Viable Air Monitoring
Microbial air monitoring is the process of sampling and analyzing microbial contamination present in the air, a crucial component of quality control in the manufacturing sectors, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and beverages. Air quality is of paramount importance in aseptic environments, cleanrooms, and production areas, as microorganisms in the air can pose a significant risk for cross-contamination of raw materials and final products. Regular microbial air monitoring helps to ensure that air quality meets strict standards, preventing contamination and ensuring the safety and integrity of the products being manufactured.
Overview
Active Microbial Air Monitoring
The need for efficient active air monitoring is growing, as regulations and standards for pharmaceutical, food, and beverage products are increasing. In these industries, the quality of the production environments is directly linked to the finished products' quality. Active air monitoring determines the number of viable organisms per cubic meter of air, and is part of continuous routine testing during the manufacturing process.
Microbial air samplers actively impact microorganisms onto the agar surface of a culture medium, which is then incubated. The results are analyzed by enumerating the microorganisms that have grown on the culture medium. If the test result is positive for the presence of microbial contamination in the air, especially in critical areas, it is followed by an identification test to determine the genus of the microorganism.
Passive Microbial Air Monitoring
Passive air sampling is an important complement to active air monitoring methods. This method is used to measure the levels of contamination that have dropped from the air onto surfaces. Settle plates (also known as sedimentation plates or settling plates) allow for continuous, semi-quantitative determination of microbial contamination in the air.
- Settle plates: Are placed openly in the test area for a specific period of time, allowing microorganisms to drop from the air and grow on the culture media.
- Incubation: To enhance microbial growth, the media plate is placed in an incubator that provides optimal growth conditions.
- Enumeration and Identification: After a specified period of time, the cultures grown are enumerated and, if needed, identified using an identification test.