RTI International/EPA
April 2011
EPA Contract EP-C-05-060/TO56
NRMRL-RTP-460
Environmental and Sustainable Technology
Evaluation: Mold-Resistant Armacell Insulation
- Armacell LLC, AP Armaflex Black
HRTI
INTERNATIONAL
Prepared by
Research Triangle Institute
SiEPA
For
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development- Environmental Technology Verification Program
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
THE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION PROGRAM
Environmental and Sustainable Technology Evaluation (ESTE)
&EPA
INTERNATIONAL
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Institute
ESTE Joint Verification Statement
TECHNOLOGY TYPE: Mold-Resistant Insulation Product
APPLICATION: Insulation
TECHNOLOGY NAME: AP Armaflex Black
COMPANY: Armacell LLC
ADDRESS: Mebane, North Carolina
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology
Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved
environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information.
The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection and sustainability by
accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to
achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to
those involved in the purchase, design, distribution, financing, permitting, and use of
environmental technologies. This verification was conducted under the Environmental and
Sustainable Technology Evaluation (ESTE) element of the ETV Program that was designed to
address agency priorities for technology verification.
This ESTE project involved evaluation of the mold resistance of Armacell AP Armaflex Black
insulation. Tests for emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde were also performed. For this
project Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was the responsible contractor for EPA Office of
Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL).
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for Armacell AP Armaflex
Black insulation.
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
The following description of the product was provided by the vendor and was not verified. AP
Armaflex Roll Insulation is a black flexible closed-cell, fiber-free elastomeric thermal insulation.
It is furnished with a smooth skin on one side which forms the outer exposed insulation surface.
The expanded closed-cell structure makes it an efficient insulation for ductwork, large piping,
fittings, tanks and vessels. AP Armaflex products are made with Microban® antimicrobial
product protection for added defense against mold on the insulation.
Figures 2-1 and 2-2 show the top and bottom surfaces of the material.
Figure S-1. Top (outer) surface of material
Figure S-2. Bottom (inner) surface of material
VERIFICATION TEST DESCRIPTION
Verification testing of the Armacell AP Armaflex Black insulation began on April 14, 2010 at
the microbiology laboratories of RTI International and was completed on July 8, 2010. All tests
were performed according to the ETV Program's "Test/QA Plan for Mold-Resistant Building
Material Testing." Mold resistance testing was performed following the guidelines outlined in
ASTM 6329. ASTM 6329 provides a quantitative endpoint for growth in a well-controlled, static
chamber environment. The method has been successfully used to evaluate fungal resistance on a
variety of materials including ceiling tiles and HVAC duct materials.
In overview, the Armaflex Black insulation roll was cut aseptically with a razor blade into a
number of small test pieces (at least 4 cm x 4 cm). The material was not autoclaved or sterilized
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
prior to inoculation. Therefore, in addition to the test organism inocula, any organisms naturally
on both the top and bottom surfaces of the material had the opportunity to grow if conditions
were favorable for growth. The test organisms were inoculated by pipette directly onto the
surface of each test material piece in sufficiently high numbers to provide an adequate challenge,
but at a level that is realistic to quantify. The tests ran for 12 weeks. During the 12 week test
period, data from four test dates, labeled Day 0, Week 1, Week 6, and Week 12, were evaluated.
Day 0 samples provided the baseline inoculum level. A sufficient number of test pieces were
inoculated simultaneously for all four test dates. All pieces for one material and one test
organism were put in the same static chamber. Because ASTM 6329 calls for a reference
material similar to the test material, the reference material chosen for comparison was insulation
purchased in a local home improvement chain store.
Two test organisms, Stachybotrys chartarum and Aspergillus versicolor were used. The static
chambers were set to 100% equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) for the tests with S. chartarum
and to 85% ERH for A versicolor. On each test date (including Day 0), five replicates of the test
material pieces were removed from the chamber, each was placed separately in a container with
sterile buffer, and extracted by shaking. The resulting suspension of eluted organisms was plated
and microbial growth on materials was quantified by manually enumerating colony-forming
units (CPU).
The numbers of CPU eluted on test dates Weeks 1, 6, and 12 were compared to the baseline at
Day 0. The numbers of CPU were expressed as logic. The results are reported as the logic
change in CPUs between Day 0 and Week 1, Day 0 and Week 6, and Day 0 and Week 12.
Additional measurements included VOC and aldehyde emissions; these were performed by RTI
following ASTM D5116-06.
VERIFICATION OF PERFORMANCE
The results for the Mold Resistance tests are presented in the Figures S-3 and S-4. Growth is
measured by sporulation and is defined as at least a 1 logic increase in culturable organisms over
the baseline which was determined on Day 0.
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
Figure S-3 shows the log change
in A. versicolor and Figure S-4
shows the log change in
S. char tar um on both the test and
reference materials as well as
the growth of naturally occur-
ing fungi on the reference
material.
Neither the test material nor the
reference material inoculated
with A. versicolor and incubated
at 85% ERH showed growth
during the 12 weeks of the test.
It was important to check that
none of the changes made to the
test material to make it mold
resistant actually enhanced the
ability of mold to grow over the
reference material.
Neither the test material nor the
reference material inoculated with
S. chartarum and incubated at
100% ERH showed growth
during the 12 weeks of the test.
The growth of a variety of fungal
species on some pieces (naturally
occurring on the sample) made it
difficult to accurately assess the
S. chartarum growth on the
reference material.
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Figure S-3. Log change in Aspergillus versicolor
inoculated on the test material over 12 weeks on the
insulation reference material and Armacell.
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Figure S-4. Log change in Stachybotrys chartarum
inoculated on the test material over 12 weeks on the
insulation reference material and Armacell.
At Day 0 the numbers of
naturally occurring fungi were
below the detection limit on both the test and the reference materials. However, the growth of the
naturally occurring fungi on the reference material became a notable quantity by week 6.
The quality assurance officer reviewed the test results and the quality control data and concluded
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RTI International/EPA
April 2011
that the data quality objectives given in the approved test/QA plan were attained.
The emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde test results are presented in Table S-l.
Table S-l. Test results for VOCs and formaldehyde emissions from Armacell
VOCs and Formaldehyde Emissions*
Emission Types
Total VOCs
Formaldehyde
Individual VOCs
Minimum emission results
<0.5mg/mJ
<0.1 ppm
<0.1 TLV
*Individual pollutants must produce an air concentration level no greater than 1/10 the threshold limit
value (TLV) industrial workplace standard (Reference: American Conference of Government Industrial
Hygienists, 6500 Glenway, Building D-7, Cincinnati, OH 45211-4438.
This verification statement discusses two aspects of Mold-Resistant Building Material Testing,
mold resistance and emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde. Users of this technology may wish to
consider other performance parameters such as fire resistance, service life, and cost when
selecting a building material. According to the test/QA plan, this verification statement is valid
for 3 years following the last signature added on the verification statement.
Details of the verification test design, measurement test procedures, and Quality
Assurance/Quality Control Procedures can be found in the Test Plan titled Test/QA Plan for
Mold-Resistant Building Material Testing (RTI 2008). Detailed results of the verification are
presented in the Final Report titled Environmental and Sustainable Technology Evaluation:
Mold-Resistant Armacell Insulation - Armacell LLC, AP Armaflex Black (NRMRL-RTP-460).
Both can be downloaded from the ETV Program website
(http://www.epa.gov/etv/este.htmltfmrbmgw).
"original signed by Sally Gutierrez 10/14/11"
Sally Gutierrez
NRMRL Laboratory Director
Office of Research and Development
"original signed by Karin Foarde 11/21/11"
Karin Foarde
Center for Microbial Community Systems and
Health Director
Research Triangle Institute
NOTICE: ETV verifications are based on an evaluation of technology performance under specific, predetermined
criteria and the appropriate quality assurance procedures. EPA and RTI make no expressed or implied warranties as
to the performance of the technology and do not certify that a technology will always operate as verified. The end
user is solely responsible for complying with any and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Mention
of commercial product names does not imply endorsement.
EPA REVIEW NOTICE This report has been peer and administratively reviewed by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
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