Research: Using Clinically Relevant Test Soils to Evaluate Personal Protective Materials

Abstract Effective personal protective equipment (PPE) is critically important to preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Appropriate test systems and test soils are needed to adequately evaluate PPE. ASTM test method F903, which specifies the test method setup also used in ASTM F1670/F1670M-17a and ASTM F1671/F1671M-13, has been used for decades to test liquid penetration resistance of fabrics. All three standards require at least 60 mL of challenge liquid, such as synthetic blood solution (F1670) or bacteriophage in nutrient broth (F1671). The three ASTM test methods also are labor intensive and prone to exhibiting problems with leakage around the gaskets. Previous work comparing the F903 test apparatus with a modified dot-blot apparatus to evaluate the visual penetration of a blood test soil in series of commercially available gowns and drapes demonstrated that the methods are comparable and revealed that penetration through PPE material may depend on the test solution. The study described here evaluated a series of clinically relevant test soils (blood, vomit, urine, and feces) in penetration of PPE garments using the modified dot-blot apparatus. The results indicated that a vomit test soil penetrates PPE material more often than blood, urine, or fecal test soils and that the blood test soil has the least number of PPE failures. Incorporating clinically relevant, chemically defined test soils to evaluate PPE material should be considered to protect healthcare workers and reduce the spread of infectious material.

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Research: Comparing ASTM F1671 with a Modified Dot-Blot Method to Evaluate Personal Protective Materials

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology ◽

10.2345/0899-8205-54.2.102 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 102-109

Author(s):

Poulomi Nandy ◽

Chengru Zhu ◽

Megan Young ◽

Steven C. Wood ◽

Anne D. Lucas

Keyword(s):

Standard Method ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

Signal Amplification ◽

Penetration Resistance ◽

Substantial Improvement ◽

Test Method ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Test Liquid ◽

Dot Blot ◽

Challenge Testing

Abstract Effective personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Appropriate test systems and test soils are needed to adequately evaluate PPE. ASTM test method F903, which specifies the test method setup also used in ASTM F1670 and F1671, has been used for decades to test liquid (ASTM F1670) or viral (ASTM F1671) penetration resistance of PPE fabrics. However, an alteration of the bacteriophage propagation method detailed in the standard was necessary to obtain consistent titers of virus. In this study, modification of the nutrient broth provided consistently higher titers of virus and the use of the top agar in smaller increments prevented premature solidification. This study then compared the standard ASTM F1671 (using bacteriophage φχ174) with a modified dot-blot method to assess viral penetration of PPE materials. The results indicated that ASTM F1671 and the dot-blot apparatus methods were equivalent. The dot-blot method described here is less labor intensive and faster than the ASTM F1671 method. However, using the dot-blot system, which uses antibodies to detect the bacteriophage and signal amplification, does not indicate if virus viability or infectivity is retained, whereas the ASTM F1671 method indicates both. Nonetheless, the method presented in this investigation is a substantial improvement of a standard method for viral challenge testing of PPE materials.

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An evaluation of ECT sample height for small flute board grades and Box Manufacturer’s Certification compliance

TAPPI Journal ◽

10.32964/tj8.6.24 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 24-28

Author(s):

CORY JAY WILSON ◽

BENJAMIN FRANK

Keyword(s):

Compressive Strength ◽

Compressive Load ◽

Test Sample ◽

Test Methods ◽

Test Method ◽

Initial Development ◽

Sample Height ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship ◽

Corrugated Fiberboard

TAPPI test T811 is the specified method to ascertain ECT relative to box manufacturer’s certification compliance of corrugated fiberboard under Rule 41/ Alternate Item 222. T811 test sample heights were derived from typical board constructions at the time of the test method’s initial development. New, smaller flute sizes have since been developed, and the use of lighter weight boards has become more common. The T811 test method includes sample specifications for typical A-flute, B-flute, and C-flute singlewall (and doublewall and triplewall) structures, but not for newer thinner E-flute or F-flute structures. This research explores the relationship of ECT sample height to measured compressive load, in an effort to determine valid E-flute and F-flute ECT sample heights for use with the T811 method. Through this process, it identifies challenges present in our use of current ECT test methods as a measure of intrinsic compressive strength for smaller flute structures. The data does not support the use of TAPPI T 811 for ECT measurement for E and F flute structures, and demonstrates inconsistencies with current height specifi-cations for some lightweight B flute.

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A Review on Methods of Face Masks Sterilization for Reuse Owing To Crisis During COVID-19

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v11ispl1.3604 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽

pp. 1240-1243

Author(s):

Pradyuman Singh Rajput ◽

Asish Kumar Saha ◽

Insiya Gangardiwala ◽

Anand Vijayakumar Palur Ramakrishnan

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Health Hazard ◽

Capital City ◽

Limited Resources ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

First Line ◽

Republic Of China ◽

Enormous Amount ◽

The Face ◽

The Common

The COVID-19 pandemic initially started from the Wuhan capital city of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China had now led to a severe public health hazard across the globe, the recorded death is approximately 958 thousand globally and counting. With the enormous amount of spread of the disease, a severe crisis for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being noticed across the globe. Face masks being the first line of defence for all the healthcare workers as well for the common public. It became mandatory to wear face masks before entering the patient care area. The countries who are not manufacturing it locally had to depend on other countries for the procurement. As there is a severe supply chain disruption due to the lockdown measures taken by all the countries to contain the disease, so it had become difficult to procure the face masks from the manufacturing countries. The price for these PPEs is also rising at an alarming rate with the increase in the COVID-19 cases and the huge rate of consumption by the healthcare and other sectors. Therefore, with limited resources, the hospital has to run its services. The CDC, WHO and ICMR have released several guidelines from time to time for sterilization and reuse of face masks. This article will discuss the various methods that can be utilized to sterilize the face masks and reuse of it.

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