AMRT Flashcards: 63 Mold Remediation Terms

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These free AMRT flashcards cover the vocabulary the IICRC Applied Microbial Remediation Technician exam tests, in plain-language paraphrase of the ANSI/IICRC S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation. Cards are grouped by topic — Conditions 1/2/3, mold biology, containment and engineering controls, PPE, remediation methods, moisture, post-remediation verification and documentation — so you can drill your weak areas instead of shuffling the whole deck.

Every card uses a spaced repetition system: rate a card Forgot, Hard or Easy after flipping it, and the deck reorders itself so weak cards resurface sooner while mastered cards move to longer intervals. It works far better than re-reading for terms like Condition 3, assigned protection factor, required CFM, dry standard and post-remediation verification.

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Every term in the deck, with its definition

All 63 flashcard terms in one table, grouped by topic, so you can read or print them without flipping a single card.

Term	Topic	Definition
Condition 1	Conditions	Normal fungal ecology — indoor fungal levels/species similar to a comparable clean indoor environment. The goal of remediation.
Condition 2	Conditions	An indoor environment contaminated with settled spores/fragments dispersed from a Condition 3 area, without actual growth.
Condition 3	Conditions	An indoor environment contaminated with the presence of actual, active mold growth and associated spores.
IEP	Conditions	Indoor Environmental Professional — assesses conditions, defines scope, and ideally performs independent clearance.
Air changes per hour (ACH)	Containment	Number of times containment air volume is replaced per hour: (CFM x 60) / volume.
Critical barrier	Containment	Sealing (poly sheeting/tape) that isolates the work area and openings during containment.
Decontamination chamber	Containment	Attached anteroom where workers don/doff PPE to avoid tracking contamination out.
HEPA filter	Containment	Captures 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles; used in NAMs, scrubbers, and vacuums.
Manometer	Containment	Instrument measuring the pressure differential to verify containment negative pressure.
Negative air machine (NAM)	Containment	A HEPA-filtered blower that establishes negative pressure and scrubs airborne spores.
Negative pressure	Containment	Lower air pressure inside containment so air flows in from clean areas and is exhausted through HEPA.
Pressure differential	Containment	The measured difference in air pressure between containment and surrounding areas that keeps contamination inside the work area.
Required CFM	Containment	(Containment volume x target ACH) / 60 — the airflow needed to hit target air changes.
Source containment	Containment	A limited containment built directly around a small work area, typically without a full decontamination chamber.
Chain of custody	Documentation	Documentation tracking samples from collection to laboratory analysis.
Conflict of interest	Documentation	Reason the clearance IEP should be independent of the remediation contractor.
Daily log	Documentation	Record of work performed, engineering controls, monitoring, and photos each day.
Moisture source correction	Documentation	Fixing the underlying water source — essential to prevent mold recurrence.
Remediation work plan	Documentation	Document defining scope, engineering controls, and procedures before remediation begins.
Scope of work	Documentation	The written description of the areas, materials and procedures included in the remediation project.
Equilibrium moisture content	Moisture	The moisture level a material settles at for a given temperature and relative humidity.
Moisture meter	Moisture	Pin or pinless instrument used to compare suspect materials against a dry standard.
Thermal imaging camera	Moisture	A tool showing surface temperature differences that can indicate moisture; findings are confirmed with a moisture meter.
Water activity (Aw)	Moisture	The available water in a material that determines whether mold can grow on it.
Allergenic effect	Mold Biology	Immune/allergic response to mold (rhinitis, asthma-type symptoms) — the most common health effect.
Aspergillus/Penicillium	Mold Biology	Common indoor mold genera frequently found in water-damaged buildings.
Conditions for growth	Mold Biology	Moisture, a food source (organic material), and suitable temperature.
Hyphae	Mold Biology	The thread-like filaments that form the body (mycelium) of a mold.
MVOC	Mold Biology	Microbial volatile organic compound — a gas produced by microbial growth and the source of a musty odor.
Mycelium	Mold Biology	The mass of hyphae that makes up the vegetative body of a fungus.
Mycotoxin	Mold Biology	A toxic compound produced by some molds (e.g., Stachybotrys) that can cause health effects.
Spore	Mold Biology	The microscopic reproductive unit of mold; ubiquitous in indoor and outdoor air.
Stachybotrys chartarum	Mold Biology	'Black mold' that grows on chronically wet cellulose and can produce mycotoxins.
Xerophilic fungi	Mold Biology	Molds able to grow at relatively low water activity, often the first colonizers of a slightly damp surface.
Air sampling baseline	Post-Remediation Verification	An outdoor or unaffected indoor reference sample used to interpret indoor spore counts.
Clearance sampling	Post-Remediation Verification	Air/surface sampling comparing indoor levels to an outdoor/reference baseline.
Dry standard	Post-Remediation Verification	Target moisture level (from unaffected reference material) confirming materials are dry.
Post-remediation verification (PRV)	Post-Remediation Verification	Process (visual inspection plus any sampling) confirming remediation success before demobilizing.
Spore trap	Post-Remediation Verification	Air sample device that captures airborne spores for lab counting and identification.
APF	PPE	Assigned Protection Factor — the workplace protection a respirator provides when used correctly.
Doffing	PPE	Removing PPE (in the decon chamber, rolling inward) to avoid re-contamination.
Fit testing	PPE	OSHA-required test confirming a tight-fitting respirator seals to the wearer's face.
Full-face APR (APF 50)	PPE	Full-face air-purifying respirator with an APF of 50 for heavier exposure.
N95 (APF 10)	PPE	Filtering facepiece providing an APF of 10; minimum respiratory protection for limited work.
P100 filter	PPE	Particulate filter (99.97% efficient) appropriate for mold spores and fragments.
PAPR	PPE	Powered air-purifying respirator; loose-fitting options suit workers who cannot pass a tight-fit test.
Abrasive cleaning	Remediation Methods	Media blasting, sanding or wire brushing used to remove surface growth from structural materials that cannot be wiped clean.
Abrasive method	Remediation Methods	Sanding/media blasting to remove growth embedded in semi-porous materials like framing.
Antimicrobial (biocide)	Remediation Methods	An EPA-registered product used per label in a supporting role only; it never replaces physical removal.
Antimicrobial/biocide	Remediation Methods	Supplemental, EPA-registered product used per label — not a substitute for removal.
Contents remediation	Remediation Methods	Cleaning, packing out or discarding personal property based on whether it can be reliably cleaned.
Damp wiping	Remediation Methods	Wiping non-porous/semi-porous surfaces to remove contamination after/along with HEPA vacuuming.
Encapsulant	Remediation Methods	Mold-resistant coating applied only after proper cleaning — never to hide growth.
HEPA vacuuming	Remediation Methods	Source-removal method that captures settled spores and debris from surfaces.
Non-porous material	Remediation Methods	Material (glass, metal) that can usually be cleaned and salvaged.
Porous material	Remediation Methods	Material (drywall, carpet, insulation) with growth that is generally removed and discarded.
Semi-porous material	Remediation Methods	Material such as wood or concrete that can often be cleaned by HEPA vacuuming, damp wiping or abrasive methods.
Source removal	Remediation Methods	The primary S520 principle: physically removing mold contamination rather than killing it in place.
Category 3 water	Safety	Grossly contaminated water that raises PPE and disposal requirements and generally means porous materials are removed.
Occupant notification	Safety	Informing occupants of hazards, containment boundaries and restrictions before work begins.
Respiratory protection program	Safety	The OSHA-required written program covering medical clearance, fit testing and training for respirator users.
Shall vs should	Standards	In a standard, "shall" is a mandatory requirement and "should" is a recommendation that may be deviated from with justification.
Standard of care	Standards	The level of practice a competent remediator is expected to meet; the S520 is widely treated as that benchmark.

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Preparing the interactive deck — every term is listed in the table above in the meantime.