Explore bacteria, spore-formers, mold, yeast, and bacteriophages in ARE Labs testing scope. Find an organism below, then discuss how it fits your product, test conditions, and the question your study needs to answer.
44Organisms listed
7Organism groups
Organism + strain + study
A biological challenge starts with more than a species name. We define the organism, strain, challenge form, and measurement endpoint together so the study answers your question.
For room and duct studies, define the device, operating mode, airflow, exposure time, and biological endpoint. Sampling locations and untreated controls help distinguish changes associated with the device from natural losses during the study. The selected organism must suit both the challenge and the recovery method.
Surface and material studies
For a treated surface, textile, or liquid formulation, begin with the material and intended contact conditions. Organism selection, contact time, recovery, and controls are scoped for that application. An organism used in an airborne study is not automatically the right choice for a surface or biofilm study.
Detector challenges
For biological detectors and air monitors, identify the response you want to evaluate and the reference measurement needed alongside it. A detector signal, a particle count, and a viable microbial result describe different properties. Choose the challenge and endpoint together before comparing device outputs.
Choose a panel that answers your question
Start with the product and the decision the results will support. A room air cleaner, an in-duct device, a treated surface, and a biological detector expose organisms in different ways. Share the intended use, operating conditions, and proposed claim so we can discuss an organism panel that fits the study. A longer organism list is useful only when each addition answers a relevant question.
The directory brings together selected organisms from our laboratory stock records and species lists. It includes bacterial cells, spore-forming bacteria, mold, yeast, and bacteriophages. These groups are not interchangeable challenges. Specify the form you need: a Bacillus species may be evaluated as vegetative cells or as endospores. The agreed study plan identifies which form is used.
If you already have a required strain, include its culture-collection identifier or other traceable designation with your request. We confirm the identity and challenge form in the study plan. A species name in this directory does not identify a particular strain or mean that every strain of that species is available for every test configuration.
Understand what the result will measure
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. MS2 and Phi X174 appear here as virus surrogates used in ARE Labs studies; Phi X174 is called Phi X in the published study. Results from a surrogate study remain specific to the tested organism and conditions. They should not be read as direct evidence against an untested human virus or as a universal ranking of disinfectant resistance.
The measurement endpoint matters as much as the organism. Recovery of culturable bacteria or fungi, recovery of infectious bacteriophage, detection of genetic material, and measurement of airborne particles answer different questions. Tell us whether you need to evaluate microbial reduction, physical removal, detector response, or another outcome. The protocol then defines the measurement, controls, and reporting basis needed to interpret the result.
For an air-treatment comparison, the result needs to be reported alongside the time and sampling conditions. Background loss, collection efficiency, and recovery can affect the concentration observed during a trial. A useful comparison documents those conditions and evaluates the device against the appropriate control. The organism list is a starting point; the agreed protocol establishes what will be tested and reported.
A.No. These are selected organisms from ARE Labs stock and species records. If you need another organism, send its name, strain if known, and intended use. We will confirm suitability and availability while scoping the study.
Q.Do you need the exact strain?
A.Include the strain or culture-collection identifier if your method or claim requires one. If you do not have a specified strain, we can discuss organism selection. The study plan records the identity and challenge form used.
Q.Does bacteriophage testing establish performance against human viruses?
A.A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria. A surrogate study reports results for the tested organism under the specified conditions. It does not by itself establish efficacy against an untested human virus.
Q.Can I use the same organism panel for air and surface testing?
A.We review the panel for each application. Exposure, contact conditions, sampling, and recovery differ between air and surface studies. A suitable organism for one configuration may not answer the question posed by another.
Q.What should I send to scope a biological study?
A.Send your product or material, target organism and strain if known, intended exposure, any required method, and the decision or claim the results must support. These details help us discuss a suitable panel and measurement approach.
Next step
Discuss testing context
Use the article as a starting point, then bring product, device, formulation, claim, or regulatory context into a project scoping conversation.