

concentration problems than U.S. Customs 

House employees but these differences were not 

statistically significant. 

Twenty-seven percent (4/15) of SPC em ployees 

had a history of asthma but three were childhood 

onset and no t affected by exposure to the IMT 

building. The fourth indiv idual had adult-onset 

asthma and did experience a wor sening of 

symptoms when in the IMT. There were no 

individuals with a history of asthma in the CBP 

IMT group. The U.S. Customs House group had 

two asthmatics, both adult onset, and neither 

were affected by exposure to the workplace. 

Environmental Evaluation 

SPC 

During the walk-through inspection of the IMT, 

the following concerns were noted: 

 visible ice form ation around two 

windows on the harbor side of the 

building in the open ceiling area 

 an active leak from the roof onto the 

carpeting next to the sta irwell on th e 

second floor of the SPC over the abated 

portion of the first floor 

 dirty supply air grilles in the central SPC 

area 

 water stains on the wood underneath the 

HVAC systems, and signs of leakage 

into the occupied space below 

 rainwater entering the building under the 

entry doors 

 pigeons actively roosting in the stairwell 

area 

 visible mold growth in the wall cavities 

 water leakage around t he first floor 

windows facing the harbor. High 

moisture readings were observed for the 

interior walls in this area 

 low moisture readings were noted for 

walls on the second floor. This included 

the office fa cing the harbor, wall near 

HVAC units, stairwell, and m iddle 

office 

 visible corrosion of m etal studs alon g 

the exposed outside walls in the SPC 

area 

 no visual evidence of a moisture barrier 

in the walls 

Tape sample results for all locations are shown 

in Table 3. Fungal contamination was identified 

in the wall cavity in the second-floor lunch room 

(Penicillium and Chaetomium) and m iddle 

office ceiling tile samples ( Alterneria) for the 

second floor of the SPC section. No fungi were 

found on the other six tape sam ples in the SPC 

area. Prior sampling data collected for this 

portion of the building showed extensive 

microbial contamination both within t he interior 

air space and inside wall cavities. 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 8 

CBP- IMT 

The walk-through inspection of the C BP-IMT 

area revealed the following concerns: 

 electrical safety problems from water 

incursion under the exterior harbor-sid e 

wall and both exterior doors 

 evidence of pigeon roosting 

 leaks from holes in the roof 

 the FCU nearest the harbor exterior door 

had operating instructions lying in the 

condensate drain pan. The pap er 

instructions had heav y microbial 

contamination, which was likely 

disseminated into the occupied area 

when the unit was operating 

 leakage around the o verhead heating 

unit in the open public processing are a 

from the flue opening in the roof 

 air flow patterns showed li ttle if any air 

moving in the front offices that wer e 

used for interviews 

 the men’s restroom exhaust fan was not 

working 

 wet carpeting in the previousl y-abated 

office area that faced the harbor 

Table 4 presents the PCR air sample results for 

the CBP section of the IMT building. Low levels 

of fungi were detected, with the exception of one 

sample taken at the side wall filing cabinet near 

where the water was found entering the building. 

Higher levels of f ungi, specifically Penicillium 

crustosum were detected here. 

Table 5 shows the r esults of the fi ve PCR 

vacuum dust sam ples taken at all locations. 

Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus 

versicolor, and Eurotium Amstelodami were 

found in the three PCR vacuum samples of 

carpeting, along with low levels of several other 

fungi. Sticky tape samples docu mented high 

levels of Stachybotrys chartarum contamination 

on the CBP FCU that contained the instructions 

(Table 3). 

Fungal growth was identified on all thr ee bulk 

samples (Table 6) from the FCU filters. MEA 

media is a general growth media for fungi 

associated with damp environments, and CMA 

media is used to enhance the growth of 

organisms such as Stachybotrys that prefer a 

cellulose-based material. Alterneria, 

Basidiomycetes, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, 

Penicillium, Stachybotrys, and Paecilomyces 

were among the species identified. 

The spore trap air sample results (Table 7) show 

that Basidiospores, Aspergillus/Penicillium,

Ascospores, and Cladosporium were found in all 

samples. The concentrations were lower indoors 

than outdoors, but the Basidiospores ranking 

was higher indoors. 

Table 8 presents the results of air sampling using 

an Andersen N-6 sam pler. The colon y counts 

were slightly lower in doors than outdoors. 

Basidiospores were the predom inant genera 

identified on all sam ples. Rhodotorula glutinis, 

Aspergillus versicolor, and a few oth er fungi 

were found indoors but not outdoors. 

Figure 1 shows the range of CO2 concentrations 

in the CBP area. CO 2 ranged from 490 to 1 030 

ppm in the morning and from 545 to 860 ppm in 

the afternoon on March 1 0, 2005. CO2 levels in 

the front office a rea were near the 

ANSI/ASHRAE-recommended maximum 

concentration of 700 ppm plus outdo or 

concentration (350 ppm ) in the morning. The 

remaining CO2 concentrations were within 

acceptable ranges according to the 

ANSI/ASHRAE guidelines. Figure 2 presents 

the temperature ranges (7 0°F to 75°F) obtained 

during the same time frame. These temperatures 

are considered in the acceptable range in 

conjunction with a RH o f 50%. Figure 3 gi ves 

the relative humidity ranges (13%-18%) for the 

sampling period. These values are fairly low but 

not uncommon during the heating season. 

CBP Vehicle Inspection Building 

In the CBP vehicle inspection building, there 

was visible e vidence of water incursion on the 

ceiling tiles on both levels and aroun d exterior 

windows. Three tape samples were collected in 

the small v ehicle inspection buildi ng where 

visible water incursion had occurred (Table 3). 

No fungal structures wer e identified on these 

samples. 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 9 

U. S. Customs House 

The U.S. Customs Ho use had no visible 

evidence of water incursion. To make th e 

fiberglass filters fit into the ventilation units, the 

filters were bent, which dam aged the filter and 

allowed unfiltered air to flow around t he filter 

into the room air. Two tape samples collected on 

the filters in two U.S. Custom House ventilation 

units showed no evidence of fungal growth. The 

two vacuum dust sa mples (Table 5) revealed 

predominantly Eurotium amstelodami and 

Penicillium chrysogenum.

The spore trap air sample results (Table 7) show 

that Basidiospores, Ascospores, 

Aspergillus/Penicillium, and Cladosporium were 

found in all spore trap samples, with 

concentrations indoors slightl y lower than 

outdoors. Fungal ranking was sim ilar between 

the indoor and outdoor samples. 

Table 8 presents the results of air sampling using 

an Andersen N-6 sam pler. The colon y counts 

were much lower indoors than outdo ors. 

Basidiospores were present indoors and 

outdoors, as was Cladosporium. Penicillium was 

identified indoors but not outdoors. 

The garage storage area had water leaking along 

the ceiling edges of the room , and there wer e 

visible water stains on s ome of the storage 

boxes. Two tape sa mples (Table 3) were 

collected in the undergro und parking storage 

area for microscopic analysis for fungal growth. 

One tape showed no evidence of growth. The 

other tape collected on t he top woo den shelf 

under a visible ceiling leak showed some 

evidence of Aspergillus growth. 

Serum StachylysinTM Results 

The StachylysinTM assay exhibited excellent 

linearity. A plot of the observed concentration of 

StachylysinTM versus the concentration of 

StachylysinTM added to the system showed an R2 

value of 0 .989 and a slope of 0.99 9. 

Reproducibility of t he standards was excellent 

with a triplicate intra- assay coefficient of 

variation (CV) of 5.1 and an inter-assay CV of 

6.4 for the six standard curves. 

The limit of detection (LOD) of the assay was 

0.15 ng/ml, which, when adjusted for the 1:20 

sera dilution used in measuring samples, was 3.0 

ng/ml StachylysinTM. StachylysinTM sera 

concentrations, measured in all employ ees, 

ranged from non-detectable (ND) to 46 .8 ng/ml 

(Table 9). H owever, the mean CV for sera of 

exposed individuals was 35.8, much greater than 

that of the standards triplicates. Be cause of this 

high CV, o ur subsequent cut-off for la beling a 

test as positive was 41.4 ng/ml. Based on this 

cut-off, only one sa mple was posit ive. The 

source for th is one positi ve StachylysinTM test 

was an SPC e mployee. The mean StachylysinTM 

concentration for CBP-IMT and U.S. Customs 

House employees were 14.2 ng/ml (range: ND29.5 ng/ml) and 20 .5 ng/ml (range: 9.1-3 8.9 

ng/ml), respectively. The mean StachylysinTM 

concentration for SPC e mployees 3-8 weeks 

after leaving the IMT was 6.6 ng/ml (range: ND22.2 ng/ml), and 10- 12 weeks after leaving t he 

IMT was 9.6 ng/ml (range: ND-46.8 ng/ml). The 

ChrysolysinTM assay is still under development. 

If the laboratory assay work provides a 

functional test, the stored sera samples will be 

analyzed, and this report will be amended. 

DISCUSSION/

CONCLUSIONS

There is evidence that widespread and ongoing 

water incursion has occurred in many areas of 

the IMT resulting in substantial microbial 

growth. The current abat ement work does not 

address the underl ying problem of no moisture 

barriers in the exterior walls. The presence of 

Basidiospores (commonly associated with wood 

rot) was not unexpected because the building is 

sitting on w ooden piers in the water. These 

microorganisms were also the predom inant 

species in sampling conducted by past 

consultants. The results of the envir onmental 

sampling performed by NIOSH in the IMT 

building showed residual fungal contamination. 

Stachybotrys chartarum spores were detected in 

one CBP FC U. The abat ement work that has 

been completed removed much of the visible 

mold but did not address the underl ying water 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 10 

incursion problems. The walk-throug h survey 

identified areas in the IMT roof that still allowed 

water incursion and acce ss for birds. Signs of 

water damage were identified throughout the 

IMT, vehicle inspection, and parking buildings. 

SPC and CB P IMT e mployees reported workrelated symptoms consistent with those known 

to occur in damp and/or moldy buildings. In the 

2004 report, “Damp Indoor Spaces and Health,” 

the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found sufficient 

evidence of an as sociation between mold or 

dampness indoors and nasal and throat 

symptoms, asthma symptoms in s ensitized 

asthmatics, wheeze, cough, and HP in 

susceptible persons.4

 The IOM found limited or 

suggestive evidence of a n association between 

lower respiratory illness in healthy children and 

damp indoor spaces. Ther e was inadequate or 

insufficient evidence to determine whether an 

association exists between dyspnea, airflow 

obstruction in health y persons, mucous 

membrane irritation, skin sy mptoms, COPD, 

asthma development, inhalation fevers in n onoccupational settings, fatigue, cancer, 

reproductive effects, neurops ychiatric effects, 

lower respiratory illness i n healthy adults, GI 

problems, rheumatologic or imm une problems, 

or acute idiopathic pulm onary hemorrhage in 

infants. No health conditions met the level of 

evidence for causation. Rec ently, a s mall 

number of published rep orts implicated molds 

and mycotoxins in indoo r environments as a 

cause of chr onic toxic e ncephalopathy (CTE). 

However, these studies ha ve been reviewed by 

the IOM, which conclude d there is insufficient 

evidence that mold or other agents in damp 

indoor environments cause neuropsy chiatric 

disease. We also reviewed this literature and 

concur with the IOM. Ho wever, interest in this 

topic is high and research is ongoing. 

SPC and CBP IMT employees had higher rates 

of respiratory s ymptoms than the CBP U.S. 

Customs House employees did, which is 

consistent with exposure to a b uilding with 

extensive water damage and microbial 

contamination. One e mployee experienced 

asthma exacerbations. We found that SPC 

employees had significantly higher rates of most 

symptoms than either of the CBP e mployees 

groups did, despite the CBP-IMT em ployees 

being co-located with S PC employees. One 

potential explanation is that the SPC and CBP 

IMT employees could have different levels or 

types of exposure. The SPC and CBP portions of 

the IMT were supplied by different HVAC 

systems. SPC employees worked in the now 

demolished west (south) b uilding, which 

according to earlier consultant reports may have 

had more severe wate r damage than the 

remaining IMT building. 

The use of the current Stachy lysinTM assay as a 

biomarker of internal exp osure to Stach ybotrys 

chartarum is limited by its lack o f 

reproducibility. In additi on, the assay does not 

appear to correlate well with environm ental 

sampling measurements of exposure. Until these 

issues are resolved, the assay does not seem 

useful in investigations of Stachy botrys 

chartarum exposure. The StachylysinTM assay 

results exhibited high same sam ple variability. 

Van Emon et al. reported that rats exposed via 

nasal instillation to the same dose of 

Stachybotrys chartarum conidia exhibited 

significant variations in serum StachylysinTM 

concentrations. The highest StachylysinTM group 

mean occurred in the com parison group (U.S. 

Customs House) expected to have the lowest 

rate of mold exposure. However, the lower 

levels of StachylysinTM found in the S PC group 

may have resulted in part fro m the 3-12 week 

delay between last exposure an d blood 

collection. The CBP IMT e mployees were still 

working in the building at the time their blood 

was drawn. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following reco mmendations are based on 

the observations of NIOSH investigators during 

the course of the H HE. Most of these 

recommendations were discussed at the closing 

conference. Additional work has been done at 

the remaining north (east) building of the IMT 

since the NIOSH sit e visit. However, the 

underlying structural defects of the buildin g 

have not be en addressed, resulting in a high 

likelihood of continued microbial growth. The 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 11 

following structural, m echanical, and 

administrative recommendations should be 

considered if the IMT fa cility is to continue 

operating: 

1. Vapor barriers should be installed between 

the interior a nd exterior walls to prevent 

water vapor from entering the interior wall 

cavities.14

2. Porous materials that hav e been w et for 

more than 48 hours, incl uding carpeting, 

should be removed because they cannot be 

effectively cleaned and will support 

microbial growth. 

3. Water drainage into the building should be 

addressed. The City of Portland should 

contact an engineering fi rm to determine 

whether the water can be diverted fro m 

entrances. It appears that the floor of the 

building is below grade due to settli ng, 

which will need to be addressed by a 

qualified engineering consultant. To 

prevent electrocution and equipment 

damage in t he event the floor becomes 

flooded, all electrical devices and 

computer systems should be located off 

the floor. A ground fault circuit interrupter 

(GFCI) could be used as an additional 

safety device. Water incursion into the 

U.S. Customs House parking storage area 

and the CBP vehicle inspection buildi ng 

also needs to be addressed for the 

preservation of records and to address 

employee concerns. 

4. Ventilation should be pr ovided to any 

CBP area offices that serve as intervi ew 

areas. ASHRAE recommends supplying 

17 cfm/person of combined air (5 

cfm/person of outdoor air) to these areas.11

The bathroom exhaust sy stems need to be 

repaired and operational to meet local 

building codes. 

5. A routine maintenance schedule for all the 

ventilation systems should be established 

and followed. The filters in the U.S. 

Customs House need to be of the 

appropriate size so that they fit properly 

and provide the necessary filtration. 

6. If the second floor of the SPC area is not 

renovated, the entire second floor will 

need to be completely sealed fro m the 

other occupied areas of the buildi ng. 

There also is the potential for mold growth 

to spread from the second floor to the first 

floor via openings in the wall cavities, as 

well as to b e disseminated through t he 

ventilation system. 

7. Openings in the roof should be sealed to 

prevent birds from roosting in the building 

ceiling space. 

8. To improve communication between 

building tenants (SPC and CBP) and t he 

City of P ortland, building occupants 

should be told what steps have been taken 

to address indoor IEQ at the IMT, and 

why these decisions were made. 

An IEQ Managem ent Plan for the IMT 

facility should be im plemented to addr ess 

the IEQ issues that have evolved over the 

past several years. An IEQ manager or 

administrator with clearly defined 

responsibilities, authority, and resources 

should be selected. This individ ual should 

have a good un derstanding of the 

building’s structure and function, and 

should be able to effectively comm unicate 

with occupants. Althou gh comprehensive 

regulatory standards specific to IEQ have 

not been established, guidelines have been 

developed by organizations such as 

ASHRAE, NIOSH, and EPA. An IMT 

worker representative who can speak for 

the Scotia Prince and U.S. Cust oms 

employees and assist wit h communication 

should be in cluded in th e program. The 

NIOSH/EPA Document, Building Air 

Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and 

Facility Managers may be helpful for 

developing and implementing the IEQ 

management plan.15 A companion 

NIOSH/EPA guide: Buil ding Air Quality 

Action Plan was provided and can serve as 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 12 

a checklist for developing and assessing an 

IEQ management program.16 These are 

available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ 

pdfs/iaq.pdf and http://www.epa.gov/iaq/ 

largebldgs/graphics/baqactionplan.pdf, 

respectively. The EPA has also established 

an IEQ information clearingho use 

 that can provide information on 

a number of IEQ-related topics and has a 

website specifically for IEQ i ssues 

(http://www.epa.gov/iaq/index.html). 

Information on consultants is available 

from the American Industrial Hy giene 

Association=s Guidelines for Selecting an 

Indoor Air Quality Consultant.17. 

9. Because neither SPC n or CBP I MT 

employees are working in the IMT now, 

symptoms attributable to f ungal exposure 

there should resolve. However, any 

employee with continued health concerns 

should seek evaluation and care from a 

physician who is residency trained and 

board certified in occupational medicine, 

and is familiar with the types of exposures 

employees may have had and their health 

effects. You can locate these occupatio nal 

medicine physicians through a variety of 

sources, including the Association of 

Occupational and En vironmental Clinics 

at www.aoec.org, and the A merican 

College of Occupational and 

Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) at 

www.acoem.org. It may be useful to 

provide the phy sician with a copy of this 

report. 

REFERENCES

 1. Van Emon JM, Reed AW, Yike I, Vesper 

SJ. [2003]. ELISA measurement of stachylysin 

in serum to quantify human exposures to the 

indoor mold Stachybotrys chartarum. J Occup 

Environ Med. 45:582-591. 

 2. Vesper SJ, Vesper MJ. [2002]. Stachylysin 

may be a cause of hemorrhaging i n humans 

exposed to Stachybotrys chartarum. Infect 

Immun. 70:2065-2069. 

 3. Vesper SJ, Magnuson ML, Dearborn DG, 

Yike I, Haugland RA. [2001]. Initial 

characterization of the he molysin stachylysin 

from Stachybotrys chartarum. Infect Immun. 

69:912-916. 

 4. IOM [2004]. Human health effects 

associated with damp indoor environments. In: 

Damp indoor spaces and health. National 

Academy Press, Washington, DC. 183-269. 

 5. Wald P, Stave G [ 1994]. Fungi (Cha pter 

24). In: Physical and Biological Hazards of the 

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Reinhold, pp. 394. 

 6. Page E, Trout D [ 2001]. Role of 

Stachybotrys mycotoxins in building-related 

illness. AIHA J 62:644-648. 

 7. Robbins C, Swenson L, Neally M, Gots R, 

and Kelman B [2000]. Health effects of 

mycotoxins in indoor air: a critical review. Appl 

Occup Environ Hyg 15(10):773-784. 

 8. Abba TI [2001]. Stachybotrys: relevance 

to human disease. Ann Allergy Asth ma 

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 9. Rosenstock L [ 1996]. NIOSH Testimon y 

to the U.S. Department of Labor on indoor air 

quality. Appl Occup Environ Hyg 11( 12):1365-

1370. 

 10. Seppanen OA, Fisk WJ, Mendell MJ 

[1999]. Association of ventilation rates and CO2

concentrations with health and other responses 

in commercial and institutional buildings. Indoor 

Air 9:226-252. 

 11. ANSI/ASHRAE [2004]. Ventilation for 

acceptable indoor air qualit y, standard 62.1-

2004. Atlanta, GA: American Society of 

Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers, Inc. 

 12. NIOSH [1986]. Criteria for a 

recommended standard: occupational exposure 

to hot environments, revised criteria. Cincinnati, 

OH: U.S. Departm ent of Health and Human 
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Services, Public Health Service, Centers for 

Disease Control, National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS 

(NIOSH) Publication No. 86-13. 

 13. ANSI/ASHRAE [2004]. Thermal 

environmental conditions for human occupancy. 

American National Standards Institute/ASHRAE 

standard 55-2004. Atlanta, GA: Am erican 

Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and AirConditioning Engineers, Inc. 

 14. EPA [2001]. Mold remediation in schools 

and commercial buildings. Washington, DC: 

United States. Enviro nmental Protection 

Agency, Office of Air and Radiation , Indoor 

Environments Division. EPA Publication No. 

402-K-01-001. http://www.epa.gov/mold/images 

/moldremediation.pdf 

 15. NIOSH/EPA [1991].Building Air Quality: 

A Guide for Building Owners and Facility 

Managers Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Departm ent of 

Health and Human Services, Public Health 

Service, Centers for Dise ase Control, National 

Institute for Occupationa l Safety and Health. 

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Publication No. 400/1-91/003. 

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 16. NIOSH/EPA [1998]. Building Air Quality 

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Safety and Health. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 

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 17. AIHA [2006].Consultants List. Fairfax, 

VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association. 

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/consultlisting.htm
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 14 

Table 1 

Demographic Comparison of Employee Groups 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Scotia Prince Cruises, U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10 and 29, 2005 

Cohort Characteristics SPC 

(N=15) 

CBP IMT 

(N=10) 

CBP U.S. Customs 

House 

(N=15) 

Mean Age (years) 39.4 46.5 54.0 

Male/Female Ratio 79/21 90/10 64/36 

% Current Smokers 36 10 14 

Mean Job Duration (months) 47.6 47.8 134 

% With History of Atopy 47 30 43 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 15 

Table 2 

Prevalence of Self-reported Work-related Symptoms by Employee Group 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP-IMT), Scotia Prince Cruises (SPC), U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

Symptom SPC versus 

CBP IMT (%) 

CBP-IMT versus 

U.S. Customs House (%)

SPC versus 

U.S. Customs House (%)

Cough 71 vs 20 (p=.04) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 71 vs 0 (p<.01)

Wheeze 64 vs 20 (p<.01) 0 vs 0 64 vs 0 (p<.01)

Chest tightness 36 vs 0 (p=.05) 0 vs 0 36 vs 0 (p=.04)

Shortness of breath 43 vs 20 (p=.39) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 43 vs 0 (p=.02)

Fever/Sweats 36 vs 0 (p=.05) 0 vs 0 36 vs 0 (p=.04)

Body aches 36 vs 10 (p=.34) 10 vs 0 (p=.42) 36 vs 0 (p=.04)

Sinus problems 64 vs 40 (p=.41) 40 vs 14 (p=.19) 64 vs 14 (p=.02)

Fatigue 64 vs 30 (p=.21) 30 vs 14 (p=.61) 64 vs 14 (p=.02) 

Rash 7 vs 0 (p=1.00) 0 vs 0 7 vs 0 (p=1.00) 

Irritated/Watery eyes 64 vs 20 (p=.05) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 64 vs 0 (p<.01)

Headaches 54 vs 20 (p=.20) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 54 vs 0 (p<.01)

Nosebleeds 0 vs 20 (p=.16) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 0 vs 0 

Sore or dry throat 43 vs 20 (p=.39) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 43 vs 0 (p=.02)

Sneezing 62 vs 30 (p=.21) 30 vs 14 (p=.61) 62 vs 14 (p=.02)

Dizziness 43 vs 0 (p=.02) 0 vs 0 43vs 0 (p=.02)

Concentration problems 64 vs 30 (p=.21) 30 vs 0 (p=.06) 64 vs 0 (p<.01)

Confusion 36 vs 20 (p=.65) 20 vs 0 (p=.16) 36 vs 0 (p=.04)

Memory problems 71 vs 10 (p<.01) 10 vs 0 (p=.42) 71 vs 0 (p<.01)

Irritability 71 vs 30 (p=.10) 30 vs 7 (p=.27) 71 vs 7 (p<.01)

Depression 50 vs 10 (p=.08) 10 vs 7 (p=1.00) 50 vs 7 (p=.03)

Change in sleep 46 vs 0 (p=.02) 0 vs 7 (p=1.00) 50 vs 7 (p=.03)

Change in appetite 31 vs 0 (p=.10) 0 vs 7 (p=1.00) 31 vs 7 (p=.16) 

Significant p-values in bold. 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 16 

Table 3 

Microscopic Sticky Tape Sample Results 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Scotia Prince Cruises (SPC), U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10 and 30, 2005 

Sample Location Genera Amount of 

Growth 

IMT 

SPC Ventilation Grille – Manager’s Office None None 

SPC 2nd Floor Middle Office Alterneria 

Cladosporium 

Epicocuum 

Massive 

Many 

Many 

SPC Jessie’s Office Upper Grille (2nd floor) None None 

SPC Interior Wall under AC Grille off 

Kitchen Stairwell (many insect fecal pellets 

present) 

Aspergillus 

Chaetomium 

Pencillium 

A few 

Many 

Massive 

SPC Supply Grille Central Corridor 

 2nd Floor 

None None 

SPC Supply Grille Mailroom 1st Floor None None 

SPC Supply Grille Video Room None None 

SPC Supply Grille Video Room None None 

CBP Center Univent filter on back wall None None 

CBP Univent filter with instructions in 

drain pan 

Stachybotrys chartarum 

Cladosporium 

Ulocladium 

Massive 

Many 

A few 

Vehicle Inspection Building 

CBP Wall None None 

CBP Ventilation Unit None None 

CBP Bathroom None None 

U.S. Customs House 

U.S. Customs House Parking Garage – 

Stained Box 

None None 

U.S. Customs House Parking Garage – 

Wooden Shelf 

Aspergillus Some 

U.S. Customs House Ventilation Filter None None 

U.S. Customs House Ventilation Filter None None 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 17 

Table 4 

Fungal Spore Equivalents in Air Identified by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IMT 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 30, 2005 

Location 

Bookcase on Back 

Wall 

Side Wall Filing 

Cabinet Bookcase on Side Wall 

Sampling Time 8:25 a.m. – 4:47 p.m. 8:25 a.m. – 2:21 p.m. 8:25 a.m. – 4:48 p.m. 

 Concentration SE/m3* SE /m3 SE /m3

Aspergillus penicillioides 0 4 1 

Eurotium (Asp.) 

amstelodami 16 4 2 

Aureobasidium pullulans 1 1 1 

Cladosporium 

cladosporioides-1 11 8 3 

Cladosporium 

cladosporioides-2 0 2 0 

Cladosporium herbarum 6 4 3 

Cladosporium 

sphaerospermum 4 0 6 

Epicoccum nigrum 31 11 0 

Mucor 

amphibiorum.group 1 4 0 

Penicillium crustosum 

(group 2) 0 436 0 

Stachybotrys chartarum 3 16 6 

Trichoderma 

viride/koningii 0 0 0 

Wallemia sebi 3 1 1 

* SE/m3

 – Spore Equivalent per cubic meter of air 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 18 

Table 5 

Fungal Spores Identified in Dust Samples Identified by PCR 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection IMT, U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 30, 2005 

Fungal ID 

IMT - Carpet 

under corner 

bookcase 

where leaks 

occur 

(SE/mg)* 

IMT - Carpet 

under 

window 

along side 

office area 

(SE/mg) 

IMT - Carpet 

along inside 

wall where 

prior leaks had 

occurred 

(SE/mg) 

Customs 

House - 

Marble floor 

in main 

room 

(SE/mg) 

Customs 

House - Carpet 

behind counter 

on right side 

(SE/mg) 

Alternaria alternata ND ND 31 ND ND 

Aspergillus fumigatus ND ND ND 6 ND 

Aspergillus niger ND ND ND ND 2 

Aspergillus penicillioides ND 29 ND 7 7 

Aspergillus unguis 12 ND ND ND 8 

Aspergillus ustus ND ND ND 62 5 

Aspergillus versicolor 778 ND ND ND ND 

Eurotium (Asp.) amstelodami 101 401 572 114 636 

Aureobasidium pullulans ND ND ND 2 1 

Chaetomium globosum 21 38 48 37 86 

Cladosporium 

cladosporioides-1 6 7 12 5 3 

Cladosporium 

cladosporioides-2 19 13 20 4 12 

Cladosporium herbarum 14 41 4 2 4 

Cladosporium 

sphaerospermum 3 15 4 6 19 

Epicoccum nigrum ND 16 7 15 27 

Mucor amphibiorum/.group ND 2 9 1 4 

Penicillium brevicompactum 70 ND ND ND ND 

Penicillium chrysogenum 6834 1137 233 118 268 

Penicillium variabile ND ND 1 2 2 

Rhizopus stolonifer ND 5 ND ND ND 

Scopulariopsis 

brevicaulis/fusca ND ND ND 1 <1 

Scopulariopsis chartarum ND ND ND ND 2 

Stachybotrys chartarum 31 18 17 ND ND 

Trichoderma viride/koningii 71 79 20 ND 5 

Wallemia sebi ND ND 6 ND 2 

* SE/mg – Spore Equilivant per milligram of dust 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 19 

Table 6 

Bulk Sample Results for Culturable Fungi 

 U.S. Customs and Border Protection IMT 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10, 2005 

Sampling 

Location 

Sample 

Media 

Total Concentration 

(CFU/g*) 

Fungal Identification Ranking 

CBP Center FCU 

filter on back 

wall 

CMA# 5.9 x 104 Paecilomyces (39%) 

Penicillium (22%) 

Alternaria (13%0 

Stachybotrys chartarum (13%) 

Trichoderma (9%) 

Ulocardium botrytis (4%) 

MEA^ 5.9 x 104 Paecilomyces lilacinus (35%) 

Cladosporium cladosporioides (22%) 

Paecilomyces variotii (17%) 

Pencillium chrysogenum (17%) 

Trichoderma harzianum (9%) 

CBP Center FCU 

on Side Wall 

CMA 2.21 x 106 Cladosporium (57%) 

Penicillium (29%) 

Paecilomyces (14%) 

MEA 3.47 x 106 Basidiomycetes (55%) 

Cladosporium cladosporioides (22%) 

Pencillium variabile (17%) 

CBP Center FCU 

filter near 

housekeeping 

supplies 

CMA 8.67 x 105 Cladosporium (91%) 

Penicillium (5%) 

Paecilomyces (4%) 

MEA 9.75 x 105 Cladosporium cladosporioides (86%) 

Cladosporium sphaerospermum (7%)

Basidiomycetes (3%) 

Paecilomyces variotii (2%) 

Pencillium chrysogenum (2%) 

Pencillium variabile (<1%) 

* CFU/g – colony forming units per gram of dust 

# CMA – corn meal agar 

^ MEA – malt extract agar 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 20 

Table 7 

Fungal Spores in Air 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection IMT, U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 30, 2005 

Sampling 

Location 

Sample 

Volume (L) 

Total Fungal Structure 

(count/m3

*) 

Fungal Identification Ranking 

IMT – U.S. Customs and Border Patrol 

Bookcase near 

windows behind 

desks 

75 213 Basidiospores (38%) 

Aspergillus/Pencillium like (19%) 

Ascospores (19%) 

Cladosporium (13%) 

Hyphal Fragments (13%) 

Desk along back 

corner 

75 320 Basidiospores (29%) 

Aspergillus/Pencillium like (25%) 

Ascospores (17%) 

Cladosporium (17%) 

Hyphal Fragments (13%) 

Desk along side 

of wall near 

repair shop 

75 187 Basidiospores (50%) 

Aspergillus/Pencillium like (14%) 

Ascospores (14%) 

Cladosporium (14%) 

Hyphal Fragments (7%) 

Outdoor 75 400 Aspergillus/Pencillium like (40%) 

Basidiospores (33%) 

Ascospores (13%) 

Hyphal Fragments (7%) 

Cladosporium (3%) 

Curvularia (3%) 

U.S. Customs House 

Center Counter – 

Left Side 

75 240 Aspergillus/Pencillium like (39%) 

Basidiospores (28%) 

Ascospores (17%) 

Cladosporium (11%) 

Hyphal Fragments (6%) 

Center Counter – 

Right Side 

75 267 Basidiospores (40%) 

Ascospores (20%) 

Aspergillus/Pencillium like (20%) 

Cladosporium (10%) 

Hyphal Fragments (10%) 

Outdoor 75 347 Basidiospores (46%) 

Ascospores (23%) 

Aspergillus/Pencillium like (12%) 

Cladosporium (12%) 

Hyphal Fragments (8%) 

m3 – cubic meter of air 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 21 

Table 8 

Culturable Air Sample Results 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection IMT, U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 30, 2005 

Sample Location Air Volume 

per Replicate 

(liters) 

Average Colony Count 

(CFU/m3

)* 

Fungal Identification Ranking 

IMT – U.S. Customs and Border Patrol

Bookcase near windows 

behind desks 

84.9 114 Basidiomycetes 

Rhodotorula glutinis 

Aspergillus versicolor

Desk on corner 84.9 118 Basidiomycetes 

Cladosporium cladosporioides

Pencillium variabile

Rhodotorula glutinis

Desk along side of wall 

near repair shop 

84.9 134 Basidiomycetes 

Acrodontium crateriforme 

Cladosporium cladosporioides

Pencillium viridicatum

Rhodotorula glutinis

Outside – along side 

building near outside air 

intakes (4) 

84.9 192 Basidiomycetes 

Cladosporium cladosporioides

Sporobolomyces salmonicolor 

Yeast 

U.S. Customs House 

Center Counter Left 84.9 121 Pencillium roqueforti

Basidiomycetes 

Pencillium chrysogenum

Marble Counter on Right 84.9 90 Basidiomycetes 

Pencillium roqueforti

Aspergillus ustus 

Cladosporium cladosporioides

Pencillium corylophilum

Outside 84.9 412 Basidiomycetes 

Cladosporium cladosporioides

Rhodotorula glutinis 

*CFU/m3

 – colony forming units per cubic meter (average of three replicates) 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 22 

Table 9 

Serum StachylysinTM Concentrations 

Scotia Prince Cruises, U.S. Customs and Border Protection IMT, U.S. Customs House 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 30, 2005 

 

Serum Sample Mean Serum StachylysinTM (ng/ml) StachylysinTM Range (ng/ml) 

SPC samples collected Nov 2004 9.6 ND-46.8 

SPC samples collected Sept-Oct 2004 6.6 ND-22.2 

CBP IMT collected March 2005 14.2 ND-29.5 

CBP U.S. Customs House 

collected March 2005 

20.5 9.1-38.9 

ND=None Detected 

Limit of Detection (LOD)=3.0 ng/ml 
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 23 

Figure 1 

Indoor Environmental Quality Measurements – Carbon Dioxide 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IMT 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10, 2005 

Carbon Dioxide Concentrations

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

CBP Front Office

Open Public Area

Public Secondary Area

Perimeter Office Desk

Perimeter Office Desk

Perimeter Office Desk

Outside

Sample Locations

Carbon Dioxide (ppm)

morning

afternoon
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 24 

Figure 2 

Indoor Environmental Parameter Measurements – Temperature 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IMT 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10, 2005 

Temperature Measurements

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

CBP Front Office

Open Public Area

Public Secondary Area

Perimeter Office Desk

Perimeter Office Desk

Perimeter Office Desk

Outside

Sample Locations

Temperature oF

morning

afternoon
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No .2005-0126 and 2005-0138-3004 Page 25 

Figure 3 

Indoor Environmental Parameter Measurements – Relative Humidity 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, IMT 

Portland, Maine 

HETA 2005-0126, 2005-0138-3004 

March 10, 2005 

Relative Humidity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

CBP Front Office

Open Public Area

Public Secondary Area

Perimeter Office Desk- Back Wall

Perimeter Office Desk- Corner Wall

Perimeter Office Desk- Side Wall

Outside

Sample Locations

%RH

morning

afternoon
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