Investigation of biocidal efficacy of commercial disinfectants used in public, private and workplaces during the pandemic event of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

This study investigated the performance of 24 commercial disinfectants present on the market during last year according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Recently, national and international organizations of public health performed studies on disinfection products due to the increasing awareness of the potential and growing risks on human health, such as skin damage and reactions in the mucosal lining, especially for the healthcare workers in their frequent daily use. However, there are many limitations in the common cleaning/disinfection products on market as in the selection of effective disinfectants to decontaminate inanimate surfaces. We analyzed the disinfection power of hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds, alcohols, phenols and aldehydes used as active principles according to international guidelines. The antimicrobial properties were assessed by broth microdilution, and antibiofilm properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus); their virucidal efficacy was tested against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The quaternary ammonium compounds demonstrated better efficacy than others and in some cases ready to use products had also virucidal and antimicrobial activities after dilution at 0.125%. The scientific evidence indicates that many commercial products are used at high concentrations and high doses and this could have deleterious effects both on human health and the environment. A lower concentration of active ingredients would avoid the excessive release of chemicals into the environment and improve skin tolerance, ensuring the health and safety protection of workers, including the healthcare operators at their workplace.

Rechargeable Potent Anti‐Viral Cotton Grafted with a New Quaternized N‐Chloramine

“…[ 28 ] The absence of an antiviral effect of the nonchlorinated grafted cotton is somewhat surprising since the antiviral effects of quaternary ammonium compounds against SARS‐CoV‐2 have previously been demonstrated via disruption of the viral envelope by the cationic quaternary ammonium groups. [ 46–48 ] However, the 30 min contact time employed here may be too short to observe the native antiviral activity of the nonchlorinated grafted textiles which could be attributable to the action of the polycationic QAC groups in the grafted polymers of MAMPIP. It is worth noting that even pristine cotton possesses an antiviral effect after extended periods of contact greater than 30 min.…”

Dry surface biofilms in the food processing industry: An overview on surface characteristics, adhesion and biofilm formation, detection of biofilms, and dry sanitization methods

“…The alcohol is easy‐to‐use and can be used alone or in combination with other disinfectants. Alcohol‐based sanitizers are considered as an effective dry sanitization method against vegetative cells (Ambrosino et al., 2022; Kane et al., 2016; Visconti et al., 2021). Despite this, they are not effective against spores, especially against B. cereus (Harada & Nascimento, 2021b).…”

“…Despite this, they are not effective against spores, especially against B. cereus (Harada & Nascimento, 2021b). Ethanol, ethyl, butanol, isopropyl, pentanol, and npropanol are examples of widely employed alcohol-based sanitizers in the food industry (Ambrosino et al, 2022;Andersen, 2016;Nair et al, 2017;Visconti et al, 2021). For E.coli, the degree of protein denaturation from the most to least active alcohol disinfectant, is as follows: ethanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol (Nair et al, 2017).…”

From Antibacterial to Antibiofilm Targeting: An Emerging Paradigm Shift in the Development of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs)

“…113 dimethylammonium chloride with various concentrations of active ingredients have been studied for their ability to destroy mature biofilms of E. coli and S. aureus. 114 Only a few of them showed activity against both strains of bacteria. The Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm-destructive potential of antiseptic formulations based on alkyldimethylethylbenzylammonium chloride and dodecyldimethylammonium chloride was studied by the group of Nahra.…”

“…One of the most popular antiseptics among QACs, benzalkonium chloride, has a bactericidal effect on colonies of Salmonella typhimurium and Vibrio parahemolyticus . Commercial disinfectants based on benzalkonium chloride and didecyl-dimethylammonium chloride with various concentrations of active ingredients have been studied for their ability to destroy mature biofilms of E. coli and S. aureus . Only a few of them showed activity against both strains of bacteria.…”