[vyshemirsky]

Most species of mould grow very fast in favourable conditions. I am not a professional, but I had experience of working with several species of mushrooms and moulds.
Usual technique is to place a sample of fungus on agar in a petri dish, hold it at about 25º-35º Celsius for up to a couple of weeks observing whether any growth occurs.
There is a problem though - it is very difficult to inoculate the dish without contamination. I would do it in a clean box (not just a clean box, but a box with a pair of gloves attached to it that
is chemically sanitised before handling any samples inside. I would flame sterilise all the instruments (e.g. the inoculation loop or a scalpel). I would also inoculate at least three plates to
split my chances.

My recommendation is to scrap that camera - it is not worth the hassle.
There are very few ways to kill mould spores, and I am pretty certain thymol is not one of them. Think autoclaving or gamma-ray sterilisation.