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Related Concept Videos

Sampling Methods: Sample Types01:18

Sampling Methods: Sample Types

3.3K
Sampling materials are classified into three main types: solid, liquid, and gas.
Solid samples include a variety of substances, such as sediments from water bodies, soil, metals, and biological tissues. Two standard methods for extracting sediments from water bodies are grab sampling and piston coring. Grab sampling involves using a device to collect a discrete sediment sample from the bottom of a water body with minimal disturbance. Grab samples do not always represent the entire area due to...
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Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy01:20

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

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To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
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Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs

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Water-soluble swab material for environmental sampling.

Kevin K Crown1, Timothy N Lambert2,3, Maria Kelly2

  • 1Department of WMD Threats & Aerosol Science, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|April 29, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New water-soluble swabs efficiently capture and release biological samples, improving contamination detection and public safety after biological threats. This advancement enhances biodefense and public health monitoring capabilities.

Keywords:
Bacillus thuringiensis sporesForcespinning technologybiological threat detectionbioterrorismclearance samplingcontamination assessmentcotton candy machine fiber productionenvironmental decontaminationenvironmental samplingfiber characterizationmicrofluidic integrationpolyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibersspore recoverysurface sampling efficiencywater-soluble swabs

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Area of Science:

  • Biodefense and Public Health
  • Materials Science
  • Environmental Monitoring

Background:

  • Biological threats pose significant national security risks, necessitating rapid contamination assessment and clearance.
  • Current surface sampling methods, like those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are inefficient, releasing less than 40% of captured biological material.
  • Existing sampling swabs are not optimized for complete sample release, hindering accurate detection and timely area remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop novel, cost-effective, water-soluble adsorbent materials for efficient biological sample collection and release.
  • To create sampling swabs that release 100% of captured biological material from non-porous surfaces.
  • To improve the speed and reliability of environmental sampling for biodefense and public health applications.

Main Methods:

  • Development of forcespun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibrous swabs designed for high capture and release efficiency.
  • Testing of PVA swabs for structural integrity during sampling and rapid dissolution in aqueous solutions.
  • Evaluation of PVA swabs' compatibility with bacterial growth and spore germination, and comparison of their performance against traditional swab materials.

Main Results:

  • The novel PVA swabs demonstrated significantly higher spore capture and release efficiency (up to 100%) compared to traditional materials.
  • The PVA swabs maintained structural integrity during sampling and dissolved rapidly, facilitating complete sample release.
  • The developed swabs did not inhibit bacterial growth or spore germination, ensuring sample viability for analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Water-soluble PVA swabs offer a superior alternative to traditional sampling materials for detecting low-level microbial contamination.
  • These swabs enhance sampling efficiency, potentially reducing the number of samples needed and accelerating the process of rendering areas safe for public reentry.
  • The developed technology enables more sensitive, faster, and reliable surface monitoring for a wide range of environmental and diagnostic applications, significantly advancing biodefense and public health preparedness.