[Copied from grasscity:]
Posted 07 October 2013 - 09:03 AM
not all mold is the same. allow me to go over some of the more common types associated with growth on marijuana:
Botrytis Mold: actually the kind of mold prized by wine makers as it is the organism responsible for noble rot in grapes. in high humidity areas, this is the mold that could be called the bane of outdoor growers.
Powdery Mildew: also a type of mold technically, can kill a plant but for the most part burns out when smoked.
^^these two types of mold, although pretty nasty tasting, will only induce type I allergic reactions in people sensitive to them. However neither of these produce the aflatoxins that are considered deadly to humans. however, weed with infections of each can usually be extracted out to remove the smell and taste.
the following two types of mold are indeed considered dangerous, producing aflatoxins that attack our nervous system causing anything from a runny nose to death:
Aspergillus fumigatus: generally lives off of dead material, while the forementioned kinds thrive on living material. prefers growing in damp dark places. this one is particularly nasty, causing anything from allergic reactions to invasive colonization, in addition to the aflatoxins damage.
Penecillium: similar to aspergillus, you would recognize it as the mold injected into bleu cheese, although I believe the one involved here is of a different family. Known to cause keratitis, external ear, or respiratory and urinary tract infection.
members of the aspergillus genus cause a disease called aspergillosis, which is an invasive infection, colonization, toxicoses, or allergy. many other pathogens in addition to these thrive at body temperature environments. aflatoxins are NOT removed through extraction processes so any weed with these infections should be avoided at all costs.
aflatoxins fluoresce green under blacklight.
Bacterial anaerobic conditions can also produce clostridiums infestations. these types of pathogens include C. botulinum, the proprietary organism responsible for botulism in food. as well as C. perfringens, which cause gangrene or food poisoning, and C. Tetani, which causes tetanus. Botrytis, powdery mildew, along with clostridiums infections can be neutralized through extraction with an alkane, or alcohol, but again, aflatoxins CANNOT be extracted out. unfortunately, the only real way to determine what kind of mold you are dealing with is with a microscope.
all of us have smoked mouldy material, whether we knew it or not, because mold exists just about everywhere.
