Culturable methods

Limited to culturable micro-organisms

Agar plates must be incubated (typ. 25°C, 37°C, 50°C)

Takes time! (5-7 day incubation)

Permits identification to species level, which can be key to proper interpretation, determination of source

Choice of media, sample duration, duplicate samples are critical to success of sampling plan

Spore trap methods

Collects culturable and non-culturable micro-organisms

Read directly by optical microscopy

Rapid turnaround (1-3 days)

Reported to genus level only

Difficult to differentiate certain genera

Aspergillus/Penicillium -like, 2-3 mm, spherical, hyaline

Makes comparison to outdoor or indoor reference locations less certain