Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi or viruses, occur naturally almost everywhere and are often even useful for humans. However, if they multiply uncontrollably, they can become pollutants and cause diseases. Good hygiene control is therefore essential in many areas.
In the analysis laboratory of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, microbiological testing of air, in water and on surfaces (materials, instruments, etc.) can be carried out. The laboratory is run in collaboration between the two institutes of Medical Technology and Building Technology, Health and Hygiene Research Group. Primarily, the laboratory is available for research and development purposes. Services such as standard-compliant analyses are currently under construction and can be offered on request.
The laboratory is subject to biological safety level 2 (BSL 2), which covers most common potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the air, water and surfaces.
In the Building Services Laboratory, existing water and air test rigs can be used or developed ad-hoc to investigate real plants and technical processes under laboratory conditions. At agreed times, samples can be taken from the process and examined directly in the microbiological analysis laboratory.
Collaboration with the Building Technology and Energy Laboratory
In the Building Technology and Energy Laboratory, existing water and air test rigs can be used or developed ad-hoc to examine real plants and technical processes under laboratory conditions. At agreed times, samples can be taken from the process and examined directly in the microbiological analysis laboratory.
Examples:
- Influence of temperature, (humidity), flow velocity, surface composition on the growth of biofilms in building or process engineering systems.
- Effect of disinfection processes in connection with technical installations or indoor surfaces
- Influence of stagnation times on the growth of pathogens in water
Laboratory equipment
The analytical laboratory is part of the laboratory premises of the Institute of Medical Technology at HSLU in Hergiswil/NW. The equipment includes standard laboratory devices such as sterile workbench, shaking incubator, pipettes, filtration units, etc.
Additional measurement and analysis equipment can be accessed in the associated medical technology laboratory, in the analysis laboratory Health and Hygiene of the Institute of Building Services Engineering, or in other institutes of the HSLU. Possible instruments would be, for example:
- Air sampler
- Density meter
- qPCR machine
- Plate reader
- Flow cytometer
- (Fluorescence) Microscope
- Scanning electron microscope
etc.
Examination areas
