Oxidative reductive potential (ORP) water, also known as super-oxidized water (SWO), can be used as a non-toxic disinfectant to eradicate microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses and spores, in variety of settings. For example, ORP water may be applied in the healthcare and medical device fields to disinfect surfaces and medical equipment. Advantageously, ORP water is environmentally safe and, thus, avoids the need for costly disposal procedures. ORP water also has application in wound care, medical device sterilization, food sterilization, hospitals, consumer households and anti-bioterrorism.
Although ORP water is an effective disinfectant, it has an extremely limited shelf-life, usually only a few hours. As a result of this short lifespan, the production of ORP water must take place in close proximity to where ORP water is to be used as a disinfectant. This means that a healthcare facility, such as a hospital, must purchase, house and maintain the equipment necessary to produce ORP water. Additionally, prior manufacturing techniques have not been able to produce sufficient commercial-scale quantities of ORP water to permit its widespread use as a disinfectant at healthcare facilities.
Accordingly, a need exists for an ORP water that is stable over an extended period of time and methods of using such an ORP water. A need also exists for cost-effective methods of preparing commercial-scale quantities of ORP water. The present invention provides such an ORP water and methods of preparing and using such an ORP water. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.