Open AccessEvaluation of a Wipe Surface Sample Method for Collection of Bacillus Spores from Nonporous Surfaces
Author(s) -
Gary S. Brown,
Rita G. Betty,
J.E. Brockmann,
Daniel A. Lucero,
Caroline Ann Souza,
Kathryn S. Walsh,
R. M. G. Boucher,
Mathew Tezak,
Mollye C. Wilson,
Todd Rudolph
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.01082-06
Subject(s) - polyester , extraction (chemistry) , sonication , bacillus anthracis , chromatography , spore , relative standard deviation , materials science , porosity , detection limit , pulp and paper industry , composite material , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , bacteria , genetics , engineering
Polyester-rayon blend wipes were evaluated for efficiency of extraction and recovery of powderedBacillus atrophaeus spores from stainless steel and painted wallboard surfaces. Method limits of detection were also estimated for both surfaces. The observed mean efficiency of polyester-rayon blend wipe recovery from stainless steel was 0.35 with a standard deviation of ±0.12, and for painted wallboard it was 0.29 with a standard deviation of ±0.15. Evaluation of a sonication extraction method for the polyester-rayon blend wipes produced a mean extraction efficiency of 0.93 with a standard deviation of ±0.09. Wipe recovery quantitative limits of detection were estimated at 90 CFU per unit of stainless steel sample area and 105 CFU per unit of painted wallboard sample area. The method recovery efficiency and limits of detection established in this work provide useful guidance for the planning of incident response environmental sampling following the release of a biological agent such asBacillus anthracis .