At airmid healthgroup ltd our mission is to prevent ill health caused by exposure to indoor air pollutants. To achieve this goal we have assembled a unique multidisciplinary team of Clinicians, Industrial Hygienists, Occupational Health Advisers, and Specialist Laboratory Scientists in Mycology, Virology, Bacteriology, Allergy and Immunology. Contact Graeme Tarbox email: gtarbox@airmidhealthgroup.com website: http://www.airmidhealthgroup.com To help clients with products and services for the built environment improve their customer offerings through health related innovations and marketing. The Airmid mission is to create value through a number of collaborative strategies including field research, environmental test chamber studies and licensing our own intellectual property. By specialising in studying how allergens, viruses, and other ultra-fine particles spread illness and disease in buildings we are a leading authority in aerobiology and bio-medical research. Our clients succeed by making the built environment as healthy as possible.

1. Overview of the
allergen laboratory
services and
facilities
www.airmidhealthgroup.com

2. Some of the Allergen
Lab Team

3. airmid healthgroup Facilities
3 Climate-Controlled Environmental Chambers
Bed Bugs
Allergen
Environmental

4. airmid healthgroup Facilities
Class II Microbiology Laboratory
Mycology
Bacteriology
Virology

5. airmid healthgroup Facilities
Allergen Laboratory
 ISO/IEC 17025:2005 INAB accredited testing laboratory
Reg. no. 284T for House Dust Mite and Cat Allergen
analysis
 Customised studies to asses
 Products
 Environments
 Industry
 Homes
 Biological Samples
 Live House Dust Mite Studies

6. airmid healthgroup is an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 INAB accredited testing
laboratory Reg. no. 284T for house dust mite (Derp1) and cat allergen
(Feld1)
World’s First Allergen ISO 17025 Accredited Facility

7. Industries Served
Air Conditioners Air Cleaning Device Vacuum Cleaners
Textiles Surface Technologies Filters
Cleaning Products Floor Coverings

8. Environments
Environmental Field Studies in USA & Europe
• Assess the impact of products or services
• Quantify level of reduction of bio-aerosols in “real”
situations
Surface Allergen Sampling – Mitest Instrument
Air Sampling – Sidekick Pump

9. Live House Dust Mite Studies
Objective Test Description
To evaluate the degree of anti-house dust Bespoke tests are carried out to suit the
mite activity, dust mite accumulation and client’s needs, examining different time
dust mite removal properties in a long- points. Test and control specimens are
term testing environment for a wide inoculated with the test organism and
variety of products including textiles, nutrients. After the required period of
cleaning agents, repellents and appliances. incubation in dedicated chambers, the dust
mites are recovered from the specimens and
Customer Benefit analysed by heat extraction to measure live
The data generated by this test provides a house dust mite counts or ELISA to measure
good measurement of the effectiveness of the level of allergen. Results are expressed as
anti-dust mite treatment on a breeding per cent reduction on the treated sample
mite colony. We can also supply image and versus the untreated control.
video footage of the test.
Third Party Validation
On passing this test, the product can be labelled as having been tested by airmid in
support of any claim relating to the test and data received.

10. Receive Samples
to Laboratory

11. Samples Received to the Laboratory
Mitest Filter
Dust samples are collected from carpets and soft furnishing using a mitest instrument and filter. The
mitest instrument fits on the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner and the samples are collected by vacuuming a
defined area for a fixed amount of time. The mitest filter is removed and sent to the laboratory.
Fibre Filter
The fibre filter is placed in a cassette which is attached to the sidekick pump. Airborne allergen is drawn
onto the fibre filter through the vacuum at a defined flow rate for a fixed amount of time.
HEPA & Air Filters
When a filter is challenged to remove a defined amount of allergen from the air the filters can be sent
to the laboratory to quantify the level of allergen .
Textiles
The allergen barrier efficiency of a fabric can be measured using the Allergen Barrier Test with Airflow
and the Simulated Use Allergen Barrier Test.

12. Allergen
Receive Samples to
Laboratory Sample
Extraction

13. Allergen Sample Extraction
1. 2. 3. 4.
1. Add PBS-Tween Buffer
2. Rotate for 2 hours
3. Centrifuge
4. Transfer supernatant
Quantify Allergen Levels

14. Receive Allergen
Measurement
Samples to Sample
Laboratory Extraction of Allergen

15. Measurement of Allergen Levels
An Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is a highly sensitive
and specific test that uses an enzyme linked antibody for the
detection of a specific antigen.
H2SO4
Wash Wash Wash Wash TMB
HRP HRP
HRP
HRP
Monoclonal antibody Antigen binds to A second HRP-Conjugated TMB substrate is added and
– coated well. Blocking capture antibody biotinylated Streptavidin binds to biotin converted by enzyme into
buffer is added to monoclonal labelled detection antibody coloured product. The rate of
block remaining antibody binds to colour formation is
protein binding sites. the bound antigen. proportional to the amount of
allergen present.

16. Allergen Levels are quantified for:
House Dust Mite Allergen
Der p1 (D. pteronyssinus)
Der f1 (D. farinae)
Mite Group 2
Animal Allergen
Fel d1 (Cat) Can f1 (Dog) Rat n1 Mus m1
(Rat Urine) (Mouse Urine)
Airborne Allergen Levels are quantified using an augmented ELISA for House Dust

17. Allergen Levels are quantified for
Cockroach Allergen
Bla g1 (B. germanica)
Pollen
Phl p5 (Timothy Grass)
Bet v1 (Birch)
Amb a1 (Ragweed)
Avian Allergen (Feather & Down)
Avian IgG
Avian Albumin

18. Allergen
Receive
Samples to
Sample Measurement Report
Extractio of Allergen
Laboratory
n Results

19. Report Results

20. Contact Us
airmid healthgroup
Europe
+353-1-633 6820 Graeme Tarbox
Trinity Enterprise Campus, gtarbox@airmidhealthgroup.com
Grand Canal Quay,
Dublin 2, Ireland
USA
+1 646 291 8937
345 Park Avenue,
17th Floor, New York
NY 10151-0037, USA