Today, most significant problems, such as microbial infections and antibiotic resistance, are the biggest threats to society's health. Every year, millions of people die as a result of microbial infections around the world. Once, the conditions were responsible for 9.2 million deaths, that comes to be about 17% of all deaths. The occurrence of resistance evolution has caused the current antibacterials to fail.
ASTM E2149 or the shake flask test, is a much prevalent and most recommended method for evaluating antimicrobial activities of any product. It is used for antimicrobial treated products that are immobilised and do not move into the atmosphere. The results show how resistant antimicrobial-treated specimens are to microbe growth.
The rapid evolution of microbial resistance to traditional antibiotics has caused significant concern in treating infectious diseases. Many studies have recently been conducted to find promising solutions to these issues. Phytochemicals have been shown to have antibacterial efficacy against susceptible and resistant pathogens through several mechanisms.
The emergence of infectious deadly diseases and the rise in bacterial resistance have forced researchers and scientists into the production of new antimicrobials. Various screening methods are used for optimisation, given microorganisms’ inability to produce new mutants with antimicrobial properties. ASTM E2149 is one method used to determine the Antimicrobial Activity of Antimicrobial Agents Under Dynamic Contact Conditions.
Importance and Application
Antimicrobial agents that are substrate-bound are generally not free to diffuse into their surroundings under normal use conditions. By agitating the test specimen in a challenge suspension during the test period, ASTM e2149 method enables good contact between the bacteria and the treated fibre, cloth, or another substrate.
The metabolic condition of the challenge species may directly impact measures of antimicrobial agent efficacy or concentrations. The species' vulnerability to specific biocides can vary depending on its life cycle). A one-hour contact time in a buffer solution helps the population to reach metabolic stasis. This method of testing is standardised.
This test method ASTM e2149 standardised both the challenge species' growth conditions and substrate contact times to minimise the microorganism's growth process’s variability. The amount of antimicrobial leaching depends on the test conditions used and the product's ultimate end-use. To determine whether a compound is substrate-bound in all cations, additional testing may be needed.
The antimicrobial activity is measured by comparing findings from a test sample to controls that were run simultaneously.
This ASTM e2149 method may not be suitable for all antimicrobial-treated products or antimicrobial agents. Based on the antimicrobial mode of action and end-user expectations, the correct test methodology should be calculated. Both antimicrobials must be appropriately neutralised.