For freshman Josh Sommer, household mold is a growing concern.
Already an activist about toxic mold issues, Sommer plans to start a research project about the prevention and detection of those molds at Duke and eventually develop solutions that would benefit public health.
Sommer has been in contact with many professors at Duke since last year. He is currently proposing his research ideas to faculty and applying for grants.
The study will focus on the development of toxin sensors that can be easily installed in households. Users will be able to obtain real-time readings of toxin concentrations in the air, allowing them to react to possible problems before they becomes hazardous, Sommer said. Ultimately, his goal is to make these sensors available in every household. "However, it will be years before that will happen," he said.
In addition, Sommer is member of the Indoor Air Quality Monitoring team for the upcoming Delta Smart House, an undergraduate engineering lab that will house students. He hopes to make the building a model for mold-free housing.
Sommer expressed his concerns for the possible widespread health complications resulting from mold infections in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. He hopes to conduct experiments in houses on the Gulf Coast, proving a relationship between the concentration of mold toxins and health problems. He also hopes to educate the residents about toxic mold.
The best way to solve mold issues is through prevention, he said.
Although this may increase a household's maintenance fees, it is a lot more cost-effective than removing the mold, Sommer explained. "I feel that the society as a whole has become very short sighted, they don't see the possible risks in the future," he said. "Instead of solving the problems, people ignore them."
His interest in providing mold-free living environments began in 2001. After a water leak in the spring, mold began to grow inside the walls of his house. He and his mother, however, were unaware of the situation.
The toxins caused both of them to fall ill; his mother was no longer able to practice medicine as a result of her sicknesses. "In retrospect, there was a clear progression of our sickness in the months after the water leak, but we didn't realize it at the time," he said.
When a sample of the mold was sent to a laboratory, they were advised by certified industrial hygienist to leave the house immediately. On Dec. 31, 2001 Sommer and his mother moved out. "We left the house with two suitcases and our dog," he said.
Since then, Sommer has been actively researching poisonous mold. "Mold problems are much more common than I realized-it can happen to anyone," he said.
Sommer has also worked with politicians to try to fix mold problems. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., proposed "The Melina Bill," or The United States Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act, in June 2002. Sommer and his mother actively worked alongside Conyers to encourage passage of the bill.
"I feel that my role has changed in the years from a child victim to an advocate of the bill," Sommer said. The bill is still in committee in the House of Representatives.
Part of the bill calls for the creation of a national insurance program. Customers can choose to pay extra money for protection in case of a mold break-out since it is not covered in basic insurance. "Without this, many have to settle such cases in court and going to court with a big insurance company is hell," Sommer said.
Sommer is also the director of the Mold Advocacy Prevention, Education and Research Coalition, which aims to bring advocates together and pass the bill.
In the future, he added, the coalition may also provide services to those who need it.
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