Microbial Monitoring and ISO 14698

With the final publication and issue of EN ISO 14698, Biocontamination control within clean rooms has now been more clearly defined. The standard gives guidance on both air and surface monitoring.

Guidance on determining airborne biocontamination is given in Appendix A and seeks to assist users in identifying suitable methods for both passive and active monitoring. Passive devices are typically settle plates and within the pharmaceutical industry the use of gamma irradiated petri dishes is becoming the norm.

The active devices are split into two groups; impaction and impingement samplers. Further guidance on biocontamination of surf aces and textiles is given in Appendix B & C. Sampling devices proposed are again settle plates, together with Contact plates and swabs.

Cherwell is ideally placed in being able to offer solutions for the passive monitoring of air and surfaces as well as active air monitoring.

The SAS range of microbial air samplers offer the widest choice in portable environmental monitoring. The range includes the fastest sampling portable unit and the unique twin head Duo 360. All models use a standard impaction method to capture airborne particulate on the agar surface of either a Contact plate or Petri dish.

The Redipor range of prepared media includes a significant selection of gamma irradiated products for the pharmaceutical industry. Both petri dishes and contact plates are available with many common media types being available directly from stock.

Cherwell also manufactures a wide variety of bottled products ranging in size from 5ml to 500ml as well as Broth in Bags. Full certification confirming growth properties accompanies each batch of product.