News Archive

UPDATE: Registration for CAHMV 2025 in Hamburg is still open until the end of this week. Start your last-minute registration now! We look forward to welcoming you as a participant on November 27 + 28, 2025. Registration for our CAHMV online livestream will remain open after this date.

Take the chance to participate in our 11th Conference of Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology 2025, which will be a very special CAHMV! As already announced, for the first time since 2019, the CAHMV 2025 begins with a workshop. This workshop entitled "Efficacy testing of antimicrobial products" will include video insights from our testing labs - an absolute premiere! This workshop and its video insight will deal with the following tests - don't miss it, and register now!

• Chemical-thermal textile disinfection: EN 16616:2022
• Hygienic handrub: EN 1500 vs. ASTM E2755
• Surface disinfection with mechanical action: EN 16615
• Instrument disinfection: EN 14561, EN 14562, EN 14563
• Surface disinfection without mechanical action: EN 13697
• Quantitative suspension tests
• Incubation and colony counting

Some of the further program highlights of this year's CAHMV are:

Keynote speakers of the CAHMV 2025 are Professor Dr. Martin Exner with a lecture on the impact of water quality on infection prevention and control in health care systems, and Professor Dr. Andreas Voss with his lecture on current developments with influence on infection prevention from AI to Environmental Protection. Dr. Florian H. H. Brill starts the second conference day with his legendary presentation on the latest developments in the efficacy evaluation of antimicrobial products.

Professor Dr. Eike Steinmann and Professor Dr. Jörg Steinmann are chairs of the extensive Session "Hot topics Infection Prevention & Control" with a large number of also exciting presentations. Regarding BPR, you can look forward to a session entitled "Current Regulatory Developments BPR" and to a lively panel discussion "Assessment for antimicrobial products - Are we valuing the importance of biocidal products sufficiently with the current BPR?". The program will be completed by Dr. Dirk Bockmühl's sessions on "Hygiene in Households".

Several colleagues from our Institutes will also be present and are already looking forward to meeting you in person during one of the breakes. Therefore, on 27 + 28 November 2025, we welcome you again at the AMERON Hamburg Hotel Speicherstadt, as well as for a nice pre-Christmas evening program and dinner. Online participation is also possible (not for the BPR session on Friday!). The form for your registration and the content-rich full lecture program is available on our website www.cahmv.com.

We are pleased to announce that Elena Perabo (Study Director Ecotoxicology, Hydrotox) will be a speaker at this year's Biocides Europe.
The renowned conference will take place on December 1–2, 2025, in Vienna, Austria, bringing together leading experts from industry, science, and regulatory authorities to discuss the latest developments in biocide regulation and research.

Elena Perabo will give her presentation entitled “Efficacy evaluation of algicides” on December 2 at 16:05 as part of the session “Important efficacy updates.”

Further information on registration and the conference program can be found HERE.

Do you use biocidal products containing ethanol (CAS No. 64-17-5)? If so, please pay close attention!

Biocidal products containing ethanol as an active substance currently benefit from national transitional measures that simplify the marketing process. In Germany, for example, such products can currently be marketed without authorisation. However, this situation could soon change. The competent Greek authority has been evaluating ethanol for product types PT1, PT2 and PT4 for over 15 years. As a 'backlog dossier', it still falls under the transitional provisions of the old Biocidal Products Directive (BPD, Directive 98/8/EC).

In October 2024, the BPC Human Health Working Group concluded that ethanol potentially exhibits carcinogenic and reprotoxic properties. This means that the active substance meets the ‘exclusion criteria’ of the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR, Regulation (EU) No 528/2012) and is considered a candidate for substitution in accordance with Article 10(1). A public consultation was then launched.

Public consultation and decision-making

From 25 February to 28 April 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) conducted a public consultation to gather information on possible alternatives to ethanol and any potential exemptions. In response to this call, the Agency received 365 submissions from industry, associations, and institutions.

The BPC's opinion is expected at the end of November 2025. The decision on approval of ethanol by the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products, consisting of representatives from the Member States, is expected in spring 2026 at the earliest.

What are your next steps?

If the EU Commission approves ethanol for the relevant product types, a two-year transition period will begin. This means that, from today's perspective, manufacturers must submit their product dossiers to the ECHA by 2027/28 at the latest if they want to continue selling their products.

If you manufacture or sell ethanol-containing products and are unsure about the steps you need to take, Dr. Brill Regulatory Services can support you.

We can help you to understand the regulatory requirements, evaluate options for action, and design the entire authorisation process for your affected products strategically and efficiently.

We are planning to establish a consortium to coordinate the approval of ethanol-based disinfectants for use in the European healthcare sector.

If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

Please click here to contact us directly.

We are now presenting our Clinical Study Services in form of a video clip! In just a few minutes, you will get a comprehensive overview of our range of services in this area. We also offer exclusive insights “behind the scenes” from our institute. Furthermore, in the clip you will meet Saskia Borregaard and Ralf Freese, as well as Dr. Florian H. H. Brill, of course, the most important protagonists for our Clinical Study Services. Take a look for yourself and please feel free to contact us if you are interested in our Clinical Study Services or if you have any questions. Link: Clinical Study Services

Until 23 October 2025 you still have the possibility to register for our 11th Conference of Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology 2025, which will be a very special CAHMV! As already announced, for the first time since 2019, the CAHMV 2025 begins with a workshop. This workshop entitled "Efficacy testing of antimicrobial products" will include video insights from our testing labs - an absolute premiere! This workshop and its video insight will deal with the following tests - don't miss it, and register now!

• Chemical-thermal textile disinfection: EN 16616:2022
• Hygienic handrub: EN 1500 vs. ASTM E2755
• Surface disinfection with mechanical action: EN 16615
• Instrument disinfection: EN 14561, EN 14562, EN 14563
• Surface disinfection without mechanical action: EN 13697
• Quantitative suspension tests
• Incubation and colony counting

Some of the further program highlights of this year's CAHMV are:

Keynote speakers of the CAHMV 2025 are Professor Dr. Martin Exner with a lecture on the impact of water quality on infection prevention and control in health care systems, and Professor Dr. Andreas Voss with his lecture on current developments with influence on infection prevention from AI to Environmental Protection. Dr. Florian H. H. Brill starts the second conference day with his legendary presentation on the latest developments in the efficacy evaluation of antimicrobial products.

Professor Dr. Eike Steinmann and Professor Dr. Jörg Steinmann are chairs of the extensive Session "Hot topics Infection Prevention & Control" with a large number of also exciting presentations. Regarding BPR, you can look forward to a session entitled "Current Regulatory Developments BPR" and to a lively panel discussion "Assessment for antimicrobial products - Are we valuing the importance of biocidal products sufficiently with the current BPR?". The program will be completed by Dr. Dirk Bockmühl's sessions on "Hygiene in Households".

Take the chance to participate in this year's edition of our CAHMV with us: Several colleagues from our Institutes will also be present and are already looking forward to meeting you in person during one of the breakes. Therefore, on 27 + 28 November 2025, we welcome you again at the AMERON Hamburg Hotel Speicherstadt, as well as for a nice pre-Christmas evening program and dinner. Online participation is also possible (not for the BPR session on Friday!). The form for your registration and the content-rich full lecture program is available on our website www.cahmv.com.

Dr. Brill + Prof. Bockmühl GmbH Institute for Applied Hygiene will be represented at the SEPAWA Congress, which will take place in Berlin from October 15-17, 2025. The congress is the most important meeting place for the detergent, cosmetics, and perfumery industry in Europe and thus offers the perfect setting for a professional exchange on our range of services in this area. Dr. Britta Brands, Director of Laboratory - Applied Hygiene, and Prof. Dr. Dirk Bockmühl (Co-Founder) will both be there. If you would like to meet us in person in Berlin, please feel free to arrange an appointment in advance – simply send us an email (link: HERE) or give us a call. Our colleagues will contribute a presentation and a poster to the scientific program of the congress:

LECTURE:
"Hygiene Efficacy of Short Cycles in Domestic Dishwashers"

• Scientific Conference (SEPAWA) | Home Care, Industrial & Institutional Cleaning, Detergents
• Professor Dirk Bockmühl (Rhine-Waal-University of Applied Sciences)
• 16.10.2025, 10:45 - 11:15, Room 1
• lecture language: English
• Details: here

POSTER (No. 76):
"A new Approach to Test the Cleaning Performance of Probiotic Cleaners"

• European Detergents Conference | Fundamental Research
• Dr. Britta Brands (Dr. Brill + Prof. Bockmühl GmbH Institute for Applied Hygiene)
• Foyer 2nd Floor
• poster language: English
• Details: here

Link: SEPAWA CONGRESS 2025

Update from 13 October 2025: The November 2025 date for this seminar has just been canceled. However, you are welcome to register now for the next date:

NSF and Dr. Brill Institutes are hosting the seminar “Reprocessing and Biological Safety of Medical Devices” in Hamburg on 16-17 April 2026, which will be held in German.

The interpretation and implementation of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices by notified bodies is becoming increasingly concrete. In connection with the biological safety of reusable and reprocessable medical devices, it is advisable to take a closer look at DIN EN ISO 17664-1 and -2 as well as the ISO 10993 series of standards. These series of standards are in line with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 and provide a detailed roadmap for compliance with the essential safety and performance requirements.

In this seminar, we will examine the regulatory aspects of reusable and reprocessable medical devices and provide technical background information on hygiene and microbiology so that participants will be able to understand the requirements and implement them in practice. We will also discuss practical examples and address your current questions and challenges.

During the seminar, participants will learn which regulatory content is specifically relevant to the topic of reprocessing medical devices and how biological safety is taken into account for reusable and reprocessable medical devices. In addition, participants will develop an understanding of the process and mechanisms involved in validating reprocessing procedures. This is the only way to ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory and normative requirements for medical devices.

Further information about the event can be found on our event website HERE.

"Biofilm management in a regulatory context – What claims are possible for anti-biofilm products" (Biofilmmanagement im regulatorischen Kontext – Welche Claims sind für Antibiofilmprodukte möglich) – this is the title of the presentation that Dr. Florian Brill will give on October 23, 2025, at the free online event "New Perspectives on Biofilms" (Neue Perspektiven auf Biofilme). On this overarching topic, the event, which will be held in German, will provide participants with information from the fields of practice, regulation, and science . All details about the other presentations and for your registration can be found at the following link: HERE.

Meet DR. BRILL INSTITUTES at MEDICA 2025! The world's most important and largest medical trade fair will take place this year from November 17 to 20, 2025, as always in Düsseldorf. Take advantage of your visit to MEDICA to talk to us in person. Dr. Florian Brill and Dr. Kerstin Walendy-Gnirß will be on site for the first two and three days of the fair, respectively. You are welcome to make an appointment now, preferably by emailing info@brillhygiene.com. We look forward to meeting you or seeing you again in Düsseldorf! You can find all further information about MEDICA here: Link

As part of the "AquaLas" project, our Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion on Norderney will be responsible for developing a simulated field test to evaluate fouling coverage and reduction on movable nets and angled structures in aquaculture.

The aim of the "AquaLas" project is to develop an innovative laser process that can be used to protect aquaculture nets underwater from biofouling. As it is used underwater, the laser process can be applied during regular operation without the need to relocate the fish. The laser radiation will cause lethal damage to the fouling and the pathogens it contains, resulting in a cleaning and disinfecting effect. The selection of suitable process parameters ensures that the laser radiation does not damage the surface of the farming systems or the net material, which significantly extends their service life and reduces the release of microplastics into the environment.

Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion is developing the test strategy for investigating marine/coastal aquaculture. Our institute is preparing appropriate sample modules with nets and plate material that can become fouled on both sides under realistic conditions in the port of Norderney. Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion coordinates the design of the sample modules with the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. so that laser irradiation can be carried out with the demonstrator. In addition, coordination with the Fraunhofer-Einrichtung für Individualisierte und Zellbasierte Medizintechnik IMTE is to take place to ensure the comparability of the results. The tests will be carried out in the port of Norderney, so the appropriate infrastructure must be prepared.

An essential aspect is the development, establishment, and validation of different measurement methods in order to be able to assess the success of the laser irradiation. Macro fouling will be evaluated and recorded before and after laser irradiation using the scientific method ASTM 6990-20. In this way, it will be possible to record how the fouling coverage changes under the influence of laser radiation. This method, which is designed for solid surfaces (ship hulls, test plates), must be adapted for nets.

With regard to biofilm, the microbial biofilms grown on parallel test plates are examined and evaluated after statistical analysis of the measurement results. The tested, pre-qualified methods for biofilm quantification and thus for assessing cleaning by laser use are verified and validated for practical application.

These sum parameters provide clear information about whether and to what extent the biofilm is reduced by laser treatment. This also allows a reduction in pathogens to be inferred. These methods must also be tested in practice.

These sum parameters provide clear information on whether and to what extent the biofilm is reduced by laser treatment. This also allows a reduction in pathogens to be inferred. These methods must also be adapted to the specific conditions for nets.

Further project partners:

• Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hanover (lead coordinator) - www.lzh.de/en
• Fraunhofer-Einrichtung für Individualisierte und Zellbasierte Medizintechnik IMTE (IMTE), Büsum - www.imte.fraunhofer.de/en
• WATER - proved GmbH Wassermesstechnik & Aquakultur, Fürth - www.water-proved.de/en

Time frame of the project: 01 September 2025 - 31 October 2028

In mid-September, around 50 experts gathered in Norderney to participate in this year's edition of the Antifouling Conference, which included a biofouling excursion. The technical presentations were met with keen interest from participants representing industry, research, associations, and government agencies.

In his introductory presentation, Bernd Daehne from Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion highlighted the current problem that improved climate protection through toxic coatings and cleaning leads to poorer marine protection. The experts on Norderney addressed precisely this current global development. Biocides alone are no longer sufficient to achieve the goal of climate neutrality for shipping by 2050. As a result, underwater coatings are increasingly being cleaned, releasing more biocides and microplastics into the oceans.

However, there were also many promising solutions: Dr. Gunnar Kleist and Heike Schimmelpfennig from Dr. Brill Regulatory Services explained that four of the ten currently approved antifouling biocides will soon no longer be permitted because no extension has been applied for. Three manufacturers presented non-toxic hard coatings that must and may be cleaned, provided that approval has been obtained from the local authorities. At present, this is still often a stumbling block in both the recreational boating and commercial shipping sectors. The BSH and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) as federal authorities, and the Bremen Environment Senate as a state authority, must and want to create framework conditions for the local authorities on site. Research is also being conducted on cleaning systems. A mobile cleaning robot for merchant ships during voyages and a car wash for recreational boats from Switzerland were presented.

Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion is conducting valuable research in this area. Soyla Kraus and Elena Perabo from Hydrotox presented the BioSHIP project, in which new coatings are being developed in collaboration with partners Fraunhofer IFAM, Momentive Performance Materials, and Hydrotox that contain more biodegradable substances and thus release fewer biocides and microplastics. Technical Director Lukas Kuhn presented a new laboratory method that can be used to predict the abrasion of coatings through underwater cleaning more accurately. This is also an important factor for the service life of the coatings and thus for the necessary shipyard intervals.

The conference was once again organized jointly by Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion, the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN), the GreenShipping Lower Saxony initiative, and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). This year's second edition of the conference also saw the German Sailing Association (DSV) and the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) come on board.

The venue was appropriately the FRISIA X, a ferry operated by AG Reederei Norden-Frisia, which first participated in trials of environmentally friendly ship coatings before the turn of the millennium. A varied supporting program and plenty of time for networking made the event even more attractive.

Organizers and participants alike praised the successful event, which is to be repeated in 2026. To stay informed, sign up for our DR. BRILL INSTITUTE newsletter, as the number of participants is always limited and the conference was quickly booked up.

All further information on this year's Antifouling Conference on Norderney, including the biofouling excursion, can be found HERE.

The program for our 11th Conference of Applied Hygiene, Microbiology and Virology 2025 has just been released, and registration is now open!

After last year's big anniversary of our successful annual CAHMV, we have again several program highlights for you this year: For the first time since 2019, the CAHMV 2025 begins with a workshop. This workshop entitled "Efficacy testing of antimicrobial products" will include video insights from our testing labs - an absolute premiere you should not miss!

Keynote speakers of the CAHMV 2025 are Professor Dr. Martin Exner with a lecture on the impact of water quality on infection prevention and control in health care systems, and Professor Dr. Andreas Voss with his lecture on current developments with influence on infection prevention from AI to Environmental Protection. Dr. Florian H. H. Brill starts the second conference day with his legendary presentation on the latest developments in the efficacy evaluation of antimicrobial products.

Professor Dr. Eike Steinmann and Professor Dr. Jörg Steinmann are chairs of the extensive Session "Hot topics Infection Prevention & Control" with a large number of also exciting presentations. Regarding BPR, you can look forward to a session entitled "Current Regulatory Developments BPR" and to a lively panel discussion "Assessment for antimicrobial products - Are we valuing the importance of biocidal products sufficiently with the current BPR?". The program will be completed by Dr. Dirk Bockmühl's sessions on "Hygiene in Households".

Take the chance to participate in this year's edition of our CAHMV with us: Several colleagues from our Institutes will also be present and are already looking forward to meeting you in person during one of the breakes. Therefore, on 27 + 28 November 2025, we welcome you again at the AMERON Hamburg Hotel Speicherstadt, as well as for a nice pre-Christmas evening program and dinner. Online participation is also possible (not for the BPR session on Friday!). The form for your registration and the content-rich full lecture program is available on our website www.cahmv.com.