4.9 Major advantages and disadvantages of main chemical disinfectant groups Chemical Inactivation Wetting Temperature Effect of Effectiveness Residual Foaming Inhibitors disinfectant by organic ability tolerance hard water against mineral activity characteristics group matter deposits Acids Stable Good Wide; some loss at Low Effective Slight residual Low Cationic very low bacteriostatic surfactants temperatures activity Very low temperatures Chlorine Loses activity None Wide None unless None Limited Nil Organic matter compounds rapidly alkaline High pH Iodophores Moderate to Moderate to 5–40°C Moderate Limited, Some Moderate, Hard water high loss of good, dependent on dependent on activity below Organic matter activity depending on pH of formulation formulation 50°C, and gives off Temperature formulation gases above 120°C extremes High pH Peracid Low to Dependent on Wide None Limited effect Some Low, unless Copper, iron, solutions moderate loss product due to acid combined with manganese and of activity formulation nature a surfactant chloride ions Chlorine Low to None Wide None None Some Nil dioxide moderate loss of activity Aldehydes Stable None Moderate; off None None Some Nil fumes at higher temperatures Quaternary Moderate to Good Stable Inactivated None Some High Very low ammonium stable by hard temperatures compounds water Anionic detergents or wetting agents Key: Poor working characteristics Acceptable working characteristics Good working characteristics
4.9 Major advantages and disadvantages of main chemical disinfectant groups Chemical disinfectant group Inactivation by organic matter Wetting ability Temperature tolerance Effect of hard water Effectiveness against mineral deposits Residual activity Foaming characteristics Inhibitors Acids Stable Good Wide; some loss at very low temperatures Low Effective Slight residual bacteriostatic activity Low Cationic surfactants Very low temperatures Chlorine compounds Loses activity rapidly None Wide None unless alkaline None Limited Nil Organic matter High pH Iodophores Moderate to high loss of activity Moderate to good, depending on formulation 5–40°C activity below 50°C, and gives off gases above 120°C Moderate Limited, dependent on pH of formulation Some Moderate, dependent on formulation Hard water Organic matter Temperature extremes High pH Peracid solutions Low to moderate loss of activity Dependent on product formulation Wide None Limited effect due to acid nature Some Low, unless combined with a surfactant Copper, iron, manganese and chloride ions Chlorine dioxide Low to moderate loss of activity None Wide None None Some Nil Aldehydes Stable None Moderate; off fumes at higher temperatures None None Some Nil Quaternary ammonium compounds Moderate to stable Good Stable Inactivated by hard water None Some High Very low temperatures Anionic detergents or wetting agents Key: Poor working characteristics Acceptable working characteristics Good working characteristics
decontamination-manual.docx