- high-resolution terminology - matching measurements at high-resolution
Biological contamination
Description
Biological contamination may be caused by microbial growth in and experimental chamber or in the experimental medium.
MitoPedia O2k and high-resolution respirometry:
O2k-Open Support
- Biological contamination of the O2k chamber is detected as a high O2 flux in the closed chamber, measured in an O2k-chamber test: QC2: Instrumental O2 background.
- The problem can be solved by first cleaning the chamber by chemical sterilization (70 % ethanol with 30 % water; not 100 % ethanol) and test with a freshly prepared experimental medium, such as MiR05. Make sure the 70% ethanol does not contain any additives; e.g., 70 % ethanol used in hospital settings may contain antiseptics (information provided by Garcia-Roves PM). If repeated washing and storage with 70 % ethanol does not remove a biological contamination, the glass chamber has to be cleaned as described for protein contamination under Cleaning the glass chamber by removing the glass chamber from the O2k and using a strong acid.
