Contamination Reasons

1. Cotton or calcium alginate swabs are used

2. The sterile template is placed over the surface, and the exposed
area is rubbed thoroughly with a moistened swab.
3. The exposed swab is returned to its holder (test tube) containing a
suitable diluent and stored at refrigerator temperatures until plated
Advantages

1. Dissolve and physically remove sample

2. Adaptable to wide variety of surfaces
3. May allow sampling of a defined area
4. Applicable to active, microbial and cleaning agent residue

Disadvantages
5. An invasive technique that may introduce fibre
6. Complex and hard to reach areas difficult
• Replicate organism direct agar contact (RODAC) method employs special
petriplates,
• Which are poured with 15.5-16.5 ml of an appropriate plating medium,
resulting in a raised agar surface.
• When the plate is inverted, the hardened agar makes direct contact with the
surface
 Injury or Stress
Increased demand

Decreased stimulation or lack

of nutrients

Chronic irritation