Do not let electrode fouling be the enemy of bioanalysis.

Electrochemical biosensors are one of the best choices for the sensing of biomarkers due to their high performance, low cost, miniaturization, and wide applicability. However, like for any sensing process, electrode fouling affects severely the analytical performance of the sensor, such as sensitivity, detection limit, reproducibility, and overall reliability. Fouling arises from nonspecific adsorption of different components present in the sensing medium and in particular in complex biofluids such as full blood.

Comparative in vitro and in vivo study of nine alcohol-based handrubs.

Background: Hygienic hand disinfection using alcohol-based handrubs (AHRs) is an alternative method to conventional handwashing in hospital wards. Because a documented choice of such products would consider data from in-care evaluation, we designed a comparative study of 9 AHRs both in vitro and in vivo in actual care conditions.

Methods: The bactericidal activity of AHRs was first measured in vitro against 4 hospital strains exhibiting multiple antibiotic resistance: Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter aerogenes.

Detection of hospital wastewater genotoxicity with the SOS chromotest and Ames fluctuation test.

The genotoxic potential of Rouen University Hospital wastewater was evaluated by the SOS chromotest (on Escherichia coli PQ37) and Ames fluctuation test on Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98 and TA 100 without metabolic activation. The samples were taken during the hospital maximal activity period (8:00 a.m.

Glutaraldehyde in hospital wastewater.

Glutaraldehyde (GA) solutions are widely used in hospitals to disinfect reusable fiber-optic endoscopes. These solutions are dumped after use in the aquatic environment without any particular safety precautions. Taking into account the quantity of GA consumed daily and the released water volume, the predicted hospital wastewater concentration was estimated at 0.

Microbiologic contamination study of nebulizers after aerosol therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: To evaluate the contamination of delivery systems after an aerosol therapy session in patients with cystic fibrosis who have chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Methods: Fifty-three patients with cystic fibrosis were enrolled in the study from March 1996 to June 1997. All patients were age 7 years or older and had P aeruginosa infection.