Conidia's Fuelstat gains ASTM D8070 compliance
ASTM International has this week approved a new Standard Test Method for detecting microbial contamination in liquid fuels using immunoassay techniques; designated as ASTM D8070. Conidia Bioscience is pleased to announce that Fuelstat, our simple 10 minute test for detecting microbial contamination in both aviation and diesel fuel, is fully compliant with ASTM D8070.
ASTM International is a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of voluntary consensus standards. Today, they have over 12,000 standards in use around the world to improve product quality, enhance health and safety, strengthen market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.
ASTM D6469 – 14, Para 8.3 – 8.6, Standard Guide for Microbial Contamination in Fuels and Fuel Systems section states that: “It is recommended that ideally testing should be completed on site within a few minutes of sampling”. However, the regulation also states that if the test cannot be undertaken on site fuel samples must be transported on ice and tested 4 hrs but no longer than 24 hrs after sampling. Fuelstat overcomes this potential problem as the test is conducted on site, negating the danger of changes to levels of contamination in the sample caused by transportation at the incorrect temperature.
Dr Joan Kelley Technical Director of Conidia Bioscience said: “We are delighted that this new standard test method has been approved by ASTM and that Fuelstat is fully compliant with ASTM D8070. Immunoassay test kits such as Fuelstat offer a low cost, easy to use test option that gives quick results and requires little investment. There are no special handling, storage or fuel disposal requirements. The very nature of how the test works means that there is no risk of cross-contamination: results are accurate and completely reliable.”
There are a number of proprietary tests on the market to determine the presence of microbial contamination but many are laboratory based tests or rely on culture growth and are therefore time consuming. Fuelstat would appear to be the most simple to use test available on the international market. No special skills are required to use the test and there is no investment needed for a reader to translate the results.
The awareness of fuel contamination has grown in recent years. Many different microorganisms can enter the fuel chain at any stage, living in the water phase and feeding off the fuel. Prolonged, heavy contamination is now an expensive issue, with the possibility of fuel pipeline blockage or corrosion both of which will require expensive mechanical intervention and significant downtime to clean fuel tanks and ancillary equipment. The majority of operators have concluded that detecting and dealing with this potential problem by testing early is the efficient, cost effective answer, to manage this risk.
Bioscience company Conidia's Fuelstat range of rapid testing kits for the detection of microbial contamination in fuels can be used throughout the supply chain. Testing is applicable to aviation, marine and land environments, wherever kerosene or diesel is used, stored or transported.
