Sartorius AirPort MD8

Applications

Proactive companies are realizing the importance of active air sampling as an integral part of their QC protocol. The Sartorius AirPort MD8 is the new air sampler for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and the food and beverage industry. The AirPort is also used in hospitals for environmental protection and occupational safety.

Performance

Weighing in at only 5.5 lbs, the AirPort is portable and battery operated so it can be used everywhere. The battery offers 4.5 hours of sampling time before needing to recharge, and can still be used while the battery is recharging. The battery level is clearly indicated so constant performance during sampling is guaranteed. The AirPort is ergonomically designed and easy to clean. It has flexible options for customized use, including adjustable air throughput and air flow rate. The parameters last used are stored even after the automatic shut-off. With the optional calibration unit, the air sampler can be calibrated on site.

Gelatin Membrane Filter Method

The AirPort MD8 utilizes the gelatin membrane filter method for collecting airborne microorganisms. This is the only sampling method that boasts a 99.9% retention rate for airborne microorganisms compared with 40%-60% for other collection methods. It is also the only method capable of reliably collecting airborne viruses. Due to the porous nature of the filter, all bacteria-laden particles are captured, regardless of size and the residual moisture content of the filter prevents desiccation of the retained organisms. Filters are pre-sterilized (gamma irradiation), single or triple bagged, H₂O₂ safe and disposable.

After sampling, there are two filter transfer methods: direct and indirect. Using the direct method, the filter is placed directly on an agar nutrient plate. The gelatin filter dissolves, leaving the microorganisms in direct contact with the plate. Using the indirect method, after sampling, the gelatin filter is dissolved in a sterile solution. The solution is then membrane-filtered and the filter disk is placed on an agar medium. The indirect method is useful for special evaluations, such as when inhibitors are present in the air being sampled, high colony counts are expected or when microorganisms collected are to be incubated on several different agar types simultaneously. When the virus concentration is to be determined, the indirect method must be used so that retained viruses can be cultivated in the solution and analyzed by virological or molecular biological methods.

Viruses: 99.9% for T1 phages (coli phages) at a relative humidity of 50% and inlet velocity of 0.3 m/s

99.94% for T3 phages (coli phages) at a relative humidity of 80% and inlet velocity of 0.3 m/s