On-Line Video: Teal-Sorb Video

TEAL-SORB SR Disinfecting Absorbent was tested per the standard operating procedures of the Sanitizer Certification Program using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists method Germicidal and Detergent Sanitizers (6) Official Final Action (4.023).  This procedure requires the product to reduce a population of E. coli bacteria containing between 75,000,000 and 125,000,000 colony forming units (cfu) by at least 99.999% within 30 seconds of initial contact with the sanitizer. As this method was designed for liquid sanitizers, the procedure was modified for testing TEAL-SORB SR Disinfecting Absorbent.

Recommended application of TEAL-SORB SR  is to combine two parts product with one part  target waste material (volume / volume).  For testing purposes, the target waste material was represented by one ml of E. coli culture, and the floor or counter surface containing the waste material was represented by the inside surface of the test tube.  The E. coli culture used in these trials contained 103,000,000 cfu per ml.  In Trial I (see 2007-41), 2 ml (volume) product was added to 1 ml of E. coli culture contained in the test tube.  The contents were thoroughly mixed using a vortex stirrer.  After 30 seconds, the product / waste mixture was analyzed to determine the number of surviving E. coli.  As the report indicates, no surviving E. coli were detected.  In Trial II (see 2007-41a) the procedure was repeated except that the amount of product was reduced to 1 ml.  Results showed that no surviving E. coli were detected.  In Trial III (see 2007-41b) the procedure was repeated except that the amount of product was reduced to 0.5 ml.  Results showed that no surviving E. coli were detected. 

To summarize, the sanitizer certification test is intended to measure the anti-bacterial capabilities of a sanitizer to be marketed in the state of Wisconsin.  The minimum performance requires a 99.999% cfu reduction of E. coli at initial levels of at least 75,000,000 cfu within 30 seconds of contact with the product.  The anti-bacterial quality of TEAL-SORB SR  Disinfecting Absorbent exceeded the minimum requirements by achieving 100% reduction of 103,000,000 E. coli  within 30 seconds, whether applied at full strength (manufacturer’s recommendation 2:1), reduced to a 1:1 ratio, or further reduced to a 0.5:1 ratio of product to target waste.  The results show that E. coli were eliminated both in the target waste material, and on the surfaces containing them.