COMPANY-REPORTED CASE
From environmental findings to coordinated treatment of the laboratory and HVAC systems.
A molecular biology laboratory identified environmental nucleic acid contamination and engaged VanTsteri to address it. The project needed to address nucleic acid contamination itself, beyond microbial inactivation alone. Both the treatment plan and the evaluation of its outcome therefore focused on nucleic acid decontamination.
The investigation identified signs of nucleic acid contamination in air, on workbenches and near HEPA-filter outlets. These findings extended the treatment focus from working surfaces to the laboratory environment and its associated heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.
To address these findings, VanTsteri combined its own vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) equipment with dedicated HVAC decontamination equipment in a coordinated treatment plan. The project covered a 300 m² laboratory and three HVAC systems, with a treatment period of five hours.
VanTsteri’s decontamination technology can be used to address nucleic acid contamination. According to a VanTsteri representative, the technology’s nucleic-acid decontamination capability has undergone third-party verification, supporting its application. This case further illustrates its use in treating nucleic acid contamination in a laboratory and its HVAC systems.
According to the project record, all 120 environmental samples collected after treatment tested negative for the nucleic acid contamination under investigation. These findings relate to the samples tested in this project.
The value of this case lies in connecting environmental findings, laboratory and HVAC treatment, and post-treatment nucleic acid testing around a specific contamination problem. This gave the customer a defined treatment scope and relevant test results for evaluating the outcome.
If your PCR laboratory is facing nucleic acid contamination, discuss contamination investigation, laboratory and HVAC decontamination, and post-treatment testing with VanTsteri.
This anonymized case is based on VanTsteri’s project record. The customer’s identity is withheld.