Microbiology & sterility
Microbial air sampler (active air sampler)
Draws a known volume of air across an agar plate so that airborne microorganisms are collected and can be counted as cfu per m³. Used for active viable air monitoring of clean rooms, isolators and LAF units.
- Pharmaceutical
- Biotech
- Hospitals and compounding pharmacies
- Medical devices
- Food & beverage
TROUBLESHOOTING
Common problems, causes and fixes
Flow error alarm during sampling
Likely causes
- • Blocked head holes
- • Fan or sensor fault
- • Low battery
What to do
- • Clean the head and check holes
- • Charge or replace the battery
- • Send for service and recalibration
Unexpected growth on Grade A air samples
Likely causes
- • Contaminated head or poor plate handling
- • Real excursion in the area
- • Sampler placed in turbulent air
What to do
- • Review handling and head sanitisation
- • Start an investigation with particle data and other EM results
- • Identify the isolate and check placement
Agar surface dried or cracked after sampling
Likely causes
- • Large sample volume in one plate
- • Low agar fill volume
What to do
- • Split the volume across plates or use thicker plates
- • Validate the maximum volume per plate
Calibration shows flow outside tolerance
Likely causes
- • Sensor drift
- • Worn fan or leaking seal
What to do
- • Adjust and recalibrate
- • Assess impact on results since the last passing calibration
In LimsPulse · Calibration Management
Keep every Air sampler in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.