Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria that exist in freshwater lakes and streams. However, when it comes to human-made water storage units, like a hot/cold heater, this bacteria can spread and turn deadly. Legionella bacteria can lead to Legionnaires’ disease just ten days after exposure. Legionnaires’ disease is an advanced form of pneumonia – and often has disastrous repercussions. To avoid the spread of illness through this water-borne bacteria, water systems should be tested regularly, either with at-home strips or preferably through a laboratory for more accurate results. There’s no vaccine for this disease, and the only way to prevent it is to make sure that owners and managers are maintaining the water systems.

Legionella is a serious public health issue, and the CDC has created a toolkit for property owners to help them make sure tenants and employees do not catch this deadly illness. There are several legal repercussions for owners that refuse to maintain their water systems.

Legionella is a type of bacteria that is commonly found in the environment. These microbes become a concern when they invade human-occupied structures. Legionella hides in water systems like pipes and water fountains poisoning unknowing individuals.

Commercial property owners should stay aware of the possible risks of infection that come from water-borne bacteria. Any proprietor has an obligation to make sure their practices don’t harm anyone. There has been an increased number of court cases in the past decade involving diseases caused by Legionella. It’s vital to get on a regular schedule and test your buildings and construction sites for Legionella, mold, asbestos, and other pathogens.

Lead is a chemical element that can cause toxic and adverse health effects, particularly in the brain and nervous system in children. At SanAir, we take the analysis and testing of lead in your business seriously. Because children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning, questionable sources should be remediated immediately.

Suspecting there’s asbestos in your home can cause panic as it is a known harmful substance and a serious concern. We are all exposed to low levels of asbestos at some time during our lives, as it’s been found in the air, water, and soil. Asbestos poses a major threat when regular direct contact occurs. Typically, handling this substance on the job or excessive environmental contact are the biggest risk factors that pose serious health concerns.

The world of microorganisms and sample identification is truly fascinating, but only if you are using the correct equipment. Today, we will be focusing on the polarized light microscope (PLM). The team at SanAir Technologies Laboratory has put together this article to help you understand what polarized light microscopes are, as well as how they can be used for sample identification.

Polarized light microscopes direct a beam of altered light, called polarized light, through a sample. The beam travels through a series of filters that change the polarity and wavelength of the light, and the result is a very high-contrast image. PLM analysis is regularly used for analyzing bones, teeth, muscles, geological features, and asbestos.