An Outlook On Antimicrobial Tests On Plastics
The ISO 22196 is a type of test which is designed in such a way that it can test the ability of plastics to restrict the growth of microorganisms on something or kill them. It usually does over a 24 hour period of contact with the material. It is a very sensitive assay which means that it can detect any kind of low-level antimicrobial effects that can be exerted on a body or a living organism over longer periods of time.
The second phase of this method of ISO antimicrobial test extends its application on a large number of non-porous materials. So this helps this test to be applicable for all non-porous substances as well as plastic surfaces. The ISO 22196 was invented after the invention of the JIS Z 2801 type. These two types of methods are very similar to each other.
Working of this method.
The test microorganism is prepared in such a way that it can grow in a liquid culture medium. In this method, two types of microorganisms are generally used i.e., the
S. aureus and E. coli.
A person can also modify the test method so as to fit the testing objectives. Here they can also maintain a scientifically proven study. This generally includes doing all the tests against more clinically as well as product-relevant microorganisms that are available nowadays. For doing this kind of test, the first step is the suspension of the test microorganisms is to be standardized by the use of dilution. This helps the microorganisms to give them the potential to grow during the test.
Here the control, as well as test surfaces, are inoculated with this kind of microorganisms in triplicate. Then the microbial inoculum is covered with a very thin and sterile film. It is the covering that spreads the inoculum. This usually helps the broth not to be evaporated. This also ensures close contact with the antimicrobial surfaces.
Importance of microbial tests
All microbiological tests that are done in a laboratory should always be done by using any type of parallel control. So that a person can make adequate comparisons at both the start of the test and after the contact time. The time period that is chosen in this case is generally 24 hours.
These types of controls usually allow a person to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy. This can be done by using the latest technology available nowadays. After having the right technology to do this, a person can thereby carry on the tests by having proper controls on it, which generally controls any other factors that can damage the test subject.
The Microbial concentrations are usually determined at the elution time. This is usually done by dilution as well as plating. In the next step, which has been done after the incubation, the microbial concentrations are then determined. Here a person will see a sharp reduction in the number of microorganisms in the test content. This concentration of microorganisms is generally relative to the initial concentrations.
Here a person carries out all these kinds of procedures by including the proper controls and making these reduction calculations in it. This process allows a person to know if the subjects that are taken up for a test are bacteriostatic or not. A person also sees whether the organisms are having any kind of ability to start the growth of microorganisms.
Strengths of these tests
The methods that are followed here are usually quantitative, and results that are derived from them tend to be reproducible. This also has a drawback. It is that the inoculum does not spill off of the target area after being covered with a thin film. The various steps of tests that are done in these experiments generally have both bacteriostatic as well as bactericidal properties.
In these kinds of experiments, the Microbial concentrations in the broth or the test subject are generally standardized. Here the bacteria which are used in these types of experiments are generally provided with a large number of nutrients during the incubation period. These nutrients generally provide them with an ample opportunity to grow if the surfaces which are given to act upon aren’t sufficiently antimicrobial. These kinds of tests are usually very different from a large number of other types of antimicrobial tests in which the microbes are usually incubated in non-nutritive suspensions. This event is very stressful when they are done over long periods of time.
Conclusion
The test method which is used in it usually includes a large number of other options in which inoculation is an important factor. These include things such as the volume of the inoculum and the steps which are involved in it mediate for surfaces that do not lend themselves to do things in the normal testing parameters. This generally adds a lot of flexibility to the method and allows it to be used to evaluate very different surfaces with the same objective, to be antimicrobial.
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