Monday, October 29, 2012
Most polymer emulsions are susceptible to microbial spoilage, which can result in loss of application properties for the end customer. A spoiled batch can potentially cost $50,000 - $250,000, an estimate that may not include the cost of replacement, remediation, disposal, labor, and other ancillary costs. Early detection of microbes in emulsions prior to shipping can reduce this risk. Under specific conditions, our current test method requires 24-72 hours to detect most microbial species. Moreover, some species need 7-9 days for detection while others might not be detected at all. With these traditional methods, by the time we detect contamination, the material may have been delivered to the customer. We have validated a 2nd Generation ATP testing method for microbial detection in latex polymers based on the detection of the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), present in all live microbial cells. We found this method to be user friendly and repeatable. It also has a good correlation with our standard method and results are obtained in less than an hour. Having a process that facilitates on time detection and triggers immediate action will reduce delivery of contaminated material and it will improve the quality performance of manufacturing plants.