Meaning & use
biological contamination
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountabletechnical
The presence of harmful living things such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or their waste in food, water, air, or on surfaces.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it takes a singular verb and no article in general statements: Biological contamination is a risk.
Patterns
- biological contamination of something
- prevent biological contamination
- detect biological contamination
Laboratories use strict procedures to prevent biological contamination of their samples.
The water supply was shut down after tests showed biological contamination.
Biological contamination of food can happen at any stage, from farm to kitchen.
noununcountabletechnical
The act or process of living organisms or their products making something impure or unsafe.
Grammar: Also uncountable; often followed by 'by' or 'from' to name the source.
Patterns
- biological contamination by something
- biological contamination from something
The report described biological contamination by bacteria in the cooling system.
Engineers monitor spacecraft for biological contamination from Earth organisms.
Common combinations
- prevent biological contamination
- Staff must wear gloves to prevent biological contamination.
- biological contamination of water
- Heavy rain led to biological contamination of the wells.
- test for biological contamination
- They test the air for biological contamination every week.
- risk of biological contamination
- Open wounds carry a risk of biological contamination.
- biological contamination control
- The lab follows strict biological contamination control rules.
Synonyms and how they differ
- biohazard
- Use this for a dangerous substance or situation itself, not for the process of something becoming impure.
- infection
- This refers to germs entering a body and causing illness, not to germs spoiling food or equipment.
- pollution
- This is broader and usually about chemicals or waste in the environment, not living organisms.
Opposites
Word family
- contaminate verb
- to make something impure or unsafe by adding something harmful
- contaminant noun
- a substance or organism that makes something impure
- contaminated adjective
- made impure or unsafe by something harmful
- decontaminate verb
- to remove harmful substances or organisms from something
Commonly confused: biological contamination or chemical contamination? biological contamination or cross-contamination?
biological contamination vs chemical contamination
Chemical contamination involves poisonous substances like pesticides or heavy metals, while biological contamination involves living things such as bacteria.
biological contamination vs cross-contamination
Cross-contamination is the transfer of germs from one place or food to another; biological contamination is the broader state of being contaminated.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'biological contamination' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Biological contamination' is uncountable, so it has no plural and takes no article here. Option 1 adds '-s', option 2 adds 'a', and option 3 uses the verb 'contaminate' instead of the noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “biological contamination”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.