Abstract
Purpose
A filtering system (ABAK system, Thea, France) was developed and has been used to prevent the abuse of preservatives and to decrease the complications that may result from them. However, the bacteria filtering effect of the system has not been reported yet. In this study, we attempt to verify its efficacy.
Methods
Staphylococcus epidermidis was diluted to two different concentrations, 107 and 105 CFU (Colony-Forming-Unit)/ml. To determine the inward-filtering effect of the system (reverse direction), 0.5 ml of each bacterial concentration was aspirated through the ABAK system, and the solutions that filtered through were cultivated. The results were compared with the controls in which the same amounts of bacterial solutions were dropped from a dropper by squeezing the bottle. For the outward-effect (forward direction), 1ml of bacterial solution from each concentration was put into the bottle with a syringe. Solutions were re-collected by filtering them out through the ABAK system by squeezing the bottle and also by aspirating them from the bottle with a syringe. Both solutions were cultivated, and the results were compared. Each test was repeated 5 times.
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![]() | Figure 1.The ABAKW system. (A) The filtering membrane, 0.2 gm micropore filter bacteria. (B) The nylon fiber cartridge to absorb the preservatives. |
Table 1.
Culture results with or without passing through the filter of NAABAK solution contaminated with S. epidermidis (reverse direction)
No |
107 CFU/ml |
No |
105 CFU/ml |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
∗Drop (colony) | † Bottle (colony) | ∗Drop (colony) | † Bottle (colony) | ||
1 | 564 | No gtrth | 6 | 9 | No gtrth |
2 | 850 | No gtrth | 7 | 3 | No gtrth |
3 | 215 | No gtrth | 8 | 6 | No gtrth |
4 | 511 | No gtrth | 9 | 7 | No gtrth |
5 | 564 | No gtrth | 10 | 5 | No gtrth |
Mean | 540.8±225.6 | No gtrth | 6±2.2 | No gtrth |
Table 2.
Culture results with or without passing through the filter of NAABAK solution contaminated with S. epidermidis (forward direction)
No |
6×107 CFU/ml |
No |
6×105 CFU/ml |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
∗Bottle (colony) | † Drop (colony) | ∗Bottle (colony) | † Drop (colony) | ||
11 | >103 | No gtrth | 16 | 275 | No gtrth |
12 | >103 | No gtrth | 17 | 197 | No gtrth |
13 | >103 | No gtrth | 18 | 188 | No gtrth |
14 | >103 | No gtrth | 19 | 205 | No gtrth |
15 | >103 | No gtrth | 20 | 253 | No gtrth |
Mean | >103 | No gtrth | 223.6±38.2 | No gtrth |