Why water is different
Standard ATP swabs are designed for surface measurements. They are optimised for picking up ATP from solid surfaces. When you dip a standard swab in water, the results are unreliable: the swab does not absorb enough water volume and the luciferase reaction is disrupted by aqueous samples.
The WaterGiene swab from Charm Sciences was specifically developed for water samples. The swab contains an integrated filter membrane that concentrates ATP from a 1 mL water sample, enabling reliable and reproducible measurements.
Applications of WaterGiene
CIP rinse water
Verify whether rinsing after CIP cleaning is sufficient. A high ATP value in the rinse water indicates inadequate rinsing or remaining cleaning agent residues.
Process water quality
Monitor the microbiological quality of process water that comes into contact with food. Early detection of elevated ATP levels prevents product contamination.
Cooling water monitoring
Detect microbiological growth in cooling water systems. Legionella and other pathogens produce ATP — an elevated value is an early warning.
Condensate water
Monitor condensate water in production areas for microbiological load. Condensate can be a source of cross-contamination.
Recommended limits for water
| Water type | PASS (≤) | FAIL (>) |
|---|---|---|
| CIP final rinse water | ≤ 10 RLU/mL | > 10 RLU/mL |
| Process water | ≤ 20 RLU/mL | > 20 RLU/mL |
| Cooling water | ≤ 50 RLU/mL | > 50 RLU/mL |
Limits for water samples differ from surface limits. Always validate against your specific environment.