Air microbiological monitoring is the process of sampling and analyzing airborne microbial contamination. It is an important step in quality control for manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and beverage industries. Air quality plays a vital role in sterile environments, cleanrooms, and production areas where airborne microorganisms are a potential risk for cross-contamination of raw materials and final products. Microbial air samplers are devices used to collect and sample airborne microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other airborne particles to monitor and assess the quality of the air in a given environment by identifying and quantifying the types and concentrations of microorganisms present.

Microbial air samplers typically consist of a sampling head and a collection medium. The sampling head serves to capture airborne particles onto the collection medium, which can be a solid agar plate, liquid medium, or filter. After the microbial air sampler impinges microorganisms onto the surface of the collection medium, the collected microorganisms are analyzed to determine the type and number of airborne microorganisms.

Microbial air samplers are categorized into several types based on different sampling principles. Impaction samplers and impinger samplers sample airborne microbial particles by impinging particles into solid media and dropping particles into liquid media, respectively. Filtration samplers sample by passing air through a filter and trapping microorganisms on the surface of the filter.

Microbial air samplers are widely used in industrial environments, such as pharmaceutical and food processing facilities, to monitor air quality and identify potential sources of contamination. The information provided by microbial air samplers can be used to ensure product safety and high quality. Microbial air samplers are also used in healthcare facilities such as hospitals and clinics, as well as in other environments to monitor air quality, assess site-specific air quality, and identify potential sources of infection. In addition, microbial air samplers can be used to study the types and concentrations of microorganisms present in various types of ambient air, helping researchers to understand how microorganisms are spread in the air and how they affect human health.

Amerigo Scientific offers microbial air samplers in a variety of sampling principles and sizes that serve as reliable tools to understand and monitor the types and concentrations of microorganisms in the air to assess levels of microbial contamination, investigate potential sources of contamination so that implement appropriate control measures can be implemented to keep the environment clean and safe.