| DISINFECTANT |
MECHANISM
OF KILL |
BACTERIAL
EFFICIENCY |
SPORICIDAL
EFFICIENCY |
FUNGICIDAL
EFFICIENCY |
COMMENTS |
| PHENOLIC
COMPOUNDS (0.5% AQUEOUS) |
Protoplasmic
poison, disrupts cell walls, precipitates enzyme systems |
Excellent |
Not
effective against residual bacterial spores. |
Excellent |
Irritating
to skin, unpleasant odor. Usually used in concentrations of
0.5% |
| ALCOHOLS
(ETHYL & ISOPROPYL) |
Denatures
proteins in the presence of water, hyrolizes the cell |
Good
against vegetative forms and tubercular bacilli |
Not
effective |
Not
reliable |
Safe,
evaporates completely, readily available. Usually used in 70%
concentrations |
| IODINE
AND IODOPHORS |
Inactive
cells |
Good |
Fair |
Good |
Low
tissue toxicity, corrosive, strains. Usually used in 75-100
ppm |
| CHLORINE |
Combines
with cell compounds |
Good |
Fair |
Good |
Irritating,
corrodes metal, inactivated by organic matter |
| FORMALIN |
Combines
with cell compounds |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
Toxic
and irritating, effective in the presence of organic matter,
does not corrode metal. Usually used in a 20% concentration |
| HYDROGEN
PEROXIDE |
Disturbances
of hydrogehases and oxidases |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
High
surface tensions, not compatible with all surfactant agents,
colorless. Non-toxic in recommended 1-6% concentration |
| PURIFIED
HOT WATER |
Inactivates
the cell, denatures proteins |
Good |
Poor |
Good |
Non-toxic,
colorless, odorless |
| MINNCARE7 |
Reacts
with and inactivates enzymes, attacks cell membranes |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Superior
biocidal activity at 1% concentration. Cleans out biofilms to
prevent recolonization of bacteria. Compatible with RO membrane
& DI system components. |
