ISO 21702-2019 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 21702:2019 — Measurement of antiviral activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces. This International Standard specifies a quantitative laboratory method to determine the antiviral activity of plastics and other non-porous materials that have been treated or coated with antiviral agents. It provides procedures for inoculation, contact/incubation, virus recovery and infectivity measurement to report antiviral effect relative to untreated controls.

Abstract

ISO 21702:2019 defines a standardized test method to evaluate the reduction in infectious virus following direct contact with treated non-porous surfaces. The method is intended for research, development, quality control and claims substantiation for antiviral-treated plastics and other smooth, non-porous products. The standard notes that results for a given test virus may not be directly transferable to other viruses and does not address toxicological, ecotoxicological or cleaning/disinfecting properties.

General information

• Status: Published (confirmed on review).
• Publication date: May 2019.
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 83.080.01 (Plastics in general).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2019).
• Number of pages: 20 pages (main document).

Scope

Specifies a laboratory method for measuring antiviral activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces of products treated with antiviral agents. The procedure covers preparation of test specimens, inoculation with selected test viruses, contact/incubation under defined conditions, recovery of surviving virus into a suitable neutralizer and quantification of infectious virus to calculate antiviral activity (expressed as log reduction versus untreated controls). The standard applies to non-porous surfaces only and is not intended for porous materials, nor is it a test of cleaning or disinfection procedures. It also does not address toxicology or environmental safety of treated surfaces.

Key topics and requirements

• Test specimens: typically flat squares (for example ~50 mm × 50 mm) of treated and corresponding untreated reference material; specimen thickness limits and sterility requirements are specified.
• Inoculation: defined inoculum volume and placement; a coverslip is used to ensure uniform contact between virus suspension and test surface.
• Contact (exposure) time: standard contact time is 24 hours (other times may be added by agreement between parties).
• Environmental conditions: controlled temperature and humidity during contact/incubation as specified in the method.
• Recovery and neutralization: procedures for eluting surviving virus into an appropriate neutralizer to stop antiviral action prior to assay.
• Virological endpoint: quantification of infectious virus (for example TCID50 or plaque assay) and calculation of antiviral activity as log10 reduction compared with untreated control specimens.
• Controls and replicates: use of untreated control specimens and multiple replicates to assess variability; guidance on number of replicates and control tests.
• Choice of test virus: examples and commonly used surrogates are provided (e.g., influenza A virus as an enveloped virus and feline calicivirus as a non‑enveloped surrogate), with a note that one virus result may not predict activity against other viruses.
• Limitations: not intended to demonstrate real-world efficacy against airborne transmission, not a substitute for disinfection standards, and results are limited to the tested virus/surface combination.

Typical use and users

Used by product developers and manufacturers of plastics and non-porous consumer, medical and industrial products to validate and compare antiviral treatments; by independent testing laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025 labs) performing contract testing; by regulatory and compliance teams evaluating claims; and by R&D and quality assurance groups for formulation screening, production control and marketing substantiation.

Related standards

Standards commonly referenced alongside ISO 21702 include ISO 22196 (measurement of antibacterial activity on plastics and other non‑porous surfaces), ISO 18184 (textiles — determination of antiviral activity), EN 16777 (European method for virucidal activity on non‑porous surfaces), ASTM E1053 (virus inactivation on fomites) and other national or sector-specific test methods. Working documents and newer methods addressing airborne deposition or other exposure modes may also be relevant.

Keywords

antiviral, virucidal, non-porous surfaces, plastics, surface testing, TCID50, log reduction, antiviral activity, test method, ISO 21702

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21702:2019 is an international laboratory test method for measuring antiviral activity of treated plastics and other non-porous surfaces by quantifying the reduction in infectious virus after direct contact.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers specimen preparation, inoculation, contact/incubation conditions (standard 24 h), recovery/neutralization of virus, infectivity assays (e.g., TCID50 or plaque assays) and calculation of antiviral activity versus untreated controls. It applies only to non‑porous surfaces and does not address cleaning, disinfection procedures, toxicology or environmental safety.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Product manufacturers (plastics, coated surfaces), independent testing laboratories, regulatory and compliance teams, and R&D/QA personnel who need standardized, comparable data on antiviral performance of non‑porous materials.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 21702 was published in May 2019 as Edition 1. The standard is published and has been subject to ISO periodic review; users should check the issuing national standards body or ISO for the latest confirmation or revision status before relying on it for regulatory decisions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It belongs to a family of surface antimicrobial test methods and is commonly used together with related standards such as ISO 22196 (antibacterial activity on non‑porous surfaces) and ISO 18184 (antiviral activity on textiles). Other regional and technical standards (EN, ASTM) address similar endpoints or different material classes.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Antiviral, virucidal activity, non-porous surfaces, plastics, TCID50, log reduction, ISO 21702, surface testing.