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MICROBIOLOGICAL DIGITALISATION HURDLES

BRINGING AUTOMATION IN PERSONNEL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING WITH LITTLE INVESTMENT

Microbial enumeration is an important activity that involves the microbiological laboratory and the cleanroom operators. To simplify and accelerate their tasks, the ORUM INTERNATIONAL presents a new protocol called “P.A.C.A.S” (P for passive, A for active, C for compressed, A for air, S for surface).

The microbial enumeration and the subsequent relative registration of all analytical data is a key challenge toward the digitalisation.

The traditional paper protocol is prone to human errors and requires a manual data management and entry. This bottleneck can even delay contamination detection, investigation, resolution.

Furthermore the traditional test with culture plates requires two independent operators (in jargon called “four eyes”). The introduction of P.A.C.A.S. System avoids the intervention of a second operator.

The Protocol

How P.A.C.A.S. System in combination with TRIO.BAS Air sampler helps to save time and reduce risks:

The Cleanroom Manager programs on P.C. or the air sampler passive air, active air, compressed gas, working surfaces, operator hands protocols according to the specific needs of the company, estimated by the Control Risk Assessment (CRA).
The Cleanroom operator takes the samples of passive air, active air, surface and these data (date, identification plate, operator name, place, etc.) are transferred to the air sampler and then to the P.C.
The laboratory operator receives the culture plates, incubates them and then will count the cfu at the end of incubation time.
At the end of count, the operator will take the picture of the culture plate by the “CFU PHOTO CAMERA” where each colony has been indicated by a black pen.
All the data together with the pictures are present in the P.C., in a single or cumulative report, ready for interpretation and control by the regulatory authorities.

Conclusions

The advantage of the presented system is cost effective because the investment is quite low and can be covered in short time.

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