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New research could transform how we measure cleanliness indoors

A major study from Andrew Kemp JP, PhD and supported by BICSc and CSSA, has revealed a breakthrough link between air and surface contamination, and it’s set to reshape how organisations manage the testing of surfaces to assess hygiene risk.

The headline finding?
An approximate 10:1 relationship between airborne particles (0.5–1 micron) and surface bacterial contamination.
Meaning: a 60‑second air sample taken 20cm above a surface can now approximate how contaminated that surface is.

That’s a huge step forward for anyone responsible for:
✔ Infection prevention
✔ FM & cleaning contracts
✔ Health & safety compliance
✔ Building performance and wellbeing

The study also demonstrated the impact of two new technologies:

  • Advanced Photocatalytic Oxidation (APO) for air
  • Photocatalytic Surface coatings (PS) for long-term protection

Rooms using both saw dramatic reductions in contamination, with zero cultures detected post-treatment.

The commercial implications are big:

  • True data-driven cleaning becomes possible
  • Faster, cheaper, and more reliable hygiene monitoring
  • A new benchmark for risk reduction in healthcare, education, leisure and public spaces
  • COâ‚‚ alone is not a reliable indicator of hygiene, meaning organisations may need to rethink compliance strategies

This is one of the most practical breakthroughs the industry has seen in years, giving cleaning professionals and infection‑control teams a simple, scalable method for identifying when and where action is needed.

If you’re in FM, cleaning, tech, or health protection, this is research to review.
The move toward evidence-based hygiene just took a major leap forward.

Watch this space for new groundbreaking surface testing recommendations for healthcare, the food industry and all other cleaning areas.

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