In routine wipe testing, which statement is correct?

• A. Wipe results are disregarded if the surface appears clean.
• B. Wipe results indicate contamination whenever any activity is detected; not.
• C. Results are compared to release criteria or registrant limits to determine contamination.
• D. Wipe tests are never used for contamination assessment.

Answer: (C)

Routine wipe testing measures removable surface contamination and uses predefined release criteria to decide if a surface is acceptable. The key idea is that the value found on a wipe is interpreted against specified limits set by regulations or the facility. If the activity is below those limits, the surface meets the cleanliness criteria and is considered acceptable; if it exceeds the limits, decontamination or further investigation is needed. Appearance isn’t enough—surfaces can look clean yet exceed limits, or look dirty but be within allowed levels. Wipe tests are indeed a standard method for contamination assessment, not a procedure that is never used. There are defined thresholds, so not every detectable amount is treated as contamination—only amounts above the specified criteria trigger corrective action.