Evaluation of chemical disinfectants for household use

Abstract

Five disinfectants for household use were advertised on television during 1988 and the first half of 1989. The products were tested by a qualitative (Use-Dilution with 10 carriers, a conventional and simplified, adapted method) and a qualitative, adapted method with a view to evaluating their antimicrobial activity. The active compounds of the products, according to their respective labels were: 1 - Parachlorophenol (0-Benzil) 0.1%; 2 - Eter 2.4.4' Chloro (III) 2' hydroxiphenylic 0.1%; 3 - N - alkyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chlorides, N - alkyl dimethylethybenzyl ammonium 50% - 1.6%; 4 - Formaldehyde 37% (0.3% solution); 5 - No information. The microorganisms used were: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 and Salmonella choleraesuis ATCC 10708. In the qualitative method the pseudomonas strain was recovered from disinfectants 1, 2, and 3 and the salmonella strain from disinfectants 2 and 3. All disinfectants showed germicidal effect 5.0 (99.999%) of reduction) in 15 seconds against all strains. Disinfectant 3 was contamined with Enterobacter sp to the order of 10(4) cells/ml. This contaminant was sensitive against disinfectants 1, 4 and 5, in the qualitative method and had a relative resistance to disinfectant 2 in the quantitative method.