Antimicrobial Efficacy Testing services
QACS Lab provides a comprehensive range of antimicrobial efficacy testing for a range of products such as medical devices, textiles, industrial surface disinfectants, cosmetics and healthcare products. With more than 20 years of experience in Antimicrobial Efficacy Testing, GMP compliance & EN17025 accreditation, QACS is your ideal laboratory testing partner for biocidal product testing.
Disinfectant Efficacy Assessment is provided for PT1-PT5 biocidal products and covers Antimicrobial Efficacy claims for Medical, Veterinary, Food, Industrial, Domestic and Institutional disinfectant products. QACS Lab follows the EN14885 scope and applies National and International standards for biocides testing.
Biocides Testing services can be supported by accelerated stability storage, analytical & in vitro testing. For Antimicrobial Efficacy Testing contact us – [email protected] – +30 210 29 34745
EN Standards
EN 1040 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of basic bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics.
EN 1275 – Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of basic fungicidal or basic yeasticidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics.
EN 14347 – Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of basic sporicidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics.
EN 1276 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas.
EN 1650 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of fungicidal or yeasticidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas.
EN 13727 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity in the medical area.
EN 13624 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of fungicidal or yeasticidal activity in the medical area.
EN 14476 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of virucidal activity in the medical area.
EN 1656 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the veterinary area.
EN 1657 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of fungicidal or yeasticidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the veterinary area.
EN 13704 – Accredited Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of sporicidal activity of chemical disinfectants used in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas.
EN 17126 – Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of sporicidal activity of chemical disinfectants in the medical area.
EN 13697 – Accredited Quantitative non-porous surface test for the evaluation of bactericidal and yeasticidal and/or fungicidal activity of chemical disinfectants used in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas without mechanical action.
EN 17387 – Accredited Quantitative test for the evaluation of bactericidal and yeasticidal and/or fungicidal activity of chemical disinfectants in the medical area on non-porous surfaces without mechanical action.
EN 16615 – Accredited Quantitative test method for the evaluation of bactericidal and yeasticidal activity on non-porous surfaces with mechanical action employing wipes in the medical area (4- field test).
EN 14561 – Accredited Quantitative carrier test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity for instruments used in the medical area.
EN 14562 – Accredited Quantitative carrier test for the evaluation of fungicidal or yeasticidal activity for instruments used in the medical area.
EN 16777 – Quantitative non-porous surface test without mechanical action for the evaluation of virucidal activity of chemical disinfectants used in the medical area.
EN 14349 – Accredited Quantitative surface test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the veterinary area on nonporous surfaces without mechanical action.
EN 16438 – Accredited Quantitative surface test for the evaluation of fungicidal or yeasticidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in the veterinary area on non-porous surfaces without mechanical action.
EN 16437 – Quantitative surface test for the evaluation of bactericidal activity of chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in veterinary area on porous surfaces without mechanical action.
EN 1499 – Accredited Hygienic Handwash. This European Standard specifies a test method simulating practical conditions for establishing whether a product for hygienic handwash reduces the release of transient microbial flora on hands when used to wash the artificially contaminated hands of volunteers.
EN 1500 – Accredited Hygienic Handrub. This European Standard specifies a test method simulating practical conditions for establishing whether a product for hygienic handrub reduces the release of transient microbial flora on hands when rubbed onto the artificially contaminated hands of volunteers.
EN 12791 – Accredited Surgical Hand Disinfection. This European Standard specifies a test method simulating practical conditions for establishing whether a product for surgical handrub and handwash reduces the release of resident and eventually present transient microbial flora on hands when used for the treatment of clean hands of volunteers.
Other tests for Evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy
ISO 20743 – Determination of antibacterial activity of textile products. ISO 20743 specifies quantitative test methods to determine the antibacterial activity of all antibacterial textile products, including nonwovens.
ISO 22196 – Measurement of antibacterial activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces. ISO 22196 specifies a method to evaluate the antibacterial activity of antibacterial-treated plastics and other non-porous surfaces.
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) – The MIC test determines the lowest concentration of a disinfectant or antibiotic that can inhibit the growth of microorganisms. This method is used to evaluate the effectiveness of various antimicrobial agents against different microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, over a defined period.
Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) – The MBC test determines the lowest concentration of an antibacterial product or substance that is capable of killing a microorganism. This test is essential for evaluating the bactericidal activity of disinfectants and antibiotics.
Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) – The MFC test determines the lowest concentration of an antifungal agent required to kill a specific fungus. This method is essential for evaluating the efficacy of different antifungal treatments.
Time Kill Test – The Time Kill test evaluates the ability of a disinfectant or antibiotic to kill microorganisms within a specified time period. This method measures the decrease in the number of microorganisms at different time points and is useful for understanding the speed and effectiveness of the antimicrobial agent under practical conditions.
EUROPEAN PHARMACOPOEIA 5.1.11. – Determination of Bactericidal, Fungicidal or Yeasticidal Activity of Antiseptic Medicinal Products. This general chapter describes a test that can be used for the determination of antimicrobial activity in antiseptic medicinal products that are miscible with water and intended for administration by direct contact with the skin or mucous membranes.
Residual Sanitizing activity
PAS 2424 – Quantitative surface test for the evaluation of residual antimicrobial (bactericidal and/or yeasticidal) efficacy of liquid chemical disinfectants on hard non-porous surfaces.
ASTM E2752 – Standard guide for evaluation of residual effectiveness of antibacterial personal cleansing products. This guide is designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of an antibacterial personal cleansing product in reducing the numbers of a marker organism (representing transients) both immediately and after prolonged exposure to (cleansing) washing when used as recommended under simulated use conditions. The method demonstrates the effect of residual antibacterial activity by means of inhibition of proliferation of bacteria on the skin after the contact period.
Tailor made protocols
This approach involves applying either live test organisms (Escherichia coli K12) to the hands of healthy adult volunteers or use the present transient microbial flora of hands.
Initially, the micro-organisms present on hands are recovered, to obtain a baseline count. The test or reference disinfectant product is then applied to the hands, according to instructions of product’s label. Immediately after wash procedure and drying, the remaining flora of one hand is enumerated and the other hand is protected from extraneous contamination by donning a sterile surgical glove to be removed after 2-3 h. The procedure is repeated with the product under test. The following samples are taken from the hands, for enumeration of bacterial counts:
- immediately after the handrub or –wash procedure; for immediate effect
- 2-3 h after the handrub or –wash procedure; for sustained/for residual effect
The organisms are enumerated, counts transposed to the Log system and the difference between the numbers recovered from the test or reference, and baseline counts are established and statistically analyzed.
Screening tests
We offer screening tests for all our analyses. A screening test is performed to determine whether a product or an active substance shows potential efficacy before conducting full testing. This allows to acquire some test data prior to performing the actual tests.