News Archive

The program of our 12th Conference of Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology (CAHMV 2026) has just been released, and registration is now officially open. The full lecture program and the registration form are available on our website www.cahmv.com.

Following last year's successful premiere, we are delighted to announce the return of a key highlight: Our workshop, "Efficacy testing of antimicrobial products - including video insights from the testing labs," will offer exclusive insights into our testing facilities. This session presents a valuable opportunity to gain practical knowledge and participate in a collaborative discussion.

The scientific program features an exceptional lineup of renowned experts. Dr. Florian H. H. Brill will open the second day with a highly anticipated keynote lecture on the latest developments in the efficacy evaluation of antimicrobial products, and Professor Dr. Ojan Assadian will close that day with his keynote "My year in Infection Prevention and Control". On the first day, attendees can look forward to two further distinguished keynote presentations: Dr. Britt Hornei will talk about "Replication capacity (RCAU) as a basis for assessing the sensitivity of micro-organisms to disinfectant agents", and Professor Dr. Jean-Yves Maillard will deliver a comprehensive keynote on the difficulties of eliminating environmental biofilms, addressing both complex multi-species and dry surface biofilms.

We are also pleased to welcome Dr. Sophie Loeffert-Frémiot, who will chair a panel discussion on current challenges in efficacy evaluation from the perspective of the new CEN/TC 216. Furthermore, and Professor Dr. Daniel Todt will discuss the "Transmission and inactivation of viral hepatitis".

The extensive session "Hot topics Infection Prevention & Control" features a diverse selection of further high-quality scientific presentations. This track will once again be chaired by Professor Dr. Eike Steinmann and Professor Dr. Jörg Steinmann. Regarding regulatory affairs, Dr. Gunnar Kleist will lead the session "Current Challenges in European Regulatory Affairs," focusing on pressing BPR updates. CAHMV 2026 will also include a dedicated session on non-clinical hygiene, chaired by Professor Dr. Dirk Bockmühl.

We invite you to join us at the 12th CAHMV 2026 on 26 and 27 November 2026 at the AMERON Hamburg Hotel Speicherstadt. Alongside the scientific sessions, a pleasant joint dinner in a maritime atmosphere awaits you. For those unable to attend in person, online participation is available (please note: this option excludes the BPR session on Friday!). Numerous colleagues from our institutes will be in attendance and look forward to welcoming you.

Link: www.cahmv.com.

At the end of September, the Infection Prevention 2026 (IP 2026) conference will take place in Leeds, at which Dr Florian H. H. Brill will be attending and presenting a poster. His topic is: "Standardising the Efficacy Testing of Reprocessing Procedures for Semi-Critical Medical Devices. A Case Study Using UV-C Chambers for Ultrasound Probes". In addition to Dr Brill, the co-authors are Anna Ulatowski, Henrik Gabriel and Kerstin Walendy-Gnirß – all from our institute. If you would like to know more about this topic, or if you are attending the conference in Leeds yourself and would like to meet Dr Brill in person, please do get in touch – for example, by email: HERE

Infection Prevention 2026 is the leading conference organised by the British Infection Prevention Society in the field of infection prevention and control. The event covers topics such as patient safety and digital innovations in healthcare. Further information on IP 2026 can be found on the event website – HERE.

A publication titled "Clade-dependent resilience of Candidozyma auris challenges surrogate-based disinfectant testing: implications for efficacy testing of oxidative disinfectants" has been published in the "Journal of Hospital Infection", with Dr. Florian H. H. Brill being one of the contributing authors.

The study shows that Candida albicans, the standard test organism used to date, does not always reliably reflect the efficacy of disinfectants against the multidrug-resistant hospital pathogen Candidozyma auris. While alcohols and aldehydes reliably combat the pathogen, selected peracetic acid-based products demonstrated significantly reduced efficacy. Isolates of clade I, in particular, proved to be highly resistant. To ensure maximum patient safety in everyday clinical practice, the team of experts therefore recommends specifically including Candidozyma auris in the testing procedures for certain oxidative formulations. All details and related links to this scientific article can be found under "Publications" - HERE.

We would be happy to advise you on the implications for efficacy testing of oxidative disinfectants and offer customized testing services to ensure the safety of your products. Contact: HERE

Hydrotox Laboratory for Ecotoxicology and Water Protection will participate in UMWELT 2026, the joint annual conference of SETAC-GLB and the GDCh Division of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, and will also contribute to the program: In a presentation, Marie Canon, Head of Biodegradation and Ecotoxicology Testing, will report on the "Schwammstadt" (Sponge City) research project and the ecotoxicological assessment of construction products (A3.5), and a poster will present findings on the biodegradability and ecotoxicity of biocide-free antifouling coatings from the BioShip project (P5.6).

UMWELT 2026 will take place 02-04 September 2026, at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Essen. This year’s theme is "Between Crisis and Change: Pollutants, Health, and Ecosystems in the Anthropocene." The event will be held in German. All details about UMWELT 2026, including the full program, can be found at the following link:

>>> UMWELT 2026 <<<

Thursday, 03 September 2026
Session A3 "Ökotoxikologie & Stressökologie I" (Ecotoxicology & Stress Ecology I)
16:35 - 16:50 Uhr:
"Ermittlung ökotoxikologisch unbedenklicher Bauprodukte für Gründächer zur Umsetzung der Schwammstadt" (A3.5) (Identification of Ecotoxicologically Safe Building Products for Green Roofs to Implement the “Sponge City” Concept)
Marie Canon

We would, of course, be delighted to get to know you or see you again in Essen, and we are already looking forward to stimulating discussions. If you would like to schedule an appointment in advance or have any other questions or requests, please feel free to contact us!

CONTAKT

On 01-02 October 2026, Norderney will become the gathering place for the antifouling community already for the third time: That is when the BIOFOULING-MANAGEMENT-KONFERENZ Norderney including field trip will take place there (formerly the "Antifouling Conference"), an important industry gathering organized by the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland, MCN) in collaboration with the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie, BSH), the German Sailing Association (Deutscher Motoryachtverband, DSV), and the German Motor Yacht Association (Deutscher Motoryachtverband, DMYV). The event will focus on innovative, environmentally friendly strategies to prevent fouling on ship hulls or other underwater structures. The BIOFOULING-MANAGEMENT-KONFERENZ will be held in German.

A special highlight is the field trip to the Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion at Dr. Brill + Partner, which is hosting an exclusive visit to Norderney. On site, participants will gain insights into test facilities, laboratories, and ongoing research conducted under real-world conditions in a maritime environment.

The conference is complemented by a diverse program of presentations featuring contributions from renowned experts from academia, industry, and associations. It also offers numerous opportunities for in-depth discussion and networking. This year’s venue is located directly at the head of the pier, offering the best views of the Wadden Sea and the harbor entrance. At the end of the first day, an evening cruise on the Frisia XI and a barbecue at Dr. Brill + Partner provide the perfect setting for successful networking.

The detailed program and information on accommodation and travel options can be found as a PDF here:

>>> PROGRAM <<<

The event is free of charge, but space is limited. The registration form can be found on the following website, here:

>>> REGISTRATION <<<

Important note: Securing hotel rooms for one or two nights is proving to be a significant challenge, so we recommend that you book your accommodations as soon as possible. The Jugendherberge Dünensender (Dünensender Youth Hostel) still has a limited number of rooms available for the period from 30 September to 3 October 2026. However, the minimum stay is 2 nights.

You can find our recap of the 2025 Antifouling Conference Norderney including Biofouling Excursion here: LINK

We are expanding our services for efficacy testing according to ASTM E645 and ASTM E1839 to include a highly relevant test bacterium: Desulfovibrio. Cooling and process waters often provide ideal growth conditions for microorganisms. Accordingly, the ECHA Guidance on Efficacy requires comprehensive testing for various groups of organisms. Of particular relevance here is Desulfovibrio, a sulphate-reducing bacterium (SRB) and a major cause of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). 

As an obligate anaerobic bacterium, Desulfovibrio poses a considerable challenge to the testing laboratory, as work must be performed under almost oxygen-free conditions. The technical implementation is significantly more challenging than with standard test organisms. We are therefore all the more excited to be able to offer these tests for both curative and preventive applications. We pay particular attention to the strict control protocols required for preventive applications to provide valid and reliable data.

Do you have a specific enquiry or require advice on testing for PT11 or PT12? Please feel free to contact us – we will be happy to assist you on an individual basis.

Get in touch HERE.

We are expanding our range of testing services to include an innovative service: with immediate effect, we are offering efficacy screenings for laundry disinfection using a Rotawash system. This method enables manufacturers to perform a resource-efficient yet reliable evaluation of disinfection processes for textiles.

The washing and disinfection process of a front-loading washing machine is simulated on a small scale under realistic conditions. The method is based on established principles, used in tests according to ASTM E2274 or EN 17658. In the Rotawash, tests are performed in stainless steel vessels under controlled temperature and mechanical action.

As a first step to efficacy testing, the Rotawash offers decisive advantages for product and process development. Thanks to its high throughput, numerous formulations can be tested in parallel. The results are reliable and provide valuable insights into the expected efficacy in later tests according to EN 16616. As different concentrations, formulations, temperatures and liquor ratios can be tested simultaneously, our screening is an efficient tool for product development and helps ensure that deadlines in authorisation procedures are met.

Would you like to shorten development times and reduce testing costs? We offer screening tests and EN 16616 tests as a package. Please feel free to contact us – We are happy to assist you!

Get in touch HERE.

In the course of the ongoing improvement of our internal processes, we will be implementing a new ERP system at Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology in mid-July. By introducing this new system, we aim to further optimize our processes in the long term. For you as a customer, this means, in particular:

• Faster processing times and improved service quality in the long term
• Even higher data quality and improved traceability
• More efficient internal processes through greater system integration

This new ERP system is already being used successfully in other divisions of DR. Brill INSTITUTES. We can therefore assure you that, once the transition is complete, we will be able to process your orders even more reliably and quickly. During the transition phase, there may be minor changes to the appearance of our documents - but all content, processes, and quality standards will, of course, remain unchanged. If you have any questions or comments regarding the transition, we are always happy to assist you - see CONTACT.

We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with our valued customers through this system transition.

As of 1 July 2026, Hydrotox Labor für Ökotoxikologie und Gewässerschutz GmbH was able to lease additional space totaling 170 m² in its existing building in Freiburg. As a result, the laboratory space will be expanded over the next few weeks by approximately 30 %, while the office space was nearly doubled immediately. With this expansion, Hydrotox - after more than 30 years in the same premises - now has the opportunity to position itself for the future, serve its customers in an even more service-oriented manner, and increase its testing capacity.

If you are interested in taking a look at the new space during an in-person meeting in Freiburg, please feel free to contact us - we would love to show you around! CONTACT

From 1 July 2026, a new requirement issued by ECHA comes into effect: for all renewal applications for the approval of biocidal active substances, the dossier data must be submitted mandatorily in IUCLID format.

What is changing?

ECHA has stipulated that, for renewal applications submitted from 1 July 2026 onwards, the following data must be available in IUCLID format:

• All documentation from the original application for approval of the biocidal active substance
• All relevant approval data in accordance with the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR)
• The data must be created or updated using the current version of IUCLID

Applications that do not comply with the new format requirements risk delays or rejection of the renewal procedure.

What does this mean for you?

If your company is planning a renewal of the active substance approval, or has already submitted an application, you must ensure that your existing dossier:

1. Has been updated to the latest version of IUCLID
2. Contains all relevant data completely and correctly in IUCLID format
3. Meets the formal requirements of the BPR

We are here to support you – efficiently and competently

Our Regulatory Affairs team has many years of experience in the preparation and updating of IUCLID dossiers for biocidal active substances.
We are happy to assist you with migrating your dossier to the current version of IUCLID.

Get in touch today

Contact us today for a non-binding consultation – here: Contact

Dr. Brill Regulatory Services – Your Trusted Partner for Biocidal Products Regulatory Compliance

The date is set: The 12th Conference of Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology (CAHMV) will take place on 26 - 27 November 2026, organized by DR. BRILL INSTITUTES. The CAHMV serves as a premier European multidisciplinary platform that bridges the gap between academic research, regulatory science, and industrial application in the fields of infection prevention and antimicrobial efficacy.

Please ensure this date is blocked in your calendar to join international scientists and industry R&D leaders for an advanced scientific discourse.

Key Scientific and Regulatory Focus Areas:

• Interactive Scientific Workshop: Following the success of the 2025 edition, the conference will feature again a dedicated practical workshop focusing on methodological paradigms in efficacy testing.
• The legendary lecture "Overview of development of efficacy testing of disinfectants, antiseptics, wound dressings, and antimicrobial surfaces 2031" - one of the highlights of every CAHMV, held by Dr. Florian H. H. Brill, including methodological updates and harmonization of standards for disinfectants, antiseptics, and biocidal surfaces.
• Translational Microbiology & Virology: Advanced research in pathogen inactivation, emerging resistance mechanisms, and novel disinfection technologies.
• Regulatory Science & Compliance: Comprehensive insights into current European Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) pathways, data requirements, and risk assessments.
• Expert Discourse: Peer-to-peer networking connecting international industry experts and academic researchers.

To accommodate our global community, the 12th CAHMV will be hosted again as a hybrid event – welcoming participants on-site in Hamburg as well as virtually via our online livestream. The preliminary scientific program and registration details will be published shortly on the official CAHMV portal. Please note: Only the program in the main hall (Kaffeebörse) will be streamed online and recorded!

We anticipate a stimulating scientific exchange and look forward to your participation. For your non-binding pre-registration, feel free to contact us already now via email at claudia.steinfath@brillhygiene.com.

For our antifouling services provided by the team on Norderney we now also achieved a Category C flexible accreditation. This is the highest category confirming our exceptional expertise in this field. This allows us to include new antifouling methods in our accreditation scope after internal verification or validation, bypassing the need for a DAkkS audit. We remain the only testing institute in Europe accredited for these services which combines expertise and quality assurance. With the new Appendix D-PL-13412-01-03 to the DAkkS Accreditation Certificate we added our newly developed method for an efficacy test for growth protection systems for sea water pipes e.g. for cooling (see "Tests with sea pipes – antifouling coatings and cleaning according to ASTM D6990-20 (evaluation)". For more information about this test, please see our news article HERE (News) or visit our antifouling website HERE (Website).

Appendix D-PL-13412-01-01: In some areas additional methods were included in the accreditation scope. Mainly we added methods for environmental hygiene control and hygiene in process checks e.g. with bioindicators for washing machines and dishwashers . In addition, we updated the portfolio for activity testing of disinfectants adding e.g. the EN 17430, EN 17914, EN 17915, EN 17846 to our range, which were already part of our accreditation scope via the flexible accreditation scope category C. 

Independent of this, our move into the new laboratories is now reflected in our certifications. All our certifications can be found on our website here: .../certificates