Bioburden analyzer with ultraviolet enhancement

A method for detecting biological contamination in a fluid comprising:

• providing a sample flow of a fluid within a sample line;
• irradiating the sample flow of the fluid with ultraviolet (UV) light from a light source comprising one or more lighting elements positioned along the sample line;
• exciting particulate within the sample flow of the fluid by way of a laser positioned downstream of the light source to cause or increase fluorescence of at least microbiological portions of the particulate within the sample flow of the fluid;
• and
• measuring the fluorescence of the particulate within the sample flow of the fluid by way of a photo detector;
• and
• electronically recording detected bioburden levels based, at least in part on the detected levels of the fluorescence of the sample flow of the fluid using a pre-programmed signal threshold for bioburden detection based on laser excitation by the laser subsystem following exposure to the UV light from the UV light source which is different from a signal threshold for detecting a same type or types of bioburden using the bioburden analysis system and exposing the same type or types of bioburden to laser excitation by the laser subsystem without prior exposure to the UV light from the UV light source.

A bioburden analysis system comprising:

• a passageway for a flow of a fluid, wherein at least a first portion of the passageway at least primarily comprises a UV transparent or translucent material;
• an ultraviolet (UV) light source positioned along the first portion of the passageway for irradiating particulate within the fluid with UV light when activated, wherein the UV light source emits UV light when activated;
• a laser subsystem positioned along a second portion of the passageway downstream of the first portion of the passageway, said laser subsystem comprising:
• at least one laser for exciting the particulate within the fluid;
• and
• at least one photo detector for measuring fluorescence of the particulate within the fluid;
• a controller configured to receive fluorescence data from the laser subsystem and record bioburden levels in a continuous manner for the continuous flow of the fluid through the sample line using a pre-programmed signal threshold for bioburden detection based on laser excitation by the laser subsystem following exposure to the UV light from the UV light source which is different from a signal threshold for detecting a same type or types of bioburden using the bioburden analysis system and exposing the same type or types of bioburden to laser excitation by the laser subsystem without prior exposure to the UV light from the UV light source.