The science of what you breathe today
Your air has ingredients. Right now, you can't read the label. We harnessed the world's best science to change that.
Why composition matters:
The toxicity spectrum
Not everything in your air carries the same biological weight. Below are entries from Lution's species database showing how radically the significance of airborne materials can differ at identical concentrations.
| Species | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Stachybotrys chartarum | Produces satratoxins: among the most potent biological compounds found in indoor environments. |
| Aspergillus versicolor | One of the most common indoor molds. |
| Cladosporium cladosporioides | Ubiquitous outdoor/indoor mold. Low biological significance. Present in virtually every home. |
| Species | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Legionella | Found in water systems and HVAC cooling towers… |
| Thermophilic Actinomycetes | Associated with recirculating moisture… |
| Lactobacillus spp. | Beneficial human microbiome organism. Harmless background biology. |
| Species | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Crystalline Silica | Generated from concrete, stone, and masonry. |
| Calcium Carbonate | Common mineral matrix found in most homes… |
| Skin cells / cellulose | Normal household debris. Biologically inert… |
The takeaway: 10 micrograms of Stachybotrys carries 2,000 times the biological weight of 10 micrograms of skin cells. They register identically on every air monitor in the world. Their significance to your environment could not be more different.
The next generation of air science
Air Quality Monitors
How much is in the air
(concentration)
Lab Testing
What's in the air
(composition)
Air Quality Monitors
How much is in the air
(concentration)
Lab Testing
What's in the air
(composition)
Air Quality Monitors & AQI
Consumer air monitors and the AQI answer one question: how much particulate matter is in the air? They count particles by size and report a concentration number. Some incorporate basic gas measurements. This is valuable information that has carried air health for over 50 years… but it is only part of the picture…
Lab Testing
Laboratory testing answer the opposite question: what species are present? - generally without any real context of airborne concentrations over time…
Lution combines both streams into a single, integrated assessment.
Using proprietary technology with 8 U.S. patent applications pending, Lution combines continuous real-time sensor monitoring, deep particulate sampling, and a battery of certified laboratory analyses to answer the question that matters most: what is the calculated concentration and duration of your exposure to each ingredient in your air?
Same AQI. Radically Different Air.
Two homes. Identical readings. Completely different biology.
Both homes register a PM2.5 of 12 µg/m³: well within the EPA's "Good" range. Every consumer monitor gives both homes the same score. The AQI rates both as safe. The composition of that 12 µg/m³ tells two completely different stories.
50
+Live - Dining Room- Cladosporium cladosporioidesMold2.6
- Penicillium chrysogenumMold1.9
- Micrococcus sppBacteria1.0
- Pollen FragmentsDander & Pollen0.7
+16 More Detected
50
+Live - Dining Room- Stachybotrys chartarumMold58.0
- Aspergillus fumigatusMold36.0
- Aspergillus versicolorMold22.0
- Chaetomium globosumMold10.0
+34 More Detected
Same AQI. Same particle count.
A 200× gap in biological weight.
Dose & Duration
It's the dosage of each active ingredient that matters. Until now, nobody calculated that in the home.
Every EPA regulation, every OSHA standard, every industrial hygiene protocol in the world is built on dose-dependent relationships: the significance of any substance depends on how much you are exposed to, for how long, and how frequently. This is why occupational health measures time-weighted exposures, not single readings.
Yet inside the home: where Americans spend 90% of their time, nobody has ever calculated this. Monitors give you a vague particle count at one moment. Mold tests give you a species list from one tiny sample. Neither captures the cumulative exposure to each component over time.
Lution is the first system to calculate concentration-duration relationships for indoor environmental exposure. A single elevated reading that lasts 20 minutes while you cook is fundamentally different from the same reading sustained 24 hours a day from concealed mold growth. Lution captures this distinction, using proprietary technology protected by 8 patents pending. No other consumer system does.
Scenario 1
- First Detected:
- 14 Days Ago
- Trend:
- Rising
Daytime filtration and ventilation keep Lution Levels in the green. The hours above the threshold occur almost entirely overnight, when a stagnant environment raises pollution load.
Lution Level, accumulatedScenario 2
- First Detected:
- 14 Days Ago
- Trend:
- Rising
Seemingly minimal filtration, limited ventilation. Persistently high Lution Levels.
Lution Level, accumulatedBeyond Mold Testing
We include ERMI and HERTSMI-2. But that's just the beginning.
If you're familiar with indoor mold testing, you may have heard of ERMI and HERTSMI-2 scores. You may also have experience with spore traps, culture-based mold tests, or air cassette sampling. Each was an important step forward. Yet each has foundational limitations: spore traps capture just 15 minutes, cultures grow only viable organisms (missing 70–85% of species), ERMI takes a small number of measurements on settled floor dust rather than airborne exposure, and none tracks concentration over time.
Every Lution assessment includes a free estimated ERMI and estimated HERTSMI-2 score, computed from the same DNA sequencing data that powers your full Lution analysis. You get estimates of these legacy scores automatically, so your results speak the language your doctor or consultant may already know.
Then we go further.
Where ERMI evaluates just 36 mold species and HERTSMI-2 isolates 5 of those, Lution characterizes over 1,700 organisms with proprietary biological weighting. Where legacy indexes ignore bacteria entirely, Lution includes comprehensive RNA-based bacterial characterization. Where they exclude chemical vapors and combustion products, Lution scores the complete indoor environment: from a tremendous, much more representative sample that has been collecting your breathable air for weeks or months. The test requires no technician and can be collected in less than 5 minutes.
| Capability | | Air quality monitors | Mold tests | ERMI / HERTSMI-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identifies mold by species | ||||
| Identifies bacteria by genus | ||||
| Identifies pet dander and pollen | ||||
| Identifies materials (gypsum, fiberglass, soot) | ||||
| Reads formaldehyde, VOCs, NOx and CO₂ | ||||
| Samples the home's own filters | ||||
| Estimates dose — what, how much, for how long | ||||
| Tracks duration | ||||
| One daily score, the Lution Level | ||||
| 24/7 coverage | ||||
| Long-term results tracking |
Your air, decoded.
Three streams in. One engine. One Lution Level out.
Three streams in. One engine. One Lution Level out.
Airborne Particles
Dust, Spores, Allergens, Soot
Chemical Vapors
HCHO, NO2, TVOC, O3
Microbial Compounds
mVOCs from fungal activity
EnginePatent-pendingWhat the engine does:
Identifies what's in your air
Cross-references real-time sensor data with lab-derived species composition to create a precise view of inflammatory risk.
Weights every species by significance
Twelve micrograms of skin cells and twelve micrograms of Aspergillus fumigatus look identical to a particle counter. They have radically different biological impact.
Calculates your actual dose
Factors in particle size, breathing rate, and how long each contributor has been present.
Attributes contributions to source
Distinguishes mold from cooking, outdoor incursion from off-gassing, allergens from chemical vapors — so you know how to respond.
Tracks recovery and accumulation
Models how long each contribution stays with a typical inflammatory system.
Applies safety-first scoring
If any single stream reaches a concerning level, your Lution Level reflects that — even if the other streams are clean, following EPA precedent for hazard alerts.
The three-stream architecture and the scoring engine behind it are among the 14 innovations protected by Lution's 8 patents pending.
How this actually works:
Identifying sources
The engine attributes each pollutant to its origin by combining four independent signals: real-time sensor patterns (NO2 spikes at dinnertime signal cooking; a sustained HCHO baseline signals building off-gassing); species composition from lab analysis of HVAC filters dust; temporal correlation across the home; and indoor-outdoor relationships. Each pollutant is assigned to one or more sources with a confidence score.
Weighting toxicity
Not all particles are equal. Every species in our database carries a hazard multiplier (Ω) reflecting its biological significance — from skin cells at Ω = 0.5, to common dust mold at Ω = 2, to Stachybotrys chartarum at Ω = 100, to Aspergillus fumigatus at Ω = 1000. This two-thousand-fold range across species is why a particle counter alone misses the story.
Driving remediation
Source attribution is what turns measurement into action. The engine doesn't just tell you the air is bad — it tells you where to look and what to do about it.
| Dominant Source: | Recommended Action: |
|---|---|
| Cooking dominant | Range hood use, induction over gas, ventilation upgrades |
| Mold dominant | Moisture remediation, HEPA filtration, professional inspection |
| Building materials dominant | Off-gassing time, sealing, material replacement |
| Outdoor incursion dominant | Filter upgrades (MERV-13 or HEPA), sealing infiltration paths |
| Allergens dominant | Source removal (pets, plants), HEPA filtration, washing routines |
Your Lution Level by source
Last 7 Days
FairCooking topped this week's sources, mostly from daily morning events. On the days low typical Yellow, outdoor-led, with no single spike near today's scale.
Today
PoorSignificant combustion activity between 6:00 and 9:30 AM, likely cooking based on timing and source profile. That single event accounted for nearly half of today's Lution Level.
- Cooking & Combustion
- Building Materials
- Outdoor Incursion
- Mold & Microbial
- Household Activities
- Allergens
Two engines. One actionable picture.
Lution combines real-time environmental monitoring with laboratory-grade biological characterization: and translates the combination into a single, continuously updated Lution Level you can act on.
Continuous monitoring
A sensor array tracks airborne particle concentrations across multiple size classes, chemical vapors including formaldehyde and VOCs, temperature, and humidity: every minute, around the clock.
Laboratory Characterization
A sample from your HVAC or HEPA filter is analyzed by certified laboratories using DNA sequencing (ITS for fungi, 16S rRNA for bacteria) and polarized light microscopy. Every organism is characterized by molecular signature. The results are merged into a complete Biological Composition Profile.
+Live - Dining Room- Aspergillus versicolorMold17.5
- Penicillium chrysogenumMold12.5
- Micrococcus sppBacteria4.0
- Skin cells & celluloseDust & Fibers2.0
+22 More Detected
Your Lution Level
The two engines communicate through a proprietary cross-validation system. The lab tells the engine what is in each size class. The sensor tells it how much is in the air right now. The engine calculates the biological significance of your exposure continuously: and translates it into your Lution Level with specific, actionable guidance at every color band. The integration architecture spanning these two engines is protected by 8 patents pending across 14 innovations.
The
Your Lution Level is a single, continuously updated assessment of your air's estimated biological impact. Built on proprietary technology protected by 8 patents pending. Easily understood, yet infinitely deep.
<2.0
Excellent ranges. No action needed.
2.1 - 5.0
Mildly elevated. Consider improving ventilation or activating filtration.
5.1 - 25.0
Significantly elevated. Activate filtration and identify potential sources.
25.1 - 100.0
Seriously degraded. Maximize filtration. Minimize time in the space.
100 - 500+
Extreme conditions. Urgent professional assessment recommended.
+Live - Dining Room- Aspergillus versicolorMold17.5
- Penicillium chrysogenumMold12.5
- Micrococcus sppBacteria4.0
- Skin cells & celluloseDust & Fibers2.0
+22 More Detected
Aspergillus versicolor
Damp-wall mold
Mold- What it signals:
- One of the most common indicators of chronic dampness behind walls.
- Where it's found:
- Damp drywall and wallpaper • Painted surfaces near plumbing • Around windows with chronic condensation • Behind built-in furniture on exterior walls
Tracked by Lution
Tracked by traditional testing (ERMI)
- First Detected
- 14 Days Ago
- Trend
- Rising
Daytime filtration and ventilation keep your Lution Level in the Good band. The hours above it come almost entirely overnight, when still air lets the load build.
Built on limitless published science. Powered by certified laboratories.
Next-Generation DNA Sequencing
Lution uses the same molecular characterization technology deployed in clinical microbiome research and food safety testing worldwide. Every airborne organism in your environment is identified by its DNA: living or dead, culturable or not. Every identification traces to a molecular signature, not a visual interpretation.
Certified Dust Characterization
Every sample also undergoes polarized light microscopy and stereomicroscopic analysis to characterize non-biological components: mineral fibers, construction debris, combustion particles, and synthetic materials.
A Species Database Built for Depth
Each organism is assigned a biological weight using a proprietary 15-tier classification system grounded in published toxicological and epidemiological literature. Every classification is documented, cited, and traceable. The database spans fungi, bacteria, and non-biological particulates: over 1,700 entries and growing. The scoring methodology and the engine that applies it are among the 14 innovations covered by Lution's patent-pending technological breakthroughs.
Filter-Based Sampling
Your HVAC and HEPA filters have been passively concentrating the particles in your breathing air for weeks or months. Lution samples this material using a simple proprietary collection kit, capturing a far larger and more representative sample than any point-in-time test. This is not a dust sample. It is months of accumulated biological evidence your home has been building for you.
By the numbers
1,700+
Organisms in the Lution database, each individually classified based on published research.
50–200+
Organisms typically identified in a single assessment. A standard mold test only looks for 5 to 36.
3
Independent assessment streams: Airborne Particles, Chemical Vapors, and Microbial Compounds.
11,000
Liters of air you breathe every day: more by weight than all the food and water you take in, combined.
24/7
Continuous monitoring. Your Lution Level updates minute by minute.
2,000x
The difference in biological weight between the most hazardous and most benign materials in the database, at identical concentrations.