Particle Counts
Particle Counts are an extremely important consideration when desigining an IVF lab.
In a low-O2 incubator, approximately 80% of the air in that incubator is from the air in which it sits. This occurs when the door to the incubator is opened and that air moves inside the unit. In a normal office building, the particle counts are approximately 500,000 particles per cubic foot.
A typical incubator holds about 6 cubic feet of air, so there could potentially be 2 million particles in an incubator that sits in a lab without particle filtration.
The big problem with particles is that they are they come from some bigger thing, like paint chips, dirt, and fecal matter. So, these particles are composed of chemicals and/or bacteria. When these particles of stuff get in your dish, it affects the environment in that dish.
You can imagine how a 12 micron particle of latex-based paint could affect the environment in a 100 microliter drop of culture media?
Particle Testing
Particle testing is accomplished with a particle counter. Results are generally reported in total particles and number of particles in each size category. Clean rooms are tested at rest and with people in them.
People are probably the biggest particle generators in a room and must be controlled appropriately.
Particle counters come in many different varieties. We use a Lasair II-325 from PMS (Particle Measuring Systems.) It is a very advanced device that pulls 1 cfm of air during its testing process. It is much more effective than many handheld units, which only pull 0.4 cfm. It gives much more accurate results, especially at low counts.
How to Reduce Particle Counts
Particle counts can be reduced three ways:
1. Treat them once they are already in the room
2. Keep them from getting in the room in the first place
3. Control particle generation
We can help you design an IVF laboratory that will have its own HVAC system with built-in HEPA filtration to keep the particles from getting in the room. This is expensive up front, but best in the long term.
If you are treating this issue after your building is built, then you have to attack the particles once they are in the room. This is not as effective, but good results can be achieved. Coda towers work well, though IQ-Air makes good units that are priced somewhat better.
If you already have an existing building and lab, we can help you to obtain the best particle counts possible given your current situation.