Antibacterial Testing of Hand Sanitizers

Antibacterial testing of hand sanitizers based on INSO 8512 standard is conducted to assess the effectiveness of these products in eliminating or reducing bacterial counts on the skin. These tests are essential to ensure the quality and efficacy of products that play a role in preventing infection transmission.

Hand sanitizer antibacterial testing is performed on the hands of several healthy volunteers. In this process, the volunteers’ hands are first immersed in a suspension of *Escherichia coli*, prepared with an optical density (OD) measured by a spectrophotometer and diluted according to standard range requirements. Then, the volunteers’ fingertips, before and after using the sanitizer, and the product solution are placed in a culture medium according to the standard. After culturing different dilutions on solid media, the colony counts are tallied, and the effectiveness of the solution is determined by comparing the results.

Antibacterial Testing of Hand Sanitizers

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Steps in Conducting Antibacterial Testing of Hand Sanitizers

The antibacterial test for hand sanitizers is based on a standardized method designed to simulate real-world usage conditions, measuring the effectiveness of sanitizing products. In this test, several volunteers are selected, and similar conditions are provided for all. The general steps of this test are as follows:

Initial Washing

Before starting the test, volunteers must wash their hands according to a standardized method to ensure their hands are free from previous contaminants, establishing an equal starting condition for all volunteers.

Controlled Contamination with Test Bacteria

After the initial wash, the volunteers’ hands are intentionally contaminated with a specific type of bacteria. This controlled contamination allows for a precise comparison of sanitizer effects.

Initial Bacterial Count Measurement

Following contamination, the number of bacteria on the volunteers’ hands is counted to establish the initial microbial load.

Application of Sanitizing Product

The volunteers apply the test sanitizer product. The application method and timing are precisely followed according to standard instructions.

Final Bacterial Count Measurement

After using the sanitizer, the remaining bacterial count on the volunteers’ hands is measured again, providing insights into microbial reduction after product use.

Efficiency Calculation

The reduction in bacterial count is calculated logarithmically to determine the effectiveness of the sanitizer. This logarithmic reduction reflects the product’s efficacy in reducing transient microbial flora on the hands.

This test method, due to its repeatability and the ability to compare results under standardized conditions, is a reliable benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of hand sanitizing products.

NikooPharmed Laboratory, using scientific expertise and modern equipment, conducts antibacterial testing of hand sanitizers to assess their effectiveness in reducing harmful microbes. These tests at NikooPharmed are performed in compliance with health standards and adhere strictly to scientific principles.

Source:en-standard