Overview
ISO 12625-17:2021 - "Tissue paper and tissue products - Part 17: Determination of disintegration in water" specifies a laboratory test method to assess how tissue paper and tissue products disintegrate when subjected to mechanical agitation in water. The standard defines sample preparation, apparatus, reagents and a timed test procedure (30 s, 2 min and 10 min) that measures the fraction of material remaining on a specified sieve after agitation and rinsing, with results expressed gravimetrically.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and principle: Determines disintegration by agitating a 1.0 g ± 0.1 g test piece in deionized water and collecting residues on a 12.5 mm perforated sieve for gravimetric analysis.
- Test times: Agitation periods at 30 s, 2 min and 10 min (3 replicates each). If no residue at 30 s, 2 min testing may be waived and considered 100% passing.
- Apparatus & settings:
- Agitating device with PTFE screw-propeller at 800 r/min ± 20 r/min (Annex A describes the propeller).
- Transparent beaker ~98 mm internal diameter, 600 ml ± 10 ml water per test.
- Stainless-steel sieve (ISO 3310-2) with 12.5 mm round holes; shower head delivering 4.0 l/min ± 0.5 l/min for rinsing (Annex B shows examples).
- Drying oven (105 °C ± 2 °C) and analytical balance (0.001 g).
- Reagents & environment: Deionized water at 23.0 °C ± 0.5 °C, conductivity ≤ 0.25 mS/m (ISO 14487); tests at ambient 23 °C ± 1 °C; conditioning per ISO 187.
- Sample prep: Nine test pieces per sample, single plies for unconverted tissue, no ply separation for converted multi-ply products. Option for accelerated ageing (curing) - e.g., 80 °C ± 2 °C for 30 min or quick QC 105 °C for 15 min; report must state ageing choice.
- Analysis: Collect residues, dry (ISO 638-1), and weigh to calculate percentage disintegration. Precision data are provided in Annex D.
Applications and users
ISO 12625-17:2021 is practical for:
- Tissue manufacturers and converters - quality control and product development (wet-strength formulations, ply design).
- Independent testing laboratories - standardized method for reproducible disintegration measurement.
- Retailers and brand owners - verification of product performance claims (e.g., flushability-related disintegration behavior).
- Regulators and wastewater utilities - supporting risk assessment of sanitary products in sewage systems.
- R&D teams - comparing formulations, evaluating accelerated ageing effects on wet strength and disintegration.
Key benefits: provides reproducible, comparable data for product specification, regulatory compliance, flushability assessment, and process control.
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 12625-17:2021, tissue paper, disintegration in water, test method, agitation, sieve, wet strength, accelerated ageing, conditioning, quality control.
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