Based on the slit-to-agar impaction technique, where particles are impinged onto the agar surface and colonies counted after incubation
Industrial microbiology and life science specialist Biotrace International, winner of the Commitment to Innovation 2003 award and the Plc Best Technology award 2002, is keeping up the momentum with the launch of two high quality slit to agar samplers for environmental monitoring and compressed gas testing, the Air Trace environmental and Air Trace compressed gas.
These samplers are based on the slit-to-agar impaction technique, where particles are impinged onto the agar surface.
Following appropriate incubation, all colonies growing on the plated media can be counted, enabling the level of sample contamination to be accurately quantified in line with the requirements of the pharmaceutical and clinical sectors.
Biotrace International also manufactures, to GMP standards, its own Biotrace Pre-prepared media (Biotrace PPM) for use with both samplers.
Air Trace environmental is designed to optimally sample a known volume of air in a cleanroom or critical area for the presence of viable organisms.
This is an essential regulatory requirement for aseptically manufactured pharmaceutical products and for the control of operating theatres.
Gas lines providing sterile compressed gases can now be checked using the Air Trace compressed gas sampler.
Easy to use, the meticulously designed samplers can be calibrated to Ukas or an equivalent national standard according to user requirements.
For precise localised monitoring Air Trace environmental has the option of a remote probe assembly to allow for isolated sampling at point of fill applications, in laminar flow cabinets or in isolators.
Also, run data can be downloaded via an RS232 output to an optional printer.
Both samplers are calibrated and validated to sample one cubic metre of air or gas in 35 minutes 20 seconds, made possible by an automatically regulated airflow that allows a continuous optimum flow rate to be maintained.
An audio-visual corrupt cycle alarm alerts users to flow rate fluctuations.
John Cobb, product manager for Air Trace explains: "Air Trace environmental and Air Trace compressed gas samplers combine both tried and tested technology with an innovative new design and state of the art control.
"The new features include automatic adjustment of the slit to agar height and user control over such key variables as plate rotation speed and the area of media impinged, provide the high levels of accuracy and reliability vital to the monitoring processes.
"The type of information generated can be tailored to meet individual requirements through programmable user, location and unique run identification functions. "Both samplers function with touch button simplicity guiding the user through on screen instructions, which can be displayed in seven different languages".
