Detection of biotic contamination on surfaces in connection with e.g. food, semiconductors or medicine, by measuring indicative fluorescence in a specific waveband.

Abstract
Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zur Detektion biotischer Kontaminationen auf einer Oberflaeche. Die Oberflaeche wird mit Licht mit einer Wellenlaenge im unteren Bereich oder unterhalb des sichtbaren Spektrums bestrahlt und wird von der bestrahlten Oberflaeche emittiertes Fluoreszenzlicht zumindest teilweise erfasst.

 

DE 19906047 A UPAB: 20001102 NOVELTY - A method for the detection of biotic contamination on surfaces, is new. The surface (1) is irradiated with light (5) with a small wavelength in, or below the visible spectrum. Fluorescence light (6) emitted from the surface is measured. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for corresponding equipment, comprising a source (3) emitting light (5) and a measurement cell (4) for detecting light (6) of greater wavelength than that of the source. An evaluation unit produces a signal representative of the measured light. USE - To detect biotic contamination on technical surfaces in rooms used for production-, medicinal-, and laboratory applications (claimed use). Specific areas of application include the chain of food production and distribution, and clean rooms for semiconductor production. ADVANTAGE - The method is a simple means of detecting contamination. It avoids a long, costly chain of sample-taking, culturing and examination. Further, possibly disproportionately-large costs are likely in the event of a positive result (elaborated in text). Using the new method, contamination is located and measurable, in situ, by a method requiring less skill. Corrective actions may be set in progress immediately. Relation to FDA and other requirements is discussed in the text.