ASTM_D_5588_-_97_2012.pdf

Designation:D558897(Reapproved 2012)Standard Test Method forDetermination of the Microbial Condition of Paint,Paint RawMaterials,and Plant Areas1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5588;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method covers a procedure for the determina-tion of the microbial condition(contamination or sterility)ofraw materials used in the manufacture of paint,and themicrobial condition of paint and paint manufacturing areas.1.2 The values in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.The values given in parentheses are for information only.1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Summary of Test Method2.1 This test method outlines procedures to(1)obtainsamples for sterility testing from wet or dry materials and plantsites,(2)conduct the sterility testing on those samples to see ifthey are contaminated,(3)evaluate the degree of contamina-tion,if any,and(4)provide a guide for some indication of thetype of contamination present(bacterial,fungal,yeast,etc.).This test method is not designed to include all the necessaryprecautions to maintain the level of sterility required to providethe most accurate results.Some familiarity with microbiologi-cal techniques is recommended.3.Significance and Use3.1 Spoilage of paint in the container is often related to theuse of contaminated raw materials,water(particularly recycledwashwater),vessels,piping,and equipment in the manufactur-ing plant.There is a need for a simple method to determine thepresence or absence of microorganisms in plants that manu-facture paints and coatings.Such a determination enables themanufacturer to establish the point of contamination(that is,raw materials or problem housekeeping areas in the plant)tohelp in solving the spoilage problem.NOTE1Some contamination in plant areas is to be expected,sincemicroorganisms are ubiquitous and cannot generally be eliminated prac-tically(it is what an in-can preservative is supposed to control).Excessivelevels of contamination or contaminated raw materials can exceed thecapability of the preservative.If you have excessive contamination in theplant,there are methods for decontamination including steam,preserva-tives,bleach,etc.These should be discussed with your biocide supplierand used with care.Recovery of spoiled or contaminated products is oftennot feasible,so an adequate level of the appropriate biocide in conjunctionwith good plant housekeeping practices are essential.Your biocidesupplier can also help here.3.2 This test method may be used by persons without basicmicrobiological training,but some training on aseptic tech-niques would be recommended.NOTE2The reliability of the results obtained from this test method isextremely dependent on the techniques employed.Improper techniquescan result in a sterile sample appearing to be contaminated,and evenworse,a contaminated sample appearing to be sterile(see also 5.1).It isrecommended that you consult with your biocide supplier,raw materialsupplier,or an independent testing laboratory to confirm questionableresults.4.Apparatus and Materials4.1 Balance,capable of weighing to 0.10 g.4.2 Incubator,or other device capable of maintaining aconstant temperature between 28 and 32C.4.3 Refrigerator.4.4 Tryptic Soy Agar(TSA)Plates,2pre-prepared.3(See Note3).4.5 Potato Dextrose Agar(PDA)Plates,4or Malt AgarPlates,5acidified to pH 3.5 with lactic acid,pre-prepared.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D01 on Paintand Related Coatings,Materials,and Applications and is the direct responsibility ofSubcommittee D01.28 on Biodeterioration.Current edition approved June 1,2012.Published July 2012.Originally approvedin 1994.Last previous edition approved in 2008 as D5588 97(2008).DOI:10.1520/D5588-97R12.2Please note that Tryptic Soy and Trypticase Soy are names used interchange-ably.Pre-prepared TSA plates,BBL#21185,are available from various microbio-logical supply companies.3Agar plates(media)may be purchased pre-prepared using the indicated Difcoor BBL number from microbiological supply companies,or both.Media may alsobe prepared from the formulations given in the Difco Manual(Difco Laboratories,Detroit,MI)or from appropriate dehydrated media using standard microbiologicaltechniques.4Pre-prepared plates available are Difco#4360-22-0,or BBL#96272.Thesepre-prepared plates are not acidified to pH 3.5,but may be used(see also Footnote3).5Pre-prepared plates available are Difco#4265-22-6.These are not acidified,but may