Designation:E2721−10StandardTestMethodforEvaluationofEffectivenessofDecontaminationProceduresforSurfacesWhenChallengedwithDropletsContainingHumanPathogenicViruses1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE2721;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.INTRODUCTIONManycommunicablediseasescanoftenspreadthroughdropletscontaininginfectiousagents.Such“contagiousdroplets”mayexposesusceptibleindividualsdirectlyorcontaminateenvironmentalsurfacesintheimmediatevicinityandrenderthemasfomitesforfurtherspreadofthedisease.Thecharacteristicsofthedroplets(particlesizeandcomposition)willinfluencetheviabilityofthemicroorganismswhenexposedtoenvironmentalstressesbutalsoshieldthemfromphysicalandchemicaldecontaminants.Thewidevariationsinthetypesandlevelsofsuchprotective/shieldingingredientscanimpactontheeffectivenessofsurfacedecontaminants.Thistestmethodisdesignedtosimulatesurfacedepositionofcontagiousdropletsfromhumanrespiratorysecretions.Itisprimarilyfocusedoninfluenzavirusesbutotherrespiratoryvirusesorsurrogatescouldbeused.Protocolsforassessingthemicrobicidalactivityofdisinfectantsarealsodescribed.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodisdesignedtoevaluatedecontamina-tionmethods(physical,chemical,self-decontaminatingmate-rials)whenusedonsurfacescontaminatedwithvirus-containingdroplets.1.2Thistestmethoddefinestheconditionsforsimulatingrespiratorydropletsproducedbyhumansanddepositingthedropletsontosurfaces.1.3Themethodisspecifictoinfluenzavirusesbutcouldbeadaptedforworkwithothertypesofrespiratoryvirusesorsurrogates(AppendixX5).1.4Thistestmethodissuitableforworkingwithawidevarietyofenvironmentalsurfaces.1.5Thistestmethoddoesnotaddresstheperformanceofdecontaminantsagainstmicrobesexpelledviabloodsplatter,vomit,orfecalcontamination.1.6Thistestmethodshouldbeperformedonlybythosetrainedin...
