As in general, the EN 14476 is an antiviral textile test method. It will determine the viral antimicrobial activity for sanitizers and disinfectants. Commonly, en 14476 test method will offer a way for the quantitative evaluation of the virucidal activity. The products that want to determine the antimicrobial activity intend to use the test method. It includes disinfectants and antiseptics that are homogeneous and stable. The test process can be diluted or in the standard way. Before going to do the test method, it is essential to identify the aim to test the antiviral of a product. Also, the category of the product matters the most. It will define the exposure time and test conditions for determining the antiviral performance of the product. When it comes to the products that you want to test, such as Hygienic Hand Cleaners, Instrument Disinfection, Surface Disinfection, and Textile Disinfection.
ALSO READ – WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EN 14476 TEST?
These are the various product categories that should get resolute by the exposure times ranging from 30 seconds to 60 minutes. Along with the exposure time, even the testing method includes hard water dilutions, soiling, and a range of various types of viruses. Of course, many viruses can be unwavering by influenza and coronavirus strains. Truly, the performance of the textile which gets treated before is measured by means of viral titer estimation using a plaque assay or TCID50 method. To know more about the EN 14476 test method, check the below article, and it helps.
Why the EN 14476 test method?
In common, the standard test method en 14476 test is the most bidden and recommended by all. Along with the durability, tests get the same importance. So then, the antimicrobial performance against viruses can get resolved when uncovered to environmental conditions. Truly, worldwide customers require that. The famous durability test is soiling conditions or else interfering substances such as serum, blood, or hard water are used. When you choose to do durability and antimicrobial testing for sure, it will help in enhancing the overall product development and performance. Additionally, one can save time as well as cost. By this, you can achieve quality products in the end. The aim of the test is to identify whether the product is treated or not. In general, it is any virus that has come under non-enveloped viruses. Notably, it’s all resistant to chemical disinfectants.
When EN 14476 test method is conducted against non-enveloped viruses for any product and if it passes the test for adenovirus or norovirus. However, it has not come under poliovirus. Then the product will be fixed as boundary spectrum virucidal or narrow virucidal. Understanding the standard testing method requires additives that can chemically or dynamically change some characteristics of the virus. On the other hand, when it comes to the treated products, different approaches will get a grip on chemical attacks. Commonly the classes of antimicrobials to determine the activity such as reactive aldehydes, oxides, quaternary ammonium compounds, essential oils, and quaternary-silane molecules. If it is liquid disinfectant applications, then there must be a fast test method that wants to be done. That is why the antimicrobial addiction wants to include fastening the testing method and the chance to obtain a high level of antiviral efficacy.
Test Method
When it comes to preparing for the suspension en 14476 test, the test virus will get added to the testing surface. There are no restrictions on the interfering substance that you want to use for the test. Undoubtedly, it is built on your requirements. After that, the test product comes in, or disinfectant is further to the virus suspension during the test. Notably, the product wants to test at the temperature that the manufacturer requires for. When the exposure time gets over, the samples will have gathered, and then the activity of the test product is neutralised using ice-cold test medium via dilution. The main reason serial dilutions are performed is to identify the viral infectivity. Not all viruses are giant in size truly; most viruses are too small, ranging from 25nm to 400 nm. Importantly, it can be taken only under a light microscope.
After that, the presence of viruses on the surface before and after product exposure was determined. The method called inoculating makes live host cells with suspension samples. You know the host cells are the ones that can be certain after seven days and they will differ based on the type of cell, as the structure of the cell changes from one another. In case the test product has not given the proper result. That is, the virus is inactive even before the neutralization; they invade and damage. It is collectively called the live cells to display the cytopathic effect. As in general, these effects are said as virologists, and they can be found while observing the cells under a light microscope. No matter what, a relevant test result is obligatory to decide whether the test product is antiviral or not.
Summary of the EN 14476 test method
Before going to conduct the test method, it is vital to check whether the environment has proper conditions or not. The reason is that the requirements of the situation will vary according to the product you choose to test. So it is essential to use the correct state. Honestly, even the test substance will get ready accordingly. At first, a 0.8 ml aliquot of the test substance is supplemented with 0.1 ml of interfering substance. It doesn’t matter whether it is clean or dirty, plus it depends on the test product you choose. Later a 1.4% formaldehyde control is prepared and supplementary with the interfering substance since it is the test substance. Both the test product and control are inoculated with the virus-related suspension. It will also be held during the test process by considering time. After that, the virus recovery control procedure continues so then one can get that the test substance is antiviral, and even essential information also gets collected.
Notably, the virus recovery control is prepared using an inert substance, including buffered saline or cell culture media. So then, one can easily identify the initial viral titer used to challenge the test substance. When the test reaches the end of the contact time, the test product and controls are neutralized. It can be made by means of dilution into a chemical neutralizer even through the passage via a physical matrix. There are chances to use both. Notably, both the neutralization controls as well as the cytotoxicity controls are taken into account while testing. Consequently, it aids to know the effectiveness of the selected neutralization method. Also, you can obtain the effect of host cells on the test product. The purpose of neutralizing both the test products and controls is to dilute by means of host cells straightforwardly. The incubation tale is seven days. The result can be obtained only at the end of the incubation stage. It includes viral titer and cytotoxicity.
Strengths of the EN 14476 test method
In general, the data obtained through en 14476 test should obey the EU guidelines to achieve the appropriate and suitable result. Notably, the test method is more reproducible than most hard-surface carrier methods. No matter what, understanding various active ingredient concentrations can be evaluated over different contact times. Eventually, the actual method includes product dilution that occurs with the application of interfering substances and viral inoculum. So then, the other effects that will impact the product efficacy are also easily seen in the result.
