ASTM D5590 – Fungal Defacement Test

ASTM D5590 is an antimicrobial test method that determines the resistance of paint films and related coatings to fungal defacement by an accelerated four-week agar plate assay.

Environmental conditions like temperature, humidity, UV light, and others can affect the susceptibility of a given paint or coatings surface and can reduce a materials ability to resist microbial contamination.

The ASTM D5590 test method is commonly used to compare and evaluate different coating formulations to determine their relative performance against fungi under a given set of conditions. Standard ASTM D5590 method tests against A. niger, P. funiculosum, and A. pullulans.

Although ASTM D5590 provides data on the performance of a material in the laboratory setting, durability testing can provide additional information on how a material will perform when exposed to microorganisms and the environmental conditions mentioned above.

Durability testing can include heat aging, UV exposure, water exposure, etc.  Feel free to inquire with the lab for more information on durability testing as part of an antimicrobial product test.

Customers commonly request ASTM D3273 for a test method that includes more environmental exposure as part of the method scope.

For more information regarding ASTM D5590 and Antifungal testing, contact our Antimicrobial laboratory at 847-483-9950 or info@situtest.com.