Evaluation of antifungal activity of textile materials: antifungal and anticorrosive properties of textile materials
Part III of the AATCC 30 test method is a qualitative test that uses high concentrations of Aspergillus niger (ATCC #6275) fungus to determine the resistance of textile materials to fungal growth.
Background information on Part III of the AATCC 30 Test Method
Aspergillus niger can grow on textile materials without compromising strength. However , the growth of Aspergillus niger on the fabric can cause harmful effects such as odor and discoloration.
The AATCC 30 test method was first used in 1946 as a formal method to test the effectiveness of fungal fungicides used on textile materials.
The current standard (AATCC 30 test method ) is the ninth edition of the test method. We often receive requests for free download of 30 test methods. However, due to copyright protection law, we cannot provide a copy of the test law. However, the test method can be downloaded directly from the AATCC website at a relatively low cost.
To download the PDF document of Part III of our AATCC 30 Test Method for free, please see the end of this page.
Listed below are the previous versions of the test method:
The types of textiles tested using Part III of the AATCC 30 test method include but are not limited to polyester, cotton, rayon, nylon, silk, wool, linen, acrylic, spandex, viscose, etc.
Other types of materials, such as polymers, paints, adhesives, cardboard, foam, and gypsum board, can also be tested using Part III of the AATCC 30 test method.
If the test sample has a certain thickness and no pores exist, the spores of Aspergillus niger will not be able to absorb the nutrients on the agar plate. This may affect the growth of fungi on the test sample, resulting in inaccurate results.
AATCC 30 Test Method Part III Test
The test sample is placed on an agar medium rich in carbon or no carbon (that is, no energy source available) but containing essential mineral salts for fungal growth. On a carbon-free medium, the fungus will grow on the sample, but not on the surrounding agar surface.
After the test sample is placed on a carbon-rich or carbon-free medium, it is inoculated with a concentrated spore suspension (inoculum) containing Aspergillus niger .
Aspergillus niger was selected as the test strain by AATCC because of its ability to grow on textiles.
When using a carbon-free medium, culture the test plate at 28°C for 14 days; when using a carbon-rich medium, culture it for 7 days to promote fungal growth.
The culture period of this test is one to two weeks, so it can get results faster than other fungal tests (such as ASTM G21, which has a culture period of 28 days).
Both carbon-rich or carbon-free media can be used for testing with flexible methods.
In addition to the direct energy source required for fungal growth, all other growth conditions are available (minerals, temperature, humidity, high concentration of spores), so the evaluation results reflect the true ability of the test sample to resist fungal attack.
Disadvantages of Part III of AATCC 30 Test Method:
The concentration of the carbon-rich medium composed of high concentration of spores and high nutrient content of the agar plate may suppress the effect of milder antifungal agents.
This test method can only assess the antifungal properties of one type of fungus.
A sample that is too thick, non-porous, or hydrophobic will prevent the Aspergillus niger spores from getting the nutrients on the agar plate, which may result in inaccurate results.
Since the scoring guidelines are subjective, the test results may allow a series of interpretations. The 25% fungal coverage (scored 0 (75)) identified by a technician may be easily determined as 35% coverage (scored 0 (50)) by another technician.
