ABSTRACT
In pharmaceutical environments, the presence of contamination is of key concern to the quality of the product. In addition to the presence of contamination, some contaminants are more serious than others depending upon the type of product being manufactured. There are a variety of potential sources for contamination in the clean room. Analysis of the particles present on a person is useful in describing the living conditions and habits of the individual. For example, various contaminants can be deposited on a person during the course of a day. Skin surfaces give off squamous cells that can serve as sources of contamination for the pharmaceutical environment. This contamination can be comprised of both viable and nonviable particulates. The particulates are unique to each individual, and they may or may not include viable microorganisms. When the particulates include viable microorganisms, they can be a source of contamination in the area.
