An executive and consultant with both Medical Service Consultation, International, and Real Time Laboratories, LLC, Dr. Dennis Hooper has almost 40 years of medical experience. Among Dr. Dennis Hooper’s professional accomplishments are co-authored publications, including the 2010 article “Isolation of Sulfur Reducing and Oxidizing Bacteria Found in Contaminated Drywall,” which appeared in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
According to the article, some drywall was imported from China between 2004 and 2007 that was reported to cause metal corrosion issues, health symptoms, and odors in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Although one theory was that the drywall was manufactured using gypsum and a waste material from coal-fired power plants, fly ash, the product was found instead to be comprised of 5 to 15 percent organic material. To try and identify the cause of the issues, the team isolated five organisms that are known to oxidize or reduce iron and sulfur and searched for their presence in samples of both the contaminated drywall and a control group of clean drywall.
Of 25 contaminated samples studied, only one organism -- Thiobacillus (Actinobacillus) ferrooxidans -- was found to be present in every sample in a significant amount. Three of the other four were not present at all and the last organism was only found in one sample, and in a weak amount. Despite the discovery of the organism, the testing did not show emissions high enough to cause the health issues that had been reported. However, the drywall did contain hydrogen sulfide, which has been observed to cause a number of negative effects including asthma, corneal ulcers, and brain damage.
According to the article, some drywall was imported from China between 2004 and 2007 that was reported to cause metal corrosion issues, health symptoms, and odors in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Although one theory was that the drywall was manufactured using gypsum and a waste material from coal-fired power plants, fly ash, the product was found instead to be comprised of 5 to 15 percent organic material. To try and identify the cause of the issues, the team isolated five organisms that are known to oxidize or reduce iron and sulfur and searched for their presence in samples of both the contaminated drywall and a control group of clean drywall.
Of 25 contaminated samples studied, only one organism -- Thiobacillus (Actinobacillus) ferrooxidans -- was found to be present in every sample in a significant amount. Three of the other four were not present at all and the last organism was only found in one sample, and in a weak amount. Despite the discovery of the organism, the testing did not show emissions high enough to cause the health issues that had been reported. However, the drywall did contain hydrogen sulfide, which has been observed to cause a number of negative effects including asthma, corneal ulcers, and brain damage.