What is an ATP Test?
Best-in-Class Service
To make sure our clients receive the best-in-class services, we take every measure possible to ensure the best outcome. This mindset is carried through all business conducted at Iterum. Specifically, for Environment Services, this is shown through our commitment to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) Testing. The importance of this crucial step is often undermined due to negligence. We are not negligent. To further prove our best-in-class service, ATP Testing is conducted by a third-party company who specialize in quality assurance, and verification certification; Intertek.
What is an ATP Test?
Hygiena's™ cleaning verification products can tell you in as little as 10 seconds if a surface has been cleaned properly using ATP Testing, which is done both before the treatment and after. This demonstrates the improvement made, through disinfection, as well as most times showing that built environments are often a lot less hygienic than one would assume.
ATP is an energy molecule found in all plant, animal and microbial cells. It fuels metabolic processes such as cellular reproduction, muscle contraction, plant photosynthesis, respiration in fungi, and fermentation in yeast. All organic matter (living or once-living) contains ATP, including food, bacteria, mould and other microorganisms.
Hygiena™ ATP testing devices contain a natural enzyme found in fireflies. This enzyme, called luciferase, produces simple bioluminescence (light-producing) reaction when it comes into contact with ATP. Using bioluminescence technology, our ATP Meters can measure extremely low levels of ATP collected with testing devices. Measuring the amount of bioluminescence from an ATP reaction provides an excellent indication of surface cleanliness because the quantity of light generated by the reaction is directly proportional to the amount of ATP present in the sample.
Our technicians carry out ATP tests in conjunction with CDC and WHO guidelines and set a clean benchmark for each type of surface within the general working environment. It has become evident to us that ATP testing is necessary. Testing is an integral step in the disinfection process, not only for verification of the hygiene level in the given environment but also for the sake of data collection as to the environments long term hygiene. As part of the disinfection service, testing will be done before and after treatment. This will demonstrate that the treatment has provided a safe and clean working environment expected, removing harmful bacteria and pathogens.
ATP testing, discussed at great length with Intertek Group, is the minimum standard we have found, to most accurately assess hygiene level and measure the effectiveness of treatments. Once testing has been completed, we then analyse the data and make recommendations as to the various aspects of the treated environment. It may be the case that certain high traffic touch-points are more of a hygiene risk in comparison to other areas, and if so, then specific treatment can be issued for the following services.
Why is this important?
Education is integral to society and is the means through which knowledge is shared and passed on. When this knowledge is lacking, mistakes are prone to occur. In the case of safe Built Environments, Iterum prides itself in being best-in-class. This is because of our commitment to educating our clients through every step of the process. We have come to realise that this knowledge is important to be shared to stakeholders of Built Environments, which in this case is the general public. We hope that the sharing of this knowledge is useful, and the importance of it is acknowledged. We hope that this leads to Better Built Environments.
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