Effective against many bacteria and some viruses, used in hand sanitizers and surface wipes. They are less effective against bacterial spores and non-enveloped viruses.
Potent disinfectants like formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde kill a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores.
Hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide effectively kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores. They are versatile but can be corrosive to surfaces and materials.
Phenol and cresols effectively disinfect against bacteria and fungi. They are less effective against spores and some viruses and have a strong, distinctive odor.
Common in household and industrial cleaners, quats are effective against many bacteria and some viruses. They can be inactivated by organic matter.
Iodine-based disinfectants are effective against bacteria, viruses, and fungi but are less effective against bacterial spores. They are used for skin disinfection.
Chlorhexidine and similar biguanides are effective against a wide range of bacteria but are less effective against molds, yeasts, bacterial spores, and viruses. They are commonly used for skin antisepsis.
Silver has antimicrobial properties and is used in medical applications, while mercury is less common due to its toxicity and environmental concerns. Heavy metals can be effective but pose significant safety risks.
Purpose: It is effective against enveloped viruses such as influenza, HSV, and HIV, but less effective against non-enveloped viruses.
Functionality: It denatures germs by breaking down the fats and proteins they require to survive.
Safety: Inhalation exposure to ethanol and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in disinfectants may pose a health risk, although concentrations of 62% to 80% are effective at disinfecting surfaces from viruses.
Purpose: At concentrations of 0.2% to 0.4%, it can inactivate bacteria and viruses while being non-corrosive to metals, rubber, plastic, and cement.
Functionality: It sterilizes by soaking applications, denaturing proteins, and disrupting nucleic acids.
Safety: Highly irritating, toxic to humans or animals with contact or inhalation, and are potentially carcinogeni.
Purpose: It is used to disinfect and clean heat-sensitive equipment, such as medical instruments.
Functionality: The antimicrobial activity of the biocide is due to the alkylation of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and amino groups, which affects DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis.
Safety: Highly irritating, toxic to humans or animals with contact or inhalation, and are potentially carcinogeni.
Purpose: It inactivates all microorganisms except for large numbers of bacterial endospores.
Functionality: OPA appears to kill spores by blocking the spore germination. process.
Safety: It does not require activation, is stable over a wide pH range, does not cause irritation of mucous membranes, and has a barely perceptible odor.
Purpose: It fumigates and decontaminates all surfaces in the enclosed area.
Functionality: It sterilizes through soaking applications by denaturing proteins and disrupting nucleic acids. process.
Safety: Highly irritating, toxic to humans or animals with contact or inhalation, and are potentially carcinogenic.
Purpose: It acts as an antiseptic and antibacterial agent against various gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
Functionality: The extra oxygen molecule in peroxide oxidizes, which gives it its power to kill germs and bleach color from porous surfaces like fabrics.
Safety: Most environmentally friendly disinfectants.
Purpose: It inactivates vegetative bacteria, fungi, lipid and non-lipid viruses, and other liquid specimens to decontaminate surfaces and equipment or deactivate biological materials.
Functionality: When sodium hypochlorite is released in water, it produces hypochlorous acid, which then reacts with pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, deactivating them.
Safety: It can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
Purpose: Used as an oxidizer or disinfectant to sterilize medical and laboratory equipment, surfaces, rooms, and tools; it is a very strong oxidizer that effectively kills pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
Functionality: It effectively penetrates the polysaccharide layer of biofilm without being consumed by reacting with the inert sugars, allowing ClO₂ to act directly on the bacteria and destroy the biofilm.
Safety: It is highly flammable and reactive.
Purpose: PAA is a strong oxidant and virucide.
Functionality: Direct oxidation/destruction of the cell wall with leakage of cellular constituents outside of the cell.
Safety: Most disinfectants that are environmentally friendly.
Purpose: Able to kill a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, phenolic disinfectants are not sporicidal and cannot kill bacterial endospores.
Functionality: These disinfectants denature bacterial proteins by targeting the cell protoplasm and enzymes, affecting the internal components of the cells.
Safety: They are corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
Purpose: Kills germs, bacteria, and mold.
Functionality: Quats contain positively charged particles that bind to the negatively charged cells in bacteria, breaking down the cell wall and destroying it.
Safety: There is increased concern that heavy use might lead to bacteria developing resistance to QACs.
Purpose: Broad antimicrobial spectrum are but is less effective against sporogenous bacteria and viruses, and can be inactivated by organic matter. They are often acidic in commercial solutions.
Functionality: They penetrate the cell walls and membranes of microorganisms, interfering with DNA synthesis, while iodophors also bind to proteins, causing their inactivation.
Safety: It is corrosive to the skin, classified as Category 1B, causing severe burns and serious eye damage.
Purpose: They have equal antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms but are less effective against molds and yeasts, and ineffective against bacterial spores and viruses.
Functionality: The cationic antibacterial mechanism involves biguanide, which has a positively charged cationic group, binding to the negatively charged surface of bacteria.
Safety: Generally safe for usage
Purpose: Efficient bactericidal agents.
Functionality: The action of mercurials involves attacking protein sulfhydryl groups and disrupting enzyme functions, but their disinfectant properties can be reversed by organic matter.
Safety: The metals may be toxic.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.