ATP/SWAB Testing

CJS offers an ATP swab testing service for all critical areas to identify cleaning effectiveness across a number of business sectors; healthcare, leisure, schools and colleges, offices and the food processing and serving environment, but what is ATP?

What is ATP Testing

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is an energy molecule found in all living things. The detection of ATP is therefore a clear indicator in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of any cleaning process, ie. the higher the reading the more molecules are in existence upon the tested surface.

ATP hygiene testing works by combining ATP with a liquid-stable reagent. The chemical reaction caused by the combination emits light, which is then measured in direct proportion to the amount of ATP present, measured in RLU (Relative Light Units)

An ATP test is a process of rapidly measuring actively growing micro-organisms through detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

When to use ATP Testing

• To measure the level of organic activity/contamination
• To provide a quick and measurable level of existing cleanliness
• To provide ongoing comparison data to ensure cleaning levels are consistent, efficient and effective

When not to use ATP Testing

• It cannot be used to measure levels of microbes
• It cannot test for viruses as they do not contain ATP
• RLU’s do not indicate number of micro-organisms on a surface
• ATP tests cannot distinguish between completely sterile and thousands of bacteria. An infectious dose can be as low as 10

Details