kontaminierten

Kontaminierten is the past participle form of the verb kontaminieren (to contaminate) in German. Used as an attributive or predicative adjective, it describes something that has been made impure or unsafe by the introduction of unwanted substances or organisms. The form declines with gender and number, for example: kontaminierter Boden, kontaminierte Proben, die kontaminierten Lebensmittel.

The term is common in science, environmental protection, food safety, medicine, and industry. Kontaminieren is a loanword from Latin contamīnāre and appears in many European languages; Kontamination is the corresponding noun for the condition of being contaminated, while kontaminierte describes the contaminated item.

Kontamination can be chemical, such as heavy metals or pesticides in soil or water, or biological, such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi in samples or products. Contamination may arise through cross-contamination in kitchens, leaks in equipment, or environmental pollution. Detection relies on laboratory testing and field measurements to assess risk and determine appropriate actions.

Responses to kontaminierte materials typically include quarantine, removal or decontamination, and remediation to reduce risk. In food safety and workplace regulation, limits on contaminant levels and recall or disposal procedures are used to protect public health and safe operation.

See also: Kontamination, Desinfektion, Sterilisation.