This site donated by:
Show your support of CIRI with the 'CIRI Supporter' logo, available for display on your Web site upon joining CIRI.
Join today and help CIRI advance the cause of cleaner, more productive, and healther indoor environments through scientific research!
Salmonella
There are more than 2300 types of Salmonella.
By CIRI Staff
You may or may not have heard of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF): The technology was originally developed by NASA to test for metal impurities that could cause premature or even catastrophic wear of vital space shuttle components, such as those used in the space shuttle Discovery. The science was adapted by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), and on September 12, 2005, was officially adopted as the basis of the institute’s Seal of Approval testing and certification programs for restorative carpet extractors designed for deep cleaning. Comparable approval programs for vacuums and other carpet care products are also being deployed, marking the first time NASA-enhanced technology has been transferred to an entire industry.
In simple terms, XRF, as used by NASA, works by shooting a beam of energy at an alloy and identifying its components based on the energy of the returned signals. The CRI model—developed in collaboration with NASA; Keymaster Technologies, Inc.; and Professional Testing Laboratory, Inc. (PTL)—operates similarly. Using a hand-held device, a beam of energy is shot into the carpeted surface. Return signals detect and identify soils left behind after cleaning.
Pre-XRF, some testers were forced to rely on a process that uses a spectrophotometer to measure the light values reflected from carpet pile to indicate cleanliness. While certainly better than nothing, this method fails to quantify the actual soil removed. Similarly, since 2000, CRI certified vacuums for soil removal under its Green Label program, using a weight-based method: Carpet was soiled, weighed, vacuumed, and weighed again to detect variances as slight as one hundredth of a gram. Yet here, too, the identities of the residual soils remained a mystery—as did the best products for removing them.
In contrast, XRF identifies the individual components of a near infinite range of soils—down to an unprecedented four decimal points. It also provides insight into how these components are affected by various cleaning methods and other conditions.
The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) is a 501.c.3 not-for-profit scientific, educational and research organization that applies science to the practice and improvement of cleaning and maintenance.
This abstract/brief is presented under the recognized "fair use" doctrine with respect to article copyright and intellectual property. Readers are encouraged to secure the full article from the originating publication source. Articles also may be obtained through a librarian, an information specialist or inter-library loan. In cases where payment is required under copyright it can be processed through a reference library or the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com.
CIRI provides no warranty, expressed or implied, and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information disclosed on its site. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of CIRI principals, executives, science advisors or affiliates.
Popular Topics: Swine Flu | H1N1 | MRSA | Staph | Norovirus | Flu | E. Coli | C. Difficile | Salmonella | Green Cleaning | Cleaning for Health | Nosocomial Infections | Disinfection | Bacteria | Viruses | Indoor Air Quality | Asthma | Allergies | Allergen | Mold
Sorry, there are currently no comments on this article...