NASA can now conduct microbial air sampling in their extraterrestrial sample storage cleanrooms, overcoming past materials compatibility challenges for air sampling. This advancement is thanks to the AirPrep™ dry electret samplers, including the Bobcat and Cub air samplers that use N95-like filters, unlike liquid, gelatin, and agar-based samplers which can emit organics. Additionally, the tested and validated Bobcat monitoring system assures the maintenance of high-sensitivity cleanrooms to protect precious samples from bioaerosols, a factor traditional particle counters cannot guarantee. This monitoring program, thus, provides a safer, efficient, and more comprehensive cleanroom monitoring solution, appropriate for cleanrooms operating under stringent ISO 4 standards through ISO 7 depending on their purpose.
After collection, AirPrep filter samples are eluted using the AirPrep Rapid Filter Elution Kit, using its Wet Foam to immediately transfer particles and microorganisms into a liquid sample. In this study, these eluted samples were then cultured on Petri dishes to detect viable bacterial and fungal spores. Remaining samples were processed with a Qiagen MagAttract PowerMicrobiome kit and sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform.
The Bobcat sampler is preferred because its dry electret filters do not emit organic compounds, and no fluid is involved in the collection process. Occasional findings of Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Bacillus species were detected in some cleanrooms through culturing, while sequencing revealed a broad array of phyla at very low concentrations.
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INSIGHTS FROM ROUTINE MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF AIR IN ASTROMATERIALS CURATION CLEANROOMS A. B. Regberg 2023
