Specialty Testing
Mycotoxin testing for environmental documentation.
PureSpec offers three distinct mycotoxin testing methods: dust collection, air sampling, and surface swab. Each answers a different clinical or environmental question. Choose the method based on what you need to document, not on what is most convenient to collect. Healthcare providers often request these alongside their workup of an environmentally sensitive patient.
Authorized for EMMA (Realtime Labs), AMEA, and MESA mycotoxin testing panels. Listed provider on Respirare Labs directory.
Three methods, different questions
EMMA, AMEA, MESA — how to choose.
All three quantify mycotoxin concentrations using validated lab assays. The difference is what the sample is measuring: where mycotoxins have settled, what is currently airborne, or what is on a specific surface. Daniel will guide you to the right method during the inspection conversation. Most CIRS workups pair two of the three for a complete environmental picture.
M / 01
EMMA — Dust Collection
Realtime Laboratories
Environmental Mold and Mycotoxin Assessment. A standardized Swiffer-style dust cloth is run across high-settling surfaces (top of door frames, ceiling fans, baseboards, undisturbed dust). The cloth is shipped to Realtime for combined mold DNA quantification (qPCR) and mycotoxin analysis.
When to choose
- Baseline assessment of a property's long-term mycotoxin history
- You suspect chronic past exposure even after visible mold was remediated
- Healthcare provider wants a property-wide screening snapshot
What it reveals
- The 36 most clinically relevant indoor mold species (DNA)
- Mycotoxin concentrations in settled dust over time
- An integrated "has this building had a mold problem" answer
Dust cloth sample · Realtime Labs (Carrollton, TX) · ~10 to 14 day turnaround
M / 02
AMEA — Air Testing
Respirare Labs
Mycotoxin Air Testing. A calibrated air pump draws a measured volume of room air through a capture media for laboratory analysis. Quantifies mycotoxins that are currently airborne and inhalable, rather than what has settled out over months. Run during normal building occupancy for a snapshot of present exposure.
When to choose
- Symptoms correlate with time in the building
- Need data on what occupants are actually inhaling right now
- Pre/post HVAC remediation verification
What it reveals
- Mycotoxin concentrations in the active breathing air
- Differentiation between dormant settled contamination and live aerosolization
- Quantitative comparison between rooms or floors
Calibrated air sample · Respirare Labs · ~7 to 10 day turnaround
M / 03
MESA — Surface Testing
Respirare Labs
Surface Mycotoxin Testing. A sterile swab is drawn across a specific suspect surface (HVAC coil, wall section near visible growth, post-remediation final clearance area) and shipped for laboratory analysis. Confines the question to a defined location instead of generalizing across the property.
When to choose
- You need to confirm or rule out a specific suspect area
- Post-remediation verification of a targeted surface
- Identifying the source location among multiple candidates
What it reveals
- Mycotoxin presence and concentration on a defined surface
- Whether visible discoloration is in fact biologically active
- Per-surface verification after a remediator declares completion
Sterile surface swab · Respirare Labs · ~7 to 10 day turnaround
Not sure which to choose? Daniel walks every client through this decision during the inspection. Call (321) 324-7756 for a 5-minute scoping conversation.
What it covers
What's included.
- Dust sample collection following established sampling protocol
- Lab analysis for the panel of mycotoxins requested
- Quantitative results with reference levels where applicable
- Documentation suitable for sharing with a healthcare provider
When you need it
Right scenarios for this service.
- Healthcare provider has identified a specific clinical question
- Prior environmental work flagged elevated indicator species
- Tracking changes after remediation
- Documentation for an environmentally sensitive client
How it works
Process overview.
Consultation → Sampling visit → Lab analysis → Quantitative report.
The inspector
Daniel Melendez
Founder · Lead Inspector
- License
- MRSA #4575
- Certifications
- ACAC CMI · NAERMC CMH · NAERMC Green IAQ · Pathways™
- Education
- B.S. Microbiology
- Background
- Former lab analyst
Why a microbiologist
A microbiologist with a lab background, not a contractor with a weekend course.
Most Florida mold inspectors learned the trade in a weekend course. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and worked as an environmental laboratory analyst, the person other inspectors ship their samples to, before founding PureSpec.
He reads spore counts, growth patterns, and species behavior the way the labs that run the analysis do. Every inspection is founder-performed, lab-supported, and assessment-only: Daniel personally walks the property, collects the samples, interprets the lab data, and writes the report.
No subcontractors, no remediation upsell, no kickbacks. Florida law (FS 468.8419) prohibits the same firm from inspecting and remediating, and PureSpec is built around that line.
How an inspection actually works
Nine steps. Same scientific process, every property.
The depth of each step adapts to your situation. HVAC and borescope inspection happen when conditions warrant. Sampling is decided based on what your specific environment is asking, not a fixed checklist.
- 01
Consultation
We talk through what you’re seeing, the building, and the question you need answered. Free, no pressure, no upsell.
- 02
Visual inspection
Daniel personally walks every accessible space. No subcontractors.
- 03
Moisture mapping
Pin and pinless moisture meters identify elevated wall, floor, and substrate moisture invisible to the eye.
- 04
Thermal imaging
Infrared imaging surfaces temperature differentials that often correlate with hidden moisture or insulation gaps.
- 05
HVAC evaluation
Coil, plenum, return, and ductwork assessment. The #1 hidden vector for indoor mold in Florida buildings.
- 06
Targeted sampling
Air, surface, swab, ERMI, HERTSMI-2, mycotoxin, Pathways™, VOC, or formaldehyde, only the tests your situation warrants.
- 07
Lab analysis
Samples sent to AIHA-LAP-accredited third-party laboratories. Results returned within 24 to 72 hours of receipt.
- 08
Written report
Plain-English report with photos, lab data, moisture readings, observations, and clear next steps. Built to hold up with insurers, lenders, healthcare providers, and counsel.
- 09
Remediation protocol when warranted
If the report identifies remediation-grade mold, Daniel writes the IICRC S520-aligned remediation protocol, scope, containment, methods, and clearance criteria, that the remediation contractor works to. Florida law prohibits the same firm from inspecting and remediating, so the protocol stays independent of the work crew.
Service areas
Where we perform Mycotoxin Testing.
15 Florida counties from Central Florida to South Florida, the Tampa Bay area, and North Florida. Click the county nearest you for local context.
Central Florida coverage