Physicochemical Divergence of Mycotoxins Across Air, Dust, and Surface Domains

A foundational model establishing physicochemical divergence across environmental sampling domains.

This framework represents Part A of a three-part analytical series establishing domain divergence as the structural basis for exposure-aligned interpretation in indoor mycotoxin assessment (Parts A–C).

Purpose

Part A establishes the physicochemical basis for why commonly used fungal and mycotoxin indicators often produce divergent results in indoor environments. It explains why biological presence indicators such as spore counts, reservoir-based indicators such as dust, and chemical indicators of airborne mycotoxins interrogate fundamentally different environmental domains. Divergence among these measurements is therefore expected and does not imply analytical failure, sampling error, or contradictory findings.

This framework is grounded in aerosol physics, surface chemistry, and exposure science. It provides a structured interpretive model for understanding how particle size, transport behavior, deposition dynamics, and environmental persistence shape what each measurement type represents.

Scope

This framework addresses the mechanistic reasons underlying disagreement between spore-based, dust-based, and airborne chemical measurements. It focuses on particle size, aerodynamic behavior, deposition processes, and environmental partitioning as governing factors that determine how biological and chemical indicators behave across analytically distinct domains.

Part A is limited to conceptual and physicochemical explanation. It does not evaluate specific sampling technologies, validate analytical methods, or establish regulatory, clinical, or professional practice criteria.

What This Framework Does Not Do

Part A does not define exposure thresholds, diagnose health conditions, recommend remediation actions, or compare commercial testing products. It does not assert equivalence between biological indicators and chemical exposure metrics, nor does it suggest that any single measurement type is sufficient to characterize indoor fungal exposure on its own.

This framework does not function as a regulatory standard, legal evidentiary threshold, or professional practice requirement. It is intended to support domain-aligned interpretation and interdisciplinary communication.

Relationship to Related Frameworks

Canonical Reference

The complete scientific treatment of this framework is presented in the Part A scientific preprint:

Ritacco, M. (2026). Physicochemical Divergence of Mycotoxin and Biological Indicators Across Airborne, Dust Reservoir, and Surface Analytical Domains in Indoor Environments. Respirare Labs Scientific Preprint.

Canonical URL
/preprints-2026a-mycotoxin-domain-divergence/

Interpretive Guide

For a plain-language explanation of how this framework applies to real-world test results and why mold and mycotoxin measurements often appear confusing or contradictory, see:

/interpretive-guides/mold-tests-results-mycotoxins/