Talk:Disinfectant

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Archives /Archive 1

Contents 1 Killing viruses 2 Salt 3 Sanitizers

[edit] Killing viruses

The definition of a disinfectant states that it kills viruses. Viruses are not living things, however; they only have some, but not all, of the properties of living things.

There's actually [debate] about that. — ceejayoz ^talk 13:49, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Salt

Salt is the most effective disinfectant for wounds. Pack a wound with it sometime and see how fast it heals. 24.54.208.177 17:19, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Sanitizers

The article states that '. . .sanitizers are high level disinfectants. . .' which can be a misleading statement.

"High Level Disinfectant" is a specific definition used by the FDA to identify "a germicide that is intended for use as the terminal step in processing critical and semicritical medical devices prior to patient use. Critical devices make contact with normally sterile tissue or body spaces during use. Semicritical devices make contact during use with mucous membranes or nonintact skin (21 CFR 880.6885)." FDA website.

Whereas disinfectants typically effect a 6-log [or more] reduction of vegetative organisms to pass the AOAC Use-Dilution Test [99.9999% kill], food contact sanitizers effect a 5-log [99.999%] reduction of vegetative organisms.

Many high-level disinfectants kill endospores, although possibly not to the level of a true chemical sterilant.

In general, for environmental surfaces there are three kinds of germicides: sanitizers [lowest level of kill], disinfectants [higher level of kill] and sterilants [highest level of kill]. All three depend upon mode of use, contact time, temperature and application methods.

Jim Smith

209.145.162.138 21:34, 9 March 2007 (UTC)