HYCON® Agar Strips Blank Strip KIT [Pack of 50]

Description

Application and Interpretation
Blank slides are used for special applications in air monitoring.

A. Filling the blank strips:
According to ISO 11133 cool the molten medium to 47 °C to 50 °C in a thermostatically controlled water bath. The time needed to reach 47 °C to 50 °C depends on the type of medium, the volume and the number of units in the water bath. Molten medium should be used as soon as possible, but it is recommended that it should not be retained for more than 4 h. In the case of particularly sensitive media, the holding time of molten media shall be shortened, and this will be specified in the relevant International Standard. Unused medium shall not be re-solidified and reused.

Open the wrapper at 1/3 by pealing back the plastic seal at the rounded side of the wrapper. Remove the strip from the wrapper.

Fill the strip evenly with 10 mL of a pre-prepared agar medium by applying aseptic techniques.
Allow medium to solidify.

Replace the filled strip into the original wrapper with the agar surface facing downwards. Close
the wrapper with the included cover slide until use.

B. Active Air Monitoring:
For instructions on how to collect an air sample please refer to the user guide of the respective RCS®
instrument. Equilibrate the agar strip at room temperature prior to use.
Remove the agar strip from the wrapper. Insert the agar strip into the slot at the opening of the
rotor, or the impeller drum.
Place the instrument into the required position, choose the appropriate sample volume and start
the air sampling procedure.
When the sampling process is finished, remove the agar strip from the rotor or impeller drum
and place it back into the wrapper. Close the wrapper with the cover slide.
Label the wrapper with appropriate information.
Incubate the agar strip according to the requirements of the specific agar medium.
After incubation, the colony-forming units (CFUs) are analyzed by visual inspection directly through the sealed
wrapper.

Important Notes:
Filled strips have a limited expiry (danger of drying out).
Perform a visual inspection prior to use. Dehydrated or contaminated agar strips should be discarded.
Practice aseptic technique when handling agar strips.
The coated surface of the contact slides should face downwards during incubation in order to
avoid the formation of satellite colonies created by condensation.

Storage

The product can be used until the expiry date if stored in the original box, protected from light
and properly sealed at the temperature range indicated on the box label. The total shelf from the
date of production is 24 months.

The shelf life of prepared media has to be validated for each formulation at the site of use.
Condensation can be prevented by avoiding quick temperature shifts and mechanical stress.
Upon storage agar strips should not be placed near heat sources such as refrigerators with heatemitting condensers. Filled Agar Strips should be stored with the coated side of the agar strip
facing downwards.

Disposal

Please mind the respective regulations for the disposal of used culture medium (e.g. autoclave
for 20 min at 121°C, disinfect, incinerate etc.).

Quality Control
The Blank Strip KIT is tested for sterility to be sterile after 7 days at 20-25°C and 30-35°C.
Please refer to the actual batch related Certificate of Analysis.