Overview - ISO 11948-1:1996 (Urine-absorbing aids - Whole-product testing)
ISO 11948-1:1996 defines a laboratory method for determining the absorption capacity of the absorbent core in body‑worn urine‑absorbing aids (e.g., disposable pads and incontinence products). The standard specifies sample preconditioning, test liquid, apparatus, a soak-and-drain procedure, and reporting requirements. It measures the maximum liquid uptake of the whole product under defined laboratory conditions and is intended primarily for comparative testing of products with uniform absorbent cores.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and purpose: Whole‑product testing to obtain absorption capacity of the absorbent core; not a predictor of in‑use performance for all product types.
- Preconditioning and test environment: Samples conditioned 24–36 h at 23 °C ± 2 °C and 50 % ± 5 % RH; tests carried out at the same conditions.
- Test liquid: Sodium chloride solution, c(NaCl) = 9.0 g/L prepared with grade 3 distilled water (ISO 3696, ISO 6353-2 referenced).
- Apparatus: Reservoir sized to accommodate the product with test liquid depth ≥100 mm; drainage screen (stainless steel rods recommended) and drainage tray; balances with specified resolution (dry mass to 0.1 g, wet mass to 1 g).
- Procedure summary:
- Weigh dry sample.
- Soak flat on drainage screen (30 min ±30 s if product contains superabsorbent polymer; 5 min ±10 s if not).
- Drain 5 min ±10 s, roll product, collect displaced fluid in drainage tray, weigh wet sample.
- Calculate absorption capacity = wet mass − dry mass.
- Repeat until at least five samples tested and report statistics.
- Reporting: Include sample ID, drainage-screen material, number of tests, individual dry/wet masses, arithmetic mean and standard deviation for dry mass and absorption capacity, test date/place, and any deviations.
Applications and users
ISO 11948-1 is used by:
- Manufacturers and R&D teams for product development and quality control of disposable, body‑worn urine‑absorbing aids.
- Independent test laboratories conducting comparative capacity testing.
- Procurement and regulatory bodies assessing specification compliance and batch performance.
- Quality assurance teams verifying lot uniformity.
Note: the method is useful for comparing products with uniform cores but can overestimate retained liquid compared with real‑world use. It does not address pressure, posture, fit, flow rate or design features that influence leakage and user performance.
Related standards
- ISO 11948-2 - Determination of short‑time liquid release (leakage) under light incontinence and low pressure.
- ISO 9949 series - Vocabulary for urine‑absorbing aids (conditions, products, product types).
- ISO 3696 and ISO 6353-2 - Referenced for test liquid preparation and reagents.
Keywords: ISO 11948-1, urine-absorbing aids, absorption capacity, whole-product testing, superabsorbent, drainage screen, incontinence product testing.
