BioTrak for Root Cause Investigations.

The BioTrak is becoming popular in root cause investigations. It’s a real-world use that’s on the increase and plays to the instrument’s strengths in portability and rapid implementation.

Before BioTrak, obtaining a definitive root cause was an elusive challenge. However, rapid and definitive identification of root cause microbial investigations or exceptions is now readily available. Cleanroom professionals and manufacturers increasingly recognise the BioTrak’s true potential.

Immediate root cause deployment

Root cause investigation is a critical and often time-sensitive process. In root cause investigation applications, the BioTrak does not need the same level of validation or non-inferior compendial comparisons required by regulators of Advanced Rapid Microbial Methods (ARMM) used in continuous monitoring.

As a recognised ARMM using proven Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) technology, BioTrak delivers results rapidly, in real time. Which is exactly what root cause investigators need. BioTrak also provides enhanced discrimination of microbial particles; it doesn’t just count any particle that fluoresces as viable. That’s why manufacturers are using BioTrak to deliver improved root cause investigations right now. Some use a bilateral contamination control strategy where traditional culture methods identify microbes and BioTrak is deployed as a powerful investigative tool to locate the source and improve process knowledge.

Responding to an excursion

When deploying BioTrak for root cause analysis in response to an excursion, users can take advantage of the portability of the instrument to gather more data by sampling at additional locations in the area where the excursion occurred.

Identifying a contamination source

BioTrak users can scan specific sources or allow the instrument to run continuously to look for an increase in the viable particle count caused by actions or processes such as manufacturing activities, shift changes, cleaning procedures, equipment operations, HVAC cycles, etc.

BioTrak will also immediately confirm the success of remedial actions taken to contain or eliminate the identified contamination source.