Evaluation of the Level of Biotic and Abiotic Contamination of Surfaces Using the Principle of Light Absorption for the Purpose of Sanitary and Microbiological Control

Abstract

Relevance. The environment, represented by many components, can have an unfavorable influence on human health. One of the components of air pollution, a solid-phase aerosol, that interacting with a droplet aerosol released from the mucous membrane of the upper airway of a sick person, forms dispersed structures containing various species of microorganisms. Dust fractions, being a source of microorganisms with a diverse phenotype, can become a useful object of environmental monitoring carried out for preventive purposes. Aims. Determination of the possibility of use of the physical phenomenon of light absorption for detection of the pollutions and their quantification on surfaces made from various materials and on environmental objects with unequal conditions of use.Materials and methods. The surfaces of various materials with natural and artificial contamination in the closed rooms of an educational institution were studied in order to classify the level of their biotic and abiotic contamination based on the analysis of the spectrum of absorbed and reflected radiation registered by the photodiodes of the prototype device. Internal control of the levels of biotic contamination of the examined surfaces was carried out with use of ATP-luminometer and a cultural method. Results. The third level classification of the contaminations on the surfaces in public areas: clean, uncertain and dirty was developed on the results of experimental studies with use of «PROBER» test system, expressed in units. Statistically significant differences in the indicators of the test system were confirmed in the study of surfaces with different levels of contamination (p < 0.01) and the correlation of the test system indicators with control measurements of the levels of surface contamination by ATPluminometer (φ * emp = 1.281) and a cultural method.Conclusions. Physical parameters such as the spectra of absorbed and reflected light and their differences can be used to determine the levels of dust contamination of surfaces in order to assess the safety of the environment for human health.