What is the Basis For Bioburden Testing?
4 min readThe phrase bioburden testing may have popped into your head if you’re an environmental consultant. It’s a process of evaluating the quantity and quality of toxins in our environment. It can also be called a “toxin weighing test.” The premise is simple. An environmental firm is hired to perform bioburden testing, and they are expected to determine the amount of toxicity in the environment and to find a way to filter it out. Environmental consultants are generally hired by companies that have a heavy concentration of waste in their environment or for industrial purposes.
The testing can be environmental, laboratory or even a combination of both. A laboratory bioburden testing typically involves toxicity in either soil or water samples. However, if the sample from the environment must be tested on the same day as samples from the soil or water, then the laboratory bioburden testing is usually employed. A third type of bioburden testing uses a combination of these samples.
So what exactly is toxic? Well, this depends upon a number of factors. The first factor, of course, is what is being tested. In many cases, this will be determined by what the test is looking for and the results obtained.
In soil bioburden testing, the sample will be analyzed for heavy metals like mercury, lead, iron etc. and the corresponding heavy metals will be detected. Additionally, asbestos will be detected. Asbestos is a known carcinogen. So obviously, if it is present in any sample it must be removed.
In water bioburden testing, the sample will be analyzed for heavy metals and the corresponding heavy metals will be detected. Again, the sample will be tested for other toxic elements. It is not uncommon for a sample to be tested for radioactive material. In addition, a variety of toxic heavy metals, like lead, may be detected. Unfortunately, not all samples will generate a toxic heavy metal result. However, the high level of accuracy in the tests makes it unlikely that a non-toxic metal could ever produce a negative result.
The EPA has recently revised the standard for bioburden testing. Currently, a non-toxic metal will not be required to be tested, unless there are high levels of concern for human consumption. These standards are now focused on protecting public drinking water from synthetic chemicals. Therefore, a non-toxic compound will usually be sufficient in these cases.
There are a variety of different analytical methodologies available. However, before the testing can begin, it must first be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities. This will generally involve the reporting of the results to the regulatory bodies and reporting requirements for each country, as well. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your local authorities know that you are undertaking such an investigation. Not doing so could result in serious legal problems.
The bioburden testing process is not particularly difficult. However, it does require a certain amount of industry knowledge and experience. You will find that the more you understand about bioburden analysis, the easier it will be for you to complete the testing process. In the end, it is likely that bioburden testing will be able to provide vital information to help protect public health and safety. For more information, contact a bioburden testing laboratory today.
Most laboratories work by taking water samples at several points during the day. These samples are then analyzed using different methods to determine how much contamination is present in the samples. You will probably be required to do some detailed lab work. This will depend on what type of sample you have collected. Typically, bioburden testing laboratories will require you to: collect a sample, send it to the lab and have the samples tested for both biological and non-biological contaminants.
When performing the tests, there are several steps that need to be followed precisely. If the sample collection and testing procedures are not carefully documented, it may not be sufficiently effective. You will also need to follow all of the guidelines set forth by the particular bioburden lab. You will find that the amount of time it takes to test something varies quite a bit, depending on what results you are getting and the number of samples that you need to test.
If you are not sure about what to do or if you have a hard time understanding what is involved with bioburden testing, you can usually find help at your local laboratory. There are people who perform this type of testing all the time. You should be able to find someone in your area who is experienced in performing this type of test. It is a good idea to contact local health departments to see if they are familiar with bioburden testing. This will help you to learn more about the process and to provide guidance on where to go for help.