Verifying Proper Function of the Aerosol Evacuation System Prior to Sorting Potentially Infectious Samples

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Laboratory Safety
• Aerosol Science

Background:

• Cell sorters can generate hazardous aerosols during instrument failures, posing risks to operators.
• Current aerosol containment relies on evacuation systems and biosafety cabinets, but evacuation systems require regular verification.
• Operator safety is paramount when handling infectious or hazardous samples in cell sorting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an updated protocol for verifying the containment and evacuation of aerosols from cell sorters.
• To ensure aerosol evacuation systems are operational and provide adequate protection before processing hazardous samples.
• To validate the effectiveness of engineering controls in preventing operator exposure to aerosols.

Main Methods:

• Simulating instrument failure by disrupting the cell sorter stream and generating aerosols.
• Using 1-µm fluorescent beads to create detectable aerosol particles.
• Collecting air samples outside the sort collection area with impactor-style aerosol samplers.
• Examining collected samples for the presence of fluorescent beads to detect aerosol leakage.

Main Results:

• Absence of beads in air samples indicates adequate aerosol containment and evacuation.
• Presence of beads signifies a potential failure in the aerosol evacuation system or other controls.
• The protocol provides a user-driven verification method for aerosol evacuation systems.

Conclusions:

• Regular verification of aerosol evacuation systems is crucial for operator safety.
• The described protocol offers a reliable method to detect aerosol containment failures.
• Ensuring proper function of aerosol evacuation systems is essential for safe laboratory practices when using cell sorters.