What should be done in a biosafety cabinet prior to and upon completion of each work session involving a biohazard?

• A. The cabinet operation should be recertified.
• B. The HEPA filter should be changed.
• C. A bacterial culture should be performed to check for bacterial growth on the work surface.
• D. The work surface should be wiped with a decontaminating solution.

Answer: (D)

Maintaining a safe and contained work environment in a biosafety cabinet relies on cleaning the work surface with a decontaminating solution before and after any session involving a biohazard. This step directly reduces the risk by inactivating any contaminants or aerosols that may have settled on the surface, helping to prevent worker exposure and cross-contamination with future experiments. Using the proper disinfectant and following its required contact time ensures the surface is effectively decontaminated before the cabinet is used again.

The other options aren’t appropriate for per-session decontamination. Recertification is a broader maintenance process that happens on a schedule to verify airflow and cabinet performance, not something done between individual sessions. Changing the HEPA filter is a major maintenance task and isn’t needed after each session. Performing a bacterial culture on the work surface would introduce contamination and is not a standard method for verifying decontamination.

So, wiping the work surface with a decontaminating solution is the correct practice to follow.