| Sampling Procedure Air Samples 1. Obtain a 3-piece PCR air/dust-sampling cassette Product # 87M0011 for Bacteria and Product # 8715309 for fungi/mold. 2. Remove the upper (blue) and lower (red) plugs of the cassette. 3. Attach a vacuum pump to the cassette through the lower opening. 4. Sample as much air as desired through the upper opening. There is no upper limit to sampling time. 5. Record the VOLUME of air sampled and ship cassette to EMSL. No refrigeration is needed. Dust Samples for Bacteria 1. Obtain a 3-piece PCR air/dust-sampling cassette Product # 87M0011 and Product # 8715309 for fungi/mold. 2. Remove the upper (blue) and lower (red) plugs of the cassette. 3. Attach a small piece of tubing to the upper opening. Cut a 45-degree angle at the end of the tubing. 4. Attach a vacuum pump to the cassette through the lower opening. 5. Begin collecting dust through the upper tubing. There is no upper limit to sampling time. 6. Ship the cassette to EMSL. No refrigeration is needed. Swab Samples 1. Obtain a sterile TransPorter swab (Without buffer solution, Product #8708301 from EMSL to collect sample. 2. Wearing gloves, remove swab from packaging material. 3. Swab the desired area thoroughly, rolling the swab lightly back and forth over sampling area. Be sure to record the area sampled. 4. Insert the swab into the tube and firmly close cap. Ship the swab to EMSL. Bulk Samples 1. Obtain a sterile swab and follow directions as described above for swabs. 2. Alternatively, you may submit a piece of the bulk sample for analysis. Water/Liquid Samples 1. All water samples should be taken in sterile sampling containers, which our laboratory can provide upon request. 2. Fill container with 100mL of water or liquid, or as much water as possible and seal securely to prevent leakage during transport. 3. Transport sample using ice packs to EMSL Culture Plates 1. If you are interested in fast species level ID of your culturable (viable) fungi in your samples, you may combine PCR with culture analysis. Simply ask the laboratory to hold your cultures for follow-up analysis and request the desired PCR Organism package. |