Abstract
This paper reviews the mathematical basis provided by the manufacturer of the “Biotest RCS“ air sampler. Eight published comparisons of this device’s efficiency with that of slit samplers arrived at conflicting conclusions. The RCS’s efficiency was overestimated by those evaluators who used the manufacturer’s air sampling rate of 40 liters per minute (Lpm). According to the calibration equation, however, the 40 Lpm rate only applies to particles 4 micrometers in effective diameter; larger airborne particles must be regarded as having been deposited from larger volumes of air. Since the bacteria-containing particles which cause problems in aseptic filling rooms are much larger than 4 ¼m, the equation requires the use of sampling rates larger than 40 Lpm, which leads to lower values for the concentration of airborne bacteria. This observation may have an effect on acceptable sanitary standards in clean rooms where the RCS is used to evaluate the environment.
- Received June 25, 1988.
- Accepted August 2, 1988.
- Copyright © Parenteral Drug Association. All rights reserved.
PDA members receive access to all articles published in the current year and previous volume year. Institutional subscribers received access to all content. Log in below to receive access to this article if you are either of these.
If you are neither or you are a PDA member trying to access an article outside of your membership license, then you must purchase access to this article (below). If you do not have a username or password for JPST, you will be required to create an account prior to purchasing.
Full issue PDFs are for PDA members only.
Note to pda.org users
The PDA and PDA bookstore websites (www.pda.org and www.pda.org/bookstore) are separate websites from the PDA JPST website. When you first join PDA, your initial UserID and Password are sent to HighWirePress to create your PDA JPST account. Subsequent UserrID and Password changes required at the PDA websites will not pass on to PDA JPST and vice versa. If you forget your PDA JPST UserID and/or Password, you can request help to retrieve UserID and reset Password below.
