Test method
ASTM E3160 antibacterial testing of porous treated articles
ASTM E3160 is a quantitative practice for evaluating how well a porous article treated with an antibacterial agent resists bacteria. It is the method our laboratory's IAC certification names by number — certificate 062-01-2021 records demonstrated proficiency in ASTM E3160-18.
- Result
- Quantitative reductionCounted against an untreated control
- For
- Porous treated articlesThe non-porous practice is a separate document
- IAC certificate
- Names ASTM E3160-18No. 062-01-2021, an external check repeated annually
- Turnaround
- 14–30 daysDate confirmed before you ship
The test in four steps
Drawn as a schematic, not photographed at our bench. The drawings show the sequence; the conditions are the standard's.
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Treated and control
The treated article and, where possible, the same article untreated as a control.
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Inoculate
The treated specimens are inoculated. On a porous article the inoculum wicks in.
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Hold in contact
The specimens are held in contact with the organisms.
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Recover and count
The survivors are recovered and counted against the untreated control.
Solid green outline: treated. Dashed gray outline: untreated control. Green dots: the organisms.
What the test involves
Treated specimens are inoculated, held in contact with the organisms, and the survivors are recovered and counted against an untreated control. The output is a quantitative reduction, so it supports a claim in a way a zone-of-inhibition screen cannot.
Porous materials behave differently from hard surfaces: the inoculum wicks in rather than sitting on top, which changes both the contact and the recovery. That is why the porous and non-porous practices are separate documents.
We run ASTM E3160 in our BSL-2 laboratory in Bandung, certified annually by the International Antimicrobial Council (USA) and participating in AATCC's PTP4 antibacterial proficiency program.
What you receive
- An independent test report in IAC or AATCC format
- Results per organism, against the untreated control
- A certificate your customers, auditors, and procurement teams can verify
Common questions
Why does Cultiva's certificate mention this method specifically?
Because the International Antimicrobial Council tested us on it. Our IAC Certified Laboratory certificate, number 062-01-2021, lists demonstrated proficiency in general microbiology and in ASTM E3160-18 — an external check on this method, repeated annually, rather than our own claim about ourselves.
My product is a hard surface, not a porous one. Is this the right method?
Probably not on its own — this practice is written for porous articles, where the inoculum wicks in rather than sitting on the surface. Tell us the substrate and the claim and we will say which of our seven methods fits, or tell you plainly that none of them does and what to ask another laboratory for. What it is not is ASTM E3162: that is a laundering step for textiles, not a method for hard surfaces.
What samples do I send?
The treated article and, where possible, the same article untreated as a control. We'll confirm sizes and quantities when you book.
How long does it take?
14–30 days, depending on the method and the current queue in the lab. We confirm the date when we accept the sample, before you ship anything.
Related methods
Not sure which one your buyer wants? Send us the specification and we will read it with you before any sample ships.
Book an ASTM E3160 test
Tell us the material and the claim. We'll confirm the method, the samples we need, and what the report will contain.