Per USP Chapter 797 for surface sampling the size of the plate to be used for each sampled location usually ranges from 24 to 30 cm2. Does anyone know this a typo? We use 60 mm contact growth media plate made by Remel and when I talked to their technical support staff they were clueless. They suspect it may mean to cover 24 to 30 cm2 area when someone uses swabs for surface sampling. Any clarification/suggestion will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I agree that it is somewhat confusing since I never seen a plate that wide. I believe, as the company you referred to, that it means the area to cover rather than the size of the plate.
Carlos M Marin, RPh Lead Pharmacist/IV Room/Oncology Overlook Medical Center 99 Beauvoir Ave Summit, NJ 07901 MailBox #277 O: (908) 522-2294 F: (908) 908-522-2583 carlos.marin@atlantichealth.org
It is not a case we are treating; it is a living, palpitating, alas, too often suffering fellow creature. ~John Brown
01-17-201207:22 AM - last edited on 01-17-201210:10 AM by MaeghanN
This is not a typo. The language in the chapter identifies that the area of surface sample needs to be 24-30 cm2 which is achieved when using a 50-60mm plate. A 50 mm plate will give you a sampled area of 25cm2, a 60mm plate will give a sampled area of 30 cm2. The 60mm plate size is the correct plate to use.
This is a basic question...how do you actually do the surface sampling once you have the agar plate? Do you obtain a sterile swab and wipe the area with it then wipe the agar plate? Back to microbiology class. Are there products that you can just remove the cover and then press the agar medium to the surface? thanks
You get a contact plate that has raised media that you can press to the surface that you want to sample. If you visit www.pppmag.com, you will find lots of information and resources on doing environmental sampling. I attached three images that show how to perform surface sampling.
