Standard Test Protocol Research Articles

Machine learning may accelerate the recognition and control of microplastic pollution: Future prospects

Microplastics (MPs, sizes <5 mm) have been found to be widely distributed in various environments, such as marine, freshwater, terrestrial and atmospheric systems. Machine learning provides a potential solution for evaluating the ecological risks of MPs based on big data. Compared with traditional models, data-driven machine learning can accelerate the realization of the control of hazardous MPs and reduce the impact of MPs at both local and global scales. However, there are some urgent issues that should be resolved. For example, lack of MP databases and incomparable literatures causing the current MP data cannot fully support big data research. Therefore, it is imperative to formulate a set of standard and universal MP collection and testing protocols. For machine learning, predictions of large-scale MP distribution and the corresponding environmental risks remain lacking. To accelerate studies of MPs in the future, the methods and theories achieved for other particle pollutants, such as nanomaterials and aerosols, can be referenced. Beyond predication alone, the improvement of causality and interpretability of machine learning deserves attention in the studies of MP risks. Overall, this perspective paper provides insights for the development of machine learning methods in research on the environmental risks of MPs.

Development of a modified standard termite test for mass timber products

U.S. manufacturers are looking to expand the use of cross laminated timber panels (CLT) into the North American market, including states located in the southeast. However, there is no current assessment method for determining CLT vulnerability to the highly destructive native termites found throughout the U.S. The impact of these termites is particularly high in areas with suitable climate to their proliferation, such as the southeastern U.S. This study aimed to evaluate durability of CLT panels and to develop a laboratory assay to test susceptibility of this product to termites. Untreated CLT suffered mass loss of up to 43.8% in testing with an average visual rating of 7.2, indicating a moderate to severe attack with 10 to 30% of the cross-section of the product affected by termite intrusion.&nbsp; Recommendations were developed for inclusion in standardized testing protocols and will be presented to standards organizations as appropriate. The proposed method can also be applied to evaluate termite resistance of other mass lumber products such as parallel strand lumber, laminated veneer lumber, and Glulam.

Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation, ETCO2 and the Heart Rate Response to the Tilt Table Test in Patients with Orthostatic Intolerance.

Chronic orthostatic intolerance (COI) is defined by changes in heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiration, symptoms of cerebral hypoperfusion and sympathetic overactivation. Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is the most common form of COI in young adults and is defined by an orthostatic increase in heart rate (HR) of ≥ 30bpm in the absence of orthostatic hypotension. However, some patients referred for evaluation of COI symptoms do not meet the orthostatic HR response criterion of POTS despite debilitating symptoms. Such patients are ill defined, posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This study explored the relationship among cardiovascular autonomic control, the orthostatic HR response, EtCO2 and the severity of orthostatic symptoms and fatigue in patients referred for evaluation of COI. Patients (N = 108) performed standardized testing protocol of the Autonomic Reflex Screen and completed the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score (COMPASS-31) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Greater severity of COI was associated with younger age, larger phase IV amplitude in the Valsalva maneuver and lower adrenal baroreflex sensitivity. Greater fatigue severity was associated with a larger reduction in ETCO2 during 10min of head-up tilt (HUT) and reduced low-frequency (LF) power of heart rate variability. This study suggests that hemodynamic changes associated with the baroreflex response and changes in EtCO2 show a stronger association with the severity of orthostatic symptoms and fatigue than the overall orthostatic HR response in patients with COI.

Proposed Standard Test Protocols and Outcome Measures for Quantitative Comparison of Emissions from Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.

This study introduces and demonstrates a comprehensive, accurate, unbiased approach to robust quantitative comparison of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) appropriate for establishing substantial equivalence (or lack thereof) between inhaled nicotine products. The approach is demonstrated across a family of thirteen pen- and pod-style ENDS products. Methods employed consist of formulating a robust emissions surface regression model, quantifying the empirical accuracy of the model as applied to each product, evaluating relationships between product design characteristics and maximum emissions characteristics, and presenting results in formats useful to researchers, regulators, and consumers. Results provide a response surface to characterize emissions (total particulate matter and constituents thereof) from each ENDS appropriate for use in a computer model and for conducting quantitative exposure comparisons between products. Results demonstrate that emissions vary as a function of puff duration, flow rate, e-liquid composition, and device operating power. Further, results indicate that regulating design characteristics of ENDS devices and consumables may not achieve desired public health outcomes; it is more effective to regulate maximum permissible emissions directly. Three emissions outcome measures (yield per puff, mass concentration, and constituent mass ratio) are recommended for adoption as standard quantities for reporting by manufacturers and research laboratories. The approach provides a means of: (a) quantifying and comparing maximal emissions from ENDS products spanning their entire operating envelope, (b) comparative evaluation of ENDS devices and consumable design characteristics, and (c) establishing comparative equivalence of maximal emissions from ENDS. A consumer-oriented product emissions dashboard is proposed for comparative evaluation of ENDS exposure potential. Maximum achievable power dissipated in the coil of ENDS is identified as a potentially effective regulatory parameter.

Cracking of residential concrete foundations in eastern Connecticut, USA from oxidation of pyrrhotite

Extensive cracking in thousands of residential foundations in eastern Connecticut is found to be due to expansions from oxidation of pyrrhotite in crushed gneiss coarse aggregate in concrete. Sulfates released from pyrrhotite oxidation reacted with aluminous phases in paste to cause internal sulfate attacks and further expansions. These two-stage expansion processes took as long as 15 years of service in the presence of oxygen and moisture to develop extensive cracking to crumbling. The unsound pyrrhotite-bearing quartz-feldspar-biotite-garnet gneiss of Ordovician Brimfield Schist formation came from a quarry on a hydrothermal vein of significant pyrrhotite crystallization. Microstructural, chemical, and mineralogical evidences of pyrrhotite oxidation and resultant internal sulfate attack are presented from a residential concrete foundation in Mansfield, Connecticut. Ferrihydrite oxidation product of pyrrhotite, bands of oxidized iron in iron sulfide bodies, and microcrystalline fibrous secondary ettringite deposits intermixed with the cement hydration products in paste as well as deposited in cracks, voids, and porous areas of paste are the products of two-stage expansions that have contributed to the distress. Occurrences of numerous pyrrhotite bearing metamorphic rocks of the Appalachian mountains along eastern US pose concerns of similar distress of many homes with urgent need for standardized testing protocols to control pyrrhotite-related distress. A five-stage testing protocol is proposed to screen potentially deleterious pyrrhotite-bearing aggregates for mitigating this distress in future constructions.

Effect of U-Flex-to-Install and Dynamic U-Flexing on Li-Ion Battery State of Health Degradation Subjected to Varying Fold Orientations, Folding Speeds, Depths of Charge, C-Rates, and Temperatures

Abstract The demand for wearable consumer electronics, fitness accessories, and biomedical equipment has led to the growth research and development of thin flexible batteries. Wearable equipment and other asset monitoring applications require conformal installation of power sources on nonplanar surfaces. For power sources in wearable electronics, durability to sustain repetitive mechanical stresses induced by human body motion is paramount along with the usual desirable power source characteristics. Previous research documenting the reliability of statically and dynamically folded power sources is scarce and does not follow standardized test protocols. Particularly, the use of manual stressing for mechanical folding of the power sources instead of a mechanical test setup is a key shortcoming in existing literature. Data are lacking on battery life cycling and in situ mechanical stress-testing of the power sources including their impact of performance and reliability. This study aims to overcome these deficiencies by testing a commercial Li-ion power source under static as well as dynamic folding. Furthermore, the fold orientation and its fold speed are varied to evaluate the effect of different mechanical stress topologies on the power source. Finally, a regression model was developed to capture the effect of these use parameters on battery capacity degradation.

Structural integrity of 3D-printed prosthetic sockets: An experimental study for paediatric above-knee applications

Introduction of 3D printing into manufacturing of prosthetic sockets raised a question of structural integrity of such products. Prosthetic sockets, as customized products, cannot be directly included in a standardized testing protocol like other major parts of the prosthesis; this makes their mechanical assessment challenging. In this study, a prototype testing rig was developed according to BS EN ISO 10328, able to recreate the loading conditions of the early stance of the amputee gait on a paediatric transfemoral socket. A variety of above-knee prosthetic socket designs were 3D printed in PLA and carbon-fiber-reinforced nylon. The sockets were tested under static compressive load using the developed rig together with a silicone-rubber phantom limb with mechanical properties similar to those of the human tissue. New load requirements were calculated for the case of a 14-year-old male weighting in the 98th percentile. After initial design improvements, the 3D printed sockets were able to sustain loads up to five times the weight of the user without failing.

Quantity Estimation of Lubricating Oil in Circular Knitting Machine

Objective: This study investigates the lubrication system of circular knitting machines, aiming to optimize lubricant usage for enhanced performance and longevity of machine components. The primary objectives were to determine the appropriate quantity of lubricating oil required for different types of circular knitting machines and to elucidate the lubrication mechanisms involved. Methods: It involved gathering raw data on machine parameters, fabric characteristics, and production metrics from various circular knitting machines. Experimental setups included measuring oil viscosity, friction coefficients, and wear rates under controlled conditions. Standardized testing protocols were employed to ensure consistency across experiments. Results: It indicated that the optimal quantity of lubricating oil varies depending on machine type and operational conditions. By correlating machine parameters with lubricant usage, it was found that precise oil application significantly reduces frictional losses and wear on critical components such as cylinders, needles, and sinkers. Analysis of fabric quality and production efficiency metrics revealed that effective lubrication enhances operational reliability and output consistency. Conclusion: Understanding the lubrication system of circular knitting machines is crucial for maintaining their performance and extending their service life. This research underscores the importance of tailored lubrication strategies tailored to specific machine types and operational environments. Future studies could explore advanced lubricants or alternative lubrication techniques to improve machine efficiency and durability further.

Numerical and Experimental Analyses of Component Failure Risk in a Mobile Phone Under Drop Test

Owing to the complex stress condition of the on-board devices in a mobile phone under drop impact condition, high test cost, and long validation period are usually spent on product-level drop test for product design. Most of the standardized test protocols including the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standard for handheld electronic products are essentially based on board-level tests, not taking into account the interaction between the printed circuit board (PCB) and other internal components, so the accurate experimental validation of product-level drop reliability remains time-consuming. This article established a finite element model of a whole mobile phone for the simulation of its product-level drop tests. By conducting simulation of six-side and four-corner drop postures, it is found that the risk of overstress failure of the critical large chips and solder joints on the PCB are relatively higher in the case of back drop and front drop. The bending of the PCB and the collision between the shielding frame and the front frame of the mobile phone are the decisive factors that bring the overstress failure risk of the chip and solder joint. Finally, a series of product-level drop tests were conducted and compared with the simulations, with a variance of stress value within 20%, which proves that the simulation model could provide useful insights for the reliability design and validation phase during the development of new products.

Estrogen Receptor β Expression and Its Clinical Implication in Breast Cancers: Favorable or Unfavorable?

There are two estrogen receptor (ER) genes (ESR1/ERα and ESR2/ERβ) in humans. Of those. ERβ, the second ER isotype identified in 1996, is differentially expressed in different phenotypes and molecular subtypes of breast cancer (BCa), and is highly expressed in ERα-negative BCa and triple-negative BCa (TNBC). This review summarizes the potential clinical relevance of ERβ in BCa and the challenges associated with studies on the role of ERβ in BCa. The experimental and clinical studies evaluating clinical outcomes and associations with clinical characteristics and responses to endocrine therapy on targeting ERβ reviewed herein indicate that ERβ is a clinically important biomarker in BCa. The reviewed studies also suggest that each ERβ isoform has a distinct role in BCa subtypes and the potential of novel- targeted therapies in BCa, especially ERα-negative BCa and TNBC. However, the findings of many studies on ERβ are inconsistent, and the exact role of ERβ in BCa remains elusive; this may potentially be attributed to the complexity of ERβ isoforms, but also to the lack of standardized testing protocol. Thus, successful clinical application of ERβ requires the development of standardized, reproducible, and objective measurement methods for ERβ that can be widely and routinely applied in clinical setting.

Potential-induced degradation of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 can occur by shunting the front i-ZnO and by damaging the p-n junction

In this work we test field-relevant potential-induced degradation (PID) behavior by encapsulating laboratory Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells and applying +1000 V uniformly on the face of the front glass. In this configuration, we find that K-rich borosilicate glass reduces the extent of PID relative to Na-rich soda-lime glass. We also find that the standard testing protocol of stressing cells at short-circuit leads to faster PID than stressing cells at open-circuit. We characterize two types of CIGS PID: The first, front shunting PID, is driven by front-glass stress and occurs when alkali metal cations accumulate in the i-ZnO buffer, where they increase shunt conductance to reduce fill factor. The second, p-n junction PID, results from back-glass stress as alkali metal cations pile up near the CIGS surface/CdS buffer, where they reduce charge carrier concentration, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor to degrade efficiency ∼160 times faster than front shunting PID.

Determination of In Vivo Biotransformation Kinetics Using Early-Time Biota Concentrations.

Technical challenges have hampered the characterization of biotransformation kinetics-a critical link in understanding and predicting the toxicokinetics and ecotoxicology of organic compounds. A shortcut approach to characterize the in vivo biotransformation rate constant (kM ) with incomplete pathway or metabolite details was proposed. The value of kM can be derived as , with fPC (t) being the molar equivalent fraction of the parent compound (PC) at an early time t in both constant exposure and decay source chemical uptake scenarios. The approximation-based kM values agreed well with kM values derived from rigorous fitting or toxicokinetic modeling (n = 42, root mean square error = 0.30) with accuracy exceeding those of typical toxicokinetic or partitioning models. The method is accurate when sampling time is adequately resolved (i.e., t < ln(2)/kM ) but will likely produce biased kM values with improper time-averaging. The approximate equation yields consistent theoretical expectations for fast and slow biotransformation reactions and is fully compatible with standard bioaccumulation and toxicity testing protocols. The simplification strategy circumvents statistical complications and numerical issues inherent in regressing or modeling the toxicokinetics of multimetabolite systems and may be adapted to similar problems at other physiological scales or ecotoxicological contexts. The method can help advance interspecies comparison of chemical metabolism and support the development of in vitro-in vivo extrapolations and in silico models needed for building next-generation ecological and health risk-assessment practices. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:148-158. © 2021 SETAC.

Detection of Contaminants in Hydrogen Fuel for Fuel Cell Electrical Vehicles with Sensors—Available Technology, Testing Protocols and Implementation Challenges

Europe’s low-carbon energy policy favors a greater use of fuel cells and technologies based on hydrogen used as a fuel. Hydrogen delivered at the hydrogen refueling station must be compliant with requirements stated in different standards. Currently, the quality control process is performed by offline analysis of the hydrogen fuel. It is, however, beneficial to continuously monitor at least some of the contaminants onsite using chemical sensors. For hydrogen quality control with regard to contaminants, high sensitivity, integration parameters, and low cost are the most important requirements. In this study, we have reviewed the existing sensor technologies to detect contaminants in hydrogen, then discussed the implementation of sensors at a hydrogen refueling stations, described the state-of-art in protocols to perform assessment of these sensor technologies, and, finally, identified the gaps and needs in these areas. It was clear that sensors are not yet commercially available for all gaseous contaminants mentioned in ISO14687:2019. The development of standardized testing protocols is required to go hand in hand with the development of chemical sensors for this application following a similar approach to the one undertaken for air sensors.

On the importance of driver models for the development and assessment of active safety: A new collision warning system to make overtaking cyclists safer

The total number of road crashes in Europe is decreasing, but the number of crashes involving cyclists is not decreasing at the same rate. When cars and bicycles share the same lane, cars typically need to overtake them, creating dangerous conflicts—especially on rural roads, where cars travel much faster than cyclists. In order to protect cyclists, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are being developed and introduced to the market. One of them is a forward collision warning (FCW) system that helps prevent rear-end crashes by identifying and alerting drivers of threats ahead.The objective of this study is to assess the relative safety benefit of a behaviour-based (BB) FCW system that protects cyclists in a car–to–cyclist overtaking scenario. Virtual safety assessments were performed on crashes derived from naturalistic driving data. A series of driver response models was used to simulate different driver reactions to the warning. Crash frequency in conjunction with an injury risk model was used to estimate the risk of cyclist injury and fatality.The virtual safety assessment estimated that, compared to no FCW, the BB FCW could reduce cyclists’ fatalities by 53–96% and serious injuries by 43–94%, depending on the driver response model. The shorter the driver’s reaction time and the larger the driver’s deceleration, the greater the benefits of the FCW. The BB FCW also proved to be more effective than a reference FCW based on the Euro NCAP standard test protocol. The findings of this study demonstrate the BB FCW’s great potential to avoid crashes and reduce injuries in car–to–cyclist overtaking scenarios, even when the driver response model did not exceed a comfortable rate of deceleration. The results suggest that a driver behaviour model integrated into ADAS collision threat algorithms can provide substantial safety benefits.

Normative Static Grip Strength of Saudi Arabia's Population and Influences of Numerous Factors on Grip Strength.

Most daily tasks require exerting static grip strength which can be challenging for the elderly as their strength diminishes with age. Moreover, normative static grip strength data are important in ergonomics and clinical settings. The goal of this study is to present the gender, age-specific, hand-specific, and body-mass-index-specific handgrip strength reference of Saudi males and females in order to describe the population’s occupational demand and to compare them with the international standards. The secondary objective is to investigate the effects of gender, age group, hand area, and body mass index on the grip strength. A sample of 297 (146 male and 151 female) volunteers aged between 18 and 70 with different occupations participated in the study. Grip strength data were collected using a Jamar dynamometer with standard test position, protocol, and instructions. The mean maximum voluntary grip strength values for males were 38.71 kg and 22.01 kg, respectively. There was a curvilinear relationship of grip strength to age; significant differences between genders, hand area, and some age groups; and a correlation to hand dimensions depending on the gender.

Coral Ecotoxicological Data Evaluation for the Environmental Safety Assessment of Ultraviolet Filters.

There is growing interest in the environmental safety of ultraviolet (UV) filters found in cosmetic and personal care products (CPCPs). The CPCP industry is assessing appropriate environmental risk assessment (ERA) methods to conduct robust environmental safety assessments for these ingredients. Relevant and reliable data are needed for ERA, particularly when the assessment is supporting regulatory decision‐making. In the present study, we apply a data evaluation approach to incorporate nonstandard toxicity data into the ERA process through an expanded range of reliability scores over commonly used approaches (e.g., Klimisch scores). The method employs an upfront screening followed by a data quality assessment based largely on the Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Ecotoxicity Data (CRED) approach. The method was applied in a coral case study in which UV filter toxicity data was evaluated to identify data points potentially suitable for higher tier and/or regulatory ERA. This is an optimal case study because there are no standard coral toxicity test methods, and UV filter bans are being enacted based on findings reported in the current peer‐reviewed data set. Eight studies comprising nine assays were identified; four of the assays did not pass the initial screening assessment. None of the remaining five assays received a high enough reliability score (Rn ) to be considered of decision‐making quality (i.e., R1 or R2). Four assays were suitable for a preliminary ERA (i.e., R3 or R4), and one assay was not reliable (i.e., R6). These results highlight a need for higher quality coral toxicity studies, potentially through the development of standard test protocols, to generate reliable toxicity endpoints. These data can then be used for ERA to inform environmental protection and sustainability decision‐making. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3441–3464. © 2021 Personal Care Products Council. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Pain sensitivity in men who have never experienced a headache: an observer blinded case control study

BackgroundHeadache affects 90–99% of the population. Based on the question “Do you think that you never ever in your whole life have had a headache?” 4% of the population say that they have never experienced a headache. The rarity of never having had a headache suggests that distinct biological and environmental factors may be at play. We hypothesized that people who have never experienced a headache had a lower general pain sensitivity than controls.MethodsWe included 99 male participants, 47 headache free participants and 52 controls, in an observer blinded nested case-control study. We investigated cold pain threshold and heat pain threshold using a standardized quantitative sensory testing protocol, pericranial tenderness with total tenderness score and pain tolerance with the cold pressor test. Differences between the two groups were assessed with the unpaired Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test as appropriate.ResultsThere was no difference in age, weight or mean arterial pressure between headache free participants and controls. We found no difference in pain detection threshold, pericranial tenderness or pain tolerance between headache free participants and controls.ConclusionOur study clearly shows that freedom from headache is not caused by a lower general pain sensitivity. The results support the hypothesis that headache is caused by specific mechanisms, which are present in the primary headache disorders, rather than by a decreased general sensitivity to painful stimuli.Trial registrationRegistered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04217616), 3rd January 2020, retrospectively registered.

Influence of Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion (WBDF) on Ankle Injury History Among Semi-professional Recreational Basketball Players

Ankle injuries are one of the most common occurrences in the field of sports. Weight bearing dorsiflexion range can be an effecting factor in ankle injuries. Weight bearing lunge test is used to assess weight bearing dorsiflexion. By using this test as a standard testing protocol, it is possible to minimize development of further sport related ankle injuries. But this test for basketball players with ankle injuries has not been studied yet. The current study will aim to examine the weight bearing dorsiflexion of basketball players related to their gender, ankle injury history and leg dominance. A quasi-experimental design study was conducted. Thirty-four (34) participants were recruited and initially and two (2) were excluded. 18 participants were male and 14 were female basketball players in Colombo Blues and Kotelawala Defence University basketball teams. The average of age of the sample was 21.8 years. Demographic data, information about training time, injury history of the participants was obtained using an interview administered assessment form. The Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion was measured using digital inclinometer. Findings indicated that the weight bearing dorsiflexion range is smaller than that of males (p&gt;0.05). There was a significant difference in weight bearing dorsiflexion and ankle injury history (p&lt;0.01) among players. Significant differences were seen in influence in leg dominance to weight bearing dorsiflexion (p&lt;0.05). This is the first study that is investigated weight bearing dorsiflexion among basketball players in Sri Lanka. No significant difference was found between gender and weight bearing dorsiflexion. A significant difference was determined between ankle injury history and weight bearing dorsiflexion. Furthermore, a significant difference was found in leg dominance and weight bearing dorsiflexion.

Determining the Dynamic Balance, Maximal Aerobic Capacity, and Anaerobic Power Output of University Soccer and Rugby Players: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Physical performance characteristics of players have been changed rapidly as team games have become more competitive. Research focusing on the anthropometrical and physiological characteristics of players and the demand of competition are reviewed. The dearth of research for today's elite players was highlighted, along with the need for standardized testing protocols. This research was conducted to investigate the differences in physical performance characteristics between soccer and rugby players with standardized testing protocols. A total of thirty-six male subjects (18 soccer players and 18 rugby players) were chosen for this study. The subjects had an average age of 20.50±1.36 years, a height of 175.28±5.554 cm, weight of 67.73±6.47 kg, and BMI of 22.01±1.01. Any player who had a musculoskeletal injury in their lower extremity or had a record in the previous three months was excluded from the research. Dynamic balance was determined using the Y Balance Test. The Beep test assessed maximal aerobic capacity, and the vertical jump test evaluated the anaerobic power output of the lower body. An independent t-test was applied to determine the differences between soccer and rugby players. Our finding showed that there were insignificant differences for dynamic balance (t=-1.31, p=.19), maximal aerobic capacity (t=.94, p=.35), and anaerobic power output (t=-.403, p=.69) between soccer and rugby players. Findings are also evident for the decrease in anaerobic performance with increased maximal oxygen capacity in soccer players while anaerobic performance increases and maximal aerobic capacity decreases in rugby players. Functional tests for performance parameters should be considered when planning to train players, predict performance, and identify sports talent.

A Standardized Test Protocol for Evaluation of Scale Reduction Technologies.

Precipitation of calcium carbonate (i.e., scaling) can occur in both traditional tank (electric and gas) and “green” tankless hot water systems that have implications for public health, water and energy sustainability, infrastructure damage, and consumer esthetics. There are many scale reduction devices and technologies that aim to reduce or eliminate such problems, and several standardized methods have been proposed to research their performance with scientific rigor. All of the existing approaches were inherently nonreproducible or could not quantify important aspects of scale deposition, including quantity, location, and deposit durability. Here we develop and vet a Standardized Scaling Test Protocol that overcomes many of these deficiencies, using a laboratory-scale model premise plumbing system and a synthesized synthetic scaling water that could be reproduced in any laboratory. This approach produced 25.1 g of calcium carbonate scaling (95% confidence interval of 20.3–29.8 g, n = 3) in ∼5 days. Illustrative scale reduction for a range of representative technologies, including cation exchange, electrochemical deionization, magnetism, electric field generator, media-induced precipitation, phosphate sacrificial media, and citric acid sacrificial media, ranged from 0% to 100% using the standardized protocol. The general approach was also applied to suitable local natural water with high scaling potential, and similar capabilities were observed.