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ce , @ @ cr oor 1h O Q. Is there a regular plan for cleaning? Is the floor cleaned regularly? A. Not that I know of. | can't remember when the lab floor was last cleaned. We used to do weekly surveillance cultures inside the bs back in the 1980s, but these are almost never done now. Although there i is a suite supervisor, there frequently does not seem to be much co Q. Was the intensity of contamination described byf_—iwhen__] did the surveillance cultures inside the lab after the incident on April 8 heavier than you would find when surveillance cultures used to be done? A. The total intensity of the contamination was greater and also of special concern, since spores were found on the inside passbox latches as well as on shoes and articles of clothing in the "hot" changerooms. When conducting surveillance in the past, we would sometimes find a few hot spots of contamination and clean them up, then re-check to make sure they were OK. Q. Did you report your concerns about cleaning to anyone? A.1 believe that | mentioned it td sin the past. I've also informally talked with other investigators in the Bacteriology Division about cleaning and cleanliness issues. In the past, if people have had specific concerns about suite cleaning or cleanliness, they raised the issues in a general way(as well as the need for improvement) at Division meetings, but no specific individuals were mentioned at those meetings. Q. Have there been any other concerns about cleanliness? A. A few letters came into the Bacteriology Division for analysis during Operation Noble Eagle. The DSD was concermed that at least one of the samples they had sent to be tested was contaminated in reo Q, Who coordinated the sample processing in room AL | also worked in there. Normally itis a research laboratory. _ Q. What live agents come in and out of the B-3 area? A. For anthrax aerosol challenges , we send spores out through the passbox in a hard plastic transport container to be taken to Bldg 1412. Aerosol challenges are done there, dose is confirmed, and data are crunched in 1425 thrax{__ amples do not come back as the formerly did several years ago, since the ultures are now done in 1412 by| nd me. Plaguel___Jmay come back. ; Q. How are spores prepared? A have made spores in roomL___]Also we use spores prepared at Dugway Proving Ground. Also make spores in our laboratory. —. spores., . Cultures are grown up in shaker flasks. They are often centrifuged in botties in a large (GS-3) rotor. The rotor is too big to take to the hood, so the bottles are usually removed from the rotor in the centrifuge. Q. Are there any secondary containers in that rotor, like sealed cups? A. No. Sometimes a bottle breaks and you can hear a slurping sound when the bottle is removed. Q, Does the centrifuge have a floor hood or other containment system? A. No. There used to be a system to evacuate the air in the centrifuge through a filter in case there was a break, but that hasn't been used in years. Q. That wouldn't help if there was a broken tube, would it? c A. No. Q. Has the ventilation system worked OK as far as you know? Are there magnehelic gauges at