Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces

Abstract Objective Microbial contamination on used spectacles poses a potential health risk to spectacle wearers and people regularly working with worn spectacles, such as opticians. ATP measurement is widely used to evaluate the cleanliness of surfaces based on the detection of adenosine triphospha...

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Main Authors: Nazma Sultana Lupin, Birgit Fritz, Siegfried Wahl, Markus Egert
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Research Notes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07282-4
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author Nazma Sultana Lupin
Birgit Fritz
Siegfried Wahl
Markus Egert
author_facet Nazma Sultana Lupin
Birgit Fritz
Siegfried Wahl
Markus Egert
author_sort Nazma Sultana Lupin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective Microbial contamination on used spectacles poses a potential health risk to spectacle wearers and people regularly working with worn spectacles, such as opticians. ATP measurement is widely used to evaluate the cleanliness of surfaces based on the detection of adenosine triphosphate, a molecule found in and around living cells. In this study, we investigated the suitability of this method to rapidly and easily evaluate the efficacy of different cleaning methods for spectacles. Additionally, we examined the correlation between ATP content on spectacle surfaces with aerobic and anaerobic bacterial colony counts. We swab-sampled worn spectacles and used an ATP bioluminescence assay to assess the level of cellular contamination. Results Six cleaning methods were tested on ten worn spectacles each, and ATP levels were correlated with both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts. All investigated cleaning methods showed a significant median reduction of the ATP content on spectacle surfaces, between 75 and 93%. Germ counts and ATP levels showed no significant correlation for aerobic but for anaerobic cultivation. Higher anaerobic germ counts correlated positively with higher ATP levels. ATP measurement is a suitable method to rapidly and easily demonstrate the efficacy of cleaning measures for spectacle surfaces also under non laboratory conditions.
format Article
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spelling doaj-art-41fe2277890f451da39afe0bb60b99222025-08-20T01:52:03ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002025-05-011811610.1186/s13104-025-07282-4Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfacesNazma Sultana Lupin0Birgit Fritz1Siegfried Wahl2Markus Egert3Faculty of Health, Medical and Life Sciences, Institute of Precision Medicine, Microbiology and Hygiene Group, Furtwangen UniversityFaculty of Health, Medical and Life Sciences, Institute of Precision Medicine, Microbiology and Hygiene Group, Furtwangen UniversityZEISS Vision Science Lab, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard-Karls-UniversityFaculty of Health, Medical and Life Sciences, Institute of Precision Medicine, Microbiology and Hygiene Group, Furtwangen UniversityAbstract Objective Microbial contamination on used spectacles poses a potential health risk to spectacle wearers and people regularly working with worn spectacles, such as opticians. ATP measurement is widely used to evaluate the cleanliness of surfaces based on the detection of adenosine triphosphate, a molecule found in and around living cells. In this study, we investigated the suitability of this method to rapidly and easily evaluate the efficacy of different cleaning methods for spectacles. Additionally, we examined the correlation between ATP content on spectacle surfaces with aerobic and anaerobic bacterial colony counts. We swab-sampled worn spectacles and used an ATP bioluminescence assay to assess the level of cellular contamination. Results Six cleaning methods were tested on ten worn spectacles each, and ATP levels were correlated with both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts. All investigated cleaning methods showed a significant median reduction of the ATP content on spectacle surfaces, between 75 and 93%. Germ counts and ATP levels showed no significant correlation for aerobic but for anaerobic cultivation. Higher anaerobic germ counts correlated positively with higher ATP levels. ATP measurement is a suitable method to rapidly and easily demonstrate the efficacy of cleaning measures for spectacle surfaces also under non laboratory conditions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07282-4SpectaclesHygieneATPRapid methodCleaning
spellingShingle Nazma Sultana Lupin
Birgit Fritz
Siegfried Wahl
Markus Egert
Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
BMC Research Notes
Spectacles
Hygiene
ATP
Rapid method
Cleaning
title Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
title_full Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
title_fullStr Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
title_full_unstemmed Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
title_short Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
title_sort using atp measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces
topic Spectacles
Hygiene
ATP
Rapid method
Cleaning
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07282-4
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AT markusegert usingatpmeasurementstorapidlyevaluatethecleanlinessofspectaclesurfaces