Microbial Sampling Step 4 - How To Test

Learn how to properly sample your compressed air for microorganisms with the Pinocchio Super II impaction sampler.

Trace Analytics, LLC
www.airchecklab.com

Transcript:

This video will show you how to test using the Pinocchio kit. To avoid sampling contamination, change your gloves or disinfect current gloves with alcohol and allow to dry.

If your facility temperature is OUTSIDE the appropriate range of temperature for the plates (a range of 36F-77F), Note that you may need to carry cold ice packs with you to keep your contact plates (including blinds and sterility blanks) cool.

Remember to bring your sterility blank with you. Start by taking a blind. No air or gas is tested during the blind process.

Knobs D, D1, and D2 should be completely closed. With the air valves closed, unscrew the contact plate housing from the collar. Using the alcohol wipes provided, wipe down the inside of the plate housing and the inside of the collar. Allow 2-5 seconds for drying.

Be careful opening the sealed package as the plates are unlocked. Remove a contact plate from the package, ensure the agar is intact, and place it inside the plate housing using the housing clips.

After removing the lid, place it face down on a clean surface. Immediately screw the contact plate housing closed, gently. Too much force can result in the plate falling off the clips.

After 10 seconds, unscrew the contact plate housing, and immediately and carefully place the lid back on the plate. Rotate until locked. Do not touch any exposed portion of the contact plate.

Remove a single strip of parafilm from its paper backing and stretch it to wrap around the rim of the plate, securing the lid and base together. Use a permanent marker to label the base of the contact plate with the appropriate number from your chain of custody.

Fill out the Chain of Custody to reflect the labeled plate, date sampled, and description. Place the sealed and labeled contact plate into the provided sterile bag. Up to 8 sealed plates can fit in a single sterile bag provided.

Let's move on to establishing the correct flow rate for this sampling point. Start with knobs D, D1, D2 completely closed.

Open the control valve at your air or gas line. Begin opening the air inlet connection by turning the D1 valve counterclockwise. Slowly open the valve labeled D. Your flowmeter will begin to measure your flowrate. When you've reached 100L/min, close D1 on your air inlet connection to stop airflow going to the flowmeter. Your flowrate is now established for this point-of-use, do not adjust D again.

Now you're ready to take a sample. Following the same process as before, place a new contact plate into the plate housing, remove the lid and promptly screw the contact plate housing back into the collar.

Set the timer for 10 minutes; which is required to achieve 1,000L total volume of air at 100 lpm. Turning the control valve counterclockwise, completely open D2 of the air inlet connection. Start the timer.

To make sure your setup is correct, put your hand behind the funnel. If you do not feel air on your hand, the air is not flowing through the sampler and you need to check your D air inlet connection valves.

The flowmeter should be at zero when the air is flowing properly through the horn. When the timer goes off, completely close D2 and close the control valve at the sampling port.

Remove the plate from the contact plate housing and immediately lock the lid in place. Agar will be dimpled at the end of the test showing successful impaction of the compressed air onto the contact plate.

Parafilm your contact plate. Label the base of your plate with a permanent marker using the appropriate number from your chain of custody. Fill out your chain of custody, making sure you write down the flowrate and sample time since this is an air sample not a blind. Place the sealed and labeled plate in the provided sterile bag.

Make sure all D air inlet connection valves are closed.

Complete your 10-second After Blind sample the same way you performed the Before Blind sample.

This completes your sampling process. You are now ready to package and ship your equipment and samples to the laboratory.