Dr. Rajiv Sahay Presents Bio-Scan 400 at the Pan American Aerobiology Association (PAAA) Conference at UMASS and Harvard

Academicians, researchers, experts and industry professionals from both the U.S. and abroad assembled for the annual Pan American Association of Aerobiology (PAAA) conference at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst last week. The meeting’s goal was to present research findings, as well as to learn and share knowledge about the sources, dispersal and deposition of airborne biological particles. At the conference, Pure Air Control Services Inc.’s Dr. Rajiv Sahay presented his findings on surface-borne fungal contaminants of the indoor environment.

In preparation for the conference, Dr. Sahay and his research team studied over six thousand surface samples and their findings were presented during a poster session entitled “Bio-Scan 400^TM: Mapping of Indoor Fungal Population.” According to Dr.Sahay, the Bio-Scan 400 ^TM technology is a do-it-yourself test to attain a quick, at-a-glance view of surface pollutants in the indoor environment.

“Source determination for microbial contamination is one of the many challenges in Indoor Environmental/Air Quality Industry,” stated Dr. Sahay, Director of Pure Air’s Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab). “The Bio-Scan^TM 400 technique is successfully used to collect surficial particulates in order to identify and determine levels of contamination.”

Pure Air Control Services, Inc. is a medically oriented, solutions-based indoor environmental consulting firm headquartered in Clearwater, FL. In 2001, Dr. Sahay—one of few aerobiologists in the world—joined the award-winning firm to lead its EDLab operations. One of the few Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation Program (EMLAP)-accredited laboratories in the country, Pure Air’s EDLab is also the first accredited environmental microbiology laboratory in the state of Florida.   

In addition to presenting at the PAAA conference, Dr. Sahay also participated in the association’s “Spore Camp,” which was held at the Harvard University forest laboratory from June 19 to 21, 2008. The objective of the camp was to study different types of spores (fungi/pollen grains/trichomes/other plant or animal borne spores) with special reference to their source of origin.

At the camp’s conclusion, participants had isolated, discussed and separated for further study some “very interesting” ascospores and basidiospores, several of which are listed as allergens and can adversely affect human health. Thus, the role of aerobiologist is vital in the exploration of the microbial world in the air, especially in light of growing concern about air-borne diseases, allergies, bio-terrorism, and bio-deterioration of materials, etc. 

“Techniques of genomic aerobiology were discussed during PAAA 2008 meeting to study the genetic pool of air-borne microorganism in the above context,” said Dr. Sahay. “These conferences provide a unique opportunity to discuss various issues of the unseen microbial world  and to find solutions and/or management of these challenges by sharing cutting-edge technology.”

About Pure Air Control Services, Inc.

Alan Wozniak founded Pure Air Control Services, Inc. in 1984 as a small mechanical contracting firm. Today, the work distributed from its offices in Tampa, Atlanta, West Palm Beach, Houston and Washington D.C. sets the industry standard for indoor environmental quality diagnosis and remediation. Pure Air has serviced more than 500 million square feet of indoor environments in over 10,000 facilities.

Pure Air Control Services nationally performed services include: Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check; an AIHA accredited Environmental Microbiology Laboratory; Environmental Project Management; and Mold Remediation Services, among other indoor environmental services. The company’s expanding client roster includes the General Services Administration (GSA); Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station - King's Bay, Georgia, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air a reliable industry leader.

For more information on Pure Air Services, Inc. and/or its collaboration with the Sarasota County government, please contact Alan Wozniak, president and CEO, at (800) 422-7873 x802, or visit www.pureaircontrols.com.

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