Most Common FAQs on Fungus Testing

Posted by Anthony Lewis on November 28th, 2020

As per the website of the US Center for Disease Control, out of nearly 1.5 million different species of fungi on Earth just about 300 of those can pose serious health hazards. A majority of the one and a half-million fungi can, however, cause premature wear and tear to machinery and equipment.

Fungal growth can lead to several problems that can shorten a material’s longevity and can alter its electrical, mechanical, or optical properties. In addition to that, fungus growth can damage the looks of products that are designed to be visually stunning. For this reason, the equipment and machines that operate in warm and humid ambiance must go for fungus test at regular intervals.

Fungus use paper, wood, leather, plastics, hydrocarbons, paints, and other materials as their source of nutrients. Some materials are more vulnerable to fungal attack than others, but none is entirely fungal-resistant. Any material developed with the use of organic materials will naturally be a source of nutrients for fungus. Although synthetic polymers don’t have the food source conducive for fungal infestation, just a little contamination or infusion of the carbon-rich component can spur that.

Types of Fungal Attacks

Although fungus can attack your products in several ways, many common weaknesses, and problems can be found across products.

•         Fungus growth can be found under protective covers, giving an unsightly look to your products’ appearances.

•         Fungus metabolic waste can cause etching or corrosion.

•         Fungus can cause internal moisture, thereby impacting the performance of the system.

•         Fungus can block delicate moving parts.

•         Electrical systems can develop adverse conducting paths.

How Fungus Attacks Different Materials

Determining how different materials respond in conditions that are favorable for fungal infestation are an important part for testing. A reliable fungus testing company or an expert manufacturer of fungus test kits can help in detecting fungus growth in an industrial facility.

The main objective of any fungus testing program is to determine:

•         Whether or not the products containing the material will support fungal infestation.
 
•         How fast fungus will grow on the products.
 
•         If they can be effectively stored in a field environment.

Furthermore, a fungus test can also establish:

•         How the fungal growth affects the function of the end product.
 
•         Whether or not fungal growth can be wiped off using a simple reversal process.

The Importance of Fungus Testing

Any material or product that is frequently exposed to warm and humid conditions must be tested for fungus growth. Fungus testing is critical for every industrial unit so that their equipment and machinery can optimally perform to their level best.

An effective, meticulous, and thorough fungus testing may entail a little investment at the outset but will save businesses money in the long term as it can save expensive machines and equipment from further damage and breakdowns due to fungus infestation.

At Biosan Laboratories, we have over 40 years of experience in fungus testing and developing fungus test kits. Our microbial laboratory can help you in selecting the right test method for your project and our microbiologists specialize in AATCC, ASTM, ISO, and JIS standard antimicrobial test methods.

Biosan provides fungus testing services and other quality-control services for a wide range of industries including leather, textiles, furniture and wood, publishing, among others. To cater to the needs of our clients, we developed an agar-based detection method, dipslide, for microbiological testing. We also provide consulting in antimicrobial testing protocol design. Contact us to discuss specifics with our team of expert microbiologists or ask for a free quote.

About Author:

Anthony Lewis is a professional writer having deep interest in scientific innovations. In addition, he has been imparting training on personality development in various institutes as guest faculty. For over three years, Lewis has been penning informative pieces on bacteria test kits, Fungus test kit and microbial testings of Biosan Laboratories Inc.