Com­mon Con­t­a­m­i­nants in CO₂ Incu­ba­tors and Hypox­ia Workstations

Laboratory incubators and hypoxia workstations alike create ideal conditions for cell growth—but also for microbial contaminants. 

Key culprits include:

• Bacteria and Mycoplasma: The most common invaders, often introduced via poor aseptic technique or human contact. Bacteria thrive in nutrient-rich media and can form resilient spores, while mycoplasmas evade filters and subtly disrupt cultures.

• Fungi (Molds and Yeasts): Airborne spores enter during door openings and flourish on damp surfaces like humidity trays, forming visible colonies or spores that persist if not fully eradicated.

  

• Viruses: Less frequent but risky in labs handling viral vectors or samples; they spread through human actions like coughing and can infect cultures or pose biohazards.

Contaminants typically enter via routine lab activities: airborne particles during door openings, non-sterile tools or gloves, unfiltered gases (CO₂, N₂), or contaminated humidity water. Human error, such as inadequate disinfection, accounts for up to 70% of cases.

The fallout is significant: ruined cell cultures, altered experimental results, lost samples, and wasted resources. Proactive prevention is essential to avoid downtime and costly repeats.

Standard protocols involve wiping surfaces with 70% ethanol, sterilizing water pans, and running high-heat cycles. These reduce risks, especially with sterile water and immediate spill cleanup. 

However, deep cleans are labor-intensive, requiring disassembly and hours or days offline. They often miss hidden crevices, tubing, or sensors in complex units, allowing microbes to linger and re-emerge.

MycoFog offers an efficient, hands-free biodecontamination solution. This compact, battery-powered fogger uses a proprietary hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) formula to generate a dry mist that penetrates every corner, eliminating bacteria, fungi, viruses, mycoplasmas, and spores.

How it works: Remove cultures, place the unit inside, add the reagent, and hit start. The process (typically taking 3-4 hours) neutralizes contaminants without scrubbing. Post-cycle aeration leaves the chamber dry and residue-free.

Benefits:

• Safety: Low-temperature operation is gentle on electronics and sensors; H₂O₂ decomposes into harmless water and oxygen, making it non-toxic and eco-friendly.
• Efficiency: Frees up time for other tasks; ideal for monthly preventive use.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Prevents expensive contamination incidents, reagents, and service calls at a low upfront cost.

Maintaining contaminant-free incubators and workstations is crucial for reliable research. While traditional cleaning is foundational, integrating MycoFog streamlines the process, minimizing risks and workload. This innovative tool ensures consistent sterility, letting you focus on science rather than microbes—keeping your lab productive and experiments on track.

1. Abatenh E et al. (2018). Contamination in a Microbiological Laboratory
2. Mizuno M et al. (2025). Cleaning methods for biosafety cabinet to eliminate residual mycoplasmas, viruses, and endotoxins after changeover
3. Borge ED et al.  (2019). Microbial contamination in assisted reproductive technology: source, prevalence, and cost
4. Meleties M et al.  (2023). Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilization in the Production of Protein Therapeutics
5. MycoFog™ Efficacy & Safety Validation (MycoFog®, Internal validation report v2.5, 2024).
6. Use of Chemical Indicators to Validate the MycoFog® Biodecontamination System Cycle (MycoFog® White Paper, 2025).