Feasibility of using real-time optical methods for detecting the presence of viable bacteria aerosols at low concentrations in clean room environments

Autor: Jim Ho, Thomas H. Kuehn, Nicholas J. Stanley
Rok vydání: 2010
Předmět:
Zdroj: Aerobiologia. 27:163-172
ISSN: 1573-3025
0393-5965
DOI: 10.1007/s10453-010-9185-8
Popis: An experimental investigation was carried out to determine the agreement between two methods of viable bacteria aerosol detection. Various amounts of Bacillus globigii (BG) spores were aerosolized in 1-s bursts into a HEPA-filtered air stream and sampled simultaneously with a fluorescence aerosol particle sensor (FLAPS) and a slit to agar biological air sampler. The slit sampler incorporated 150-mm malt extract culture plates, which were incubated at 37°C for at least 12 h before culturable BG particles were counted in terms of colony-forming units (CFU). A relationship between CFU and optically detected viable bacteria particles was determined as culturable particle concentrations decreased. Through further analytical procedures, the FLAPS showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.2 bacterial particle/2.5 l of sampled air or 1.7 × 103 m−3. This real-time bacteria aerosol monitor could be used to detect burst contamination events during a surgical procedure. The technology may be used for developing a dose–response relationship between bacterial particle exposure and infection, a tool potentially helpful in determining patient risk.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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