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Disinfection
Disinfection is the process of killing or inactivating pathogens to prevent infections in humans. Different disinfectants are used depending on where they are used, for example hand sanitiser, surface disinfectant or instrument disinfectant.
Cleaning reduces the number of germs by 10 to 90 per cent, while disinfection kills 99.999 per cent of germs. A distinction is also made between disinfection and sterilisation: Disinfection must reduce the number of germs by a factor of at least 10-5, while sterilisation must reduce the number of germs by a factor of at least 10-6.
Active substances
Different active substances are used for disinfection, which are effective against bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses to varying degrees. All substances that split off oxygen as an oxidising agent are bactericidal and are effective against both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. However, they are only partially effective against fungi, spores and tuberculosis pathogens and only to a limited extent.
Hydrogen peroxide is suitable for skin disinfection and is usually used in a 30% concentration in medicine, pharmacy and in food production to sterilise instruments and containers. Another application is the decontamination of rooms and ventilation systems by fumigation with H2O2. This form of decontamination is an effective alternative to the use of formaldehyde gas.
| Active ingredient | bacteria | spores | fungi | viruses | application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peracetic acid | bactericidal | sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, instruments |
| Chlorine dioxide | bactericidal | fast sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, instruments, water |
| Hydrogen peroxide | bactericidal | slow sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, instruments, water, skin, mucous membranes |
| Sodium hypochlorite | bactericidal | sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, instruments, water |
| Chlorine; ozone | bactericidal | slowly sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | water, instruments; ozone for vehicles |
| Chloramine T | bactericidal | sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, water, instruments, skin, mucous membranes |
| Iodine | bactericidal | slowly sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | skin, mucous membranes |
| Aldehydes | bactericidal | sporocidal | fungicidal | virucidal | room, equipment and surface disinfection |
| Ethylene oxide | bactericidal | inactive | fungicidal | virucidal | surfaces, instruments, thermolabile pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs |
| Alcohols | bactericidal | inactive | fungicidal | partially virucidal | skin, mucous membranes, surfaces, instruments |
| Phenols (chlorxylenol, triclosan) | bactericidal/bacteriostatic | no effect | fungicidal | virucidal (variable) | skin, mucous membranes, surfaces, instruments |
| Nitrogen compounds (e.g. quaternary ammonium) | bactericidal (limited for Gram-negatives) | inactive | fungistatic | virucidal | skin, mucous membranes |
| Detergents | bactericidal (variable) | inactive | fungistatic | inactive | skin, mucous membrane |
| Chlorhexidine | bacteriostatic | effectless | fungistatic | virustatic | skin, mucous membrane |
How disinfectants work
When used correctly, chemical disinfectants destroy the germ structure from the inside: The active ingredients penetrate into the cell interior and destroy the cell walls of the pathogens. It is important to use disinfectants professionally and strategically to prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens due to improper procedures and a lack of knowledge about disinfection. Improper use can lead to tolerances, especially if concentrations of active ingredients are used over long periods of time at too low a dosage.
Decontamination as a service
FASTER carries out the microbiological decontamination of cleanrooms, isolators and safety cabinets using state-of-the-art H2O2 generators or formalin devices.
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