The Environmental Microbiology Laboratory is a State of Florida Licensed Water Laboratory certified (under provisions of the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program [NELAP]) to perform bacteriological analyses on drinking and environmental waters. The Laboratory supports base operations by testing drinking, environmental, and recreational water samples for KSC, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Patrick Space Force Base. The Laboratory provides microbiological sampling services to SpaceX, Orion, Planetary Protection Office, International Space Station (ISS), other flight vehicles and flight hardware. Air and surface microbial sampling, indoor air quality surveys, cooling towers monitoring services for heterotrophic bacteria and Legionella are also offered. In addition, the Laboratory may support Principal Investigators on Life Science and Space Flight Microbial related research projects.

Working in Environmental Microbiology Laboratory

Cooling tower sampling

Flight hardware sampling

Capabilities/Specialized Equipment

• VITEK Bacteria Identification System
• BIOLOG Bacteria and Mold Identification System
• Autoclave /sterilizer (steam)
• Level II biosafety cabinets/hoods
• Laminar flow benches
• Chemical hoods
• Ultra-pure deionized water system
• ·-80^o (Degree) freezer
• ·-20^o freezer
• Agarmatic
• Chemunex
• 25^o, 28^o, 30^o, 32^o, 35^o, 37^o, 42^o incubators
• 44.5^o water baths
• 24hr wireless temperature monitoring devices
•  SAS digital air samplers
• Membrane filtration manifolds
• PCR machine, also known as a thermal cycler
• Mattsen Garvin Sampler
• Zeiss inverted microscope