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Disinfectant
Name: Wolf Wolfstar
Status: Educator
Age: 40s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
Is a 1:100 dilution of 5.25%
sodium hypochlorite and water a good broad spectrum
disenfectant that can be used in commercial settings?
Replies:
First of all a few definitions: Antiseptics are microbicidal agents
harmless enough to be applied to the skin and mucous membrane; should not
be taken internaslly. Examples: mercurials, silver nitrate, iodine
solution, alcohols, detergents.
Disinfectants are agents that kill microorganisms, but not necessarily
their spores,not safe for application to living tissues; they are used on
inanimate objects such as tables, floors, utensils, etc. Examples:
chlorine, hypochlorites, chlorine compounds, lye, copper sulfate,
quaternary ammonium compounds.
Sodium hypochlorite is the most widely used antimicrobial active chlorine
compound in chemical
disinfection.
The concentration you mention, 0.05%, corresponds to 0.5 g/l. This
concentration is sufficient for
bactericidal action, but the time required depends on the concentration.
As far as I know hypochlorite is commercially available for disinfectant
purposes. It is frequently
used in dentistry. It is not applied as an antiseptic (to desinfect skin)
because it is not harmless.
Trudy Wassenaar
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Update: June 2012
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