Reliable and Convenient Active Air Monitoring for Microbes

Merck Millipore’s (Germany) complete portfolio of solutions for environmental monitoring in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and sensitive foods industries encompasses a variety of systems for microbial monitoring in cleanrooms and isolators to cater for any set of requirements. As regulations and standards for production facilities are becoming more demanding, customers increasingly ask for highly accurate and reliable active air sampling solutions like the ones Merck Millipore provides.

What’s more, Merck Millipore’s active air monitoring products are also easy to use and offer a high degree of flexibility. These proven, precise and rapid systems fully comply with all relevant international standards and regulations, ensuring reproducible and reliable results.
The MAS-100 series microbial air monitoring systems are among the most accurate sampling solutions available. They enable reliable and precise detection of practically any airborne microorganism which may be hazardous to sensitive products. The MAS-100 NT microbial air monitoring system for cleanrooms and sterile environments is an easy-to-handle air sampler system that fully complies with EN ISO 14698. It is not only highly precise and reliable but also one of the most cost-effective air sampler systems available. The MAS-100 NT Ex model has been specially adapted for use in explosion risk areas. The MAS-100 CG Ex system is used to test compressed gasses for microbial contamination. It is the only such air sampler approved for use in Zone 2 explosion hazard areas. The MAS 100 Iso NT for sterile production areas and isolators permits installation of sampling heads for standard Petri dishes at critical control points while all electric and moving parts remain outside the critical zone. An internal pump with flow control allows automatic sterilisation of the sample head and aspiration tube. The instrument can be adapted for various types of environments.

RCS High Flow Touch is a complete system, consisting of instrument and agar strips, for monitoring of ambient air and compressed gases. The system has been fully validated according to ISO 14698-1, and comprehensive validation documentation is available. Power is supplied via a lithium-ion battery which has the capacity to perform more than 35 x 1000 L measurements with one full charging cycle. The validated RCS Isolator is a two-component system designed for confined areas like isolators and laminar flow areas. A cable connects the sampling head and the operating unit, allowing the sampler to be operated outside the laminar flow. The design of the sampling unit allows the air ducting to be led outside the critical area. The RCS Plus Ex air sampler is a fully validated, explosion-proof model based on RCS technology. It is designed as an intrinsically safe instrument according to the ignition protection class "ib" (EN 60079). The individually packed, ready-to-use HYCON agar strips for RCS instruments are also available as gamma-irradiated consumables in sterile double packaging for use in critical areas.

Though small and lightweight, the M Air T air tester for cleanrooms, barrier environments and critical areas is extremely powerful: it can sample up to 1,000 liters in 7 minutes. It features programmable electronics, ready-to-use agar cassettes and a delay timer, allowing the operator to leave the area before testing begins. The programmable pump remains outside the operation area and separate from the sampling head. The gamma-irradiated, double-sleeve packaged pre-filled agar cassettes for M Air T systems are provided with USP and EP compliance certificates. They keep a constant distance between the sieve and the surface of the agar cassette for reproducible results. The cassettes are laser marked, enabling efficient record-keeping and tracking. An integrated grid makes colony counting easy. The pre-filled agar cassettes for isolators with validated packaging are impermeable to sanitising agents. They are easy to load, even when wearing isolator gloves, and are available with media specifically formulated for isolators containing large residues of H2O2.