Antiseptics and disinfectants

A large number of antiseptics and disinfectants is available with varying physical, chemical, and toxicological properties. Many of them are used in lower concentrations as perservatives for food, cosmetics, and drugs. Consumer safety consid- 

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Htrichlorophenol, C6H3CI3O. Colourless crysfa)]inesubslance,m.p. 68°C. Usedmedicin-ally as an antiseptic and disinfectant. 

Iodine is extensively used in a variety of forms as both an antiseptic and a disinfectant. lodophors, usually nonionic surfactants (qv) complexed with iodine, were developed for more readily usable iodine-based antiseptics and disinfectants. These are used as disinfectants in dairies, laboratories, and food processing (qv) plants, and for sanitation of dishes in restaurants. The reaction product of lanolin and iodine shows utiHty as a germicide (149). 

Medical Usage. Isopropyl alcohol is also used as an antiseptic and disinfectant for home, hospital, and industry (see Disinfectants and antiseptics). It is about twice as effective as ethyl alcohol in these appHcations (153,154). Rubbing alcohol, a popular 70 vol % isopropyl alcohol-in-water mixture, exemplifies the medicinal use of isopropyl alcohol. Other examples include 30 vol % isopropyl alcohol solutions for medicinal liniments, tinctures of green soap, scalp tonics, and tincture of mercurophen. It is contained in pharmaceuticals, eg, local anesthetics, tincture of iodine, and bathing solutions for surgical sutures and dressings. Over 200 uses of isopropyl alcohol have been tabulated (2). 

Therapeutic Function Topical antiseptic and disinfectant Chemical Name 4-Chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol Common Name —... 

Of the four halogens, iodine is the weakest oxidizing agent. Tincture of iodine, a 10% solution of I2 in alcohol, is sometimes used as an antiseptic. Hospitals most often use a product called povidone-iodine, a quite powerful iodine-containing antiseptic and disinfectant, which can be diluted with water to the desired strength. These applications of molecular iodine should not delude you into thinking that the solid is harmless. On the contrary, if I2(s) is allowed to remain in contact with your skin, it can cause painful bums that are slow to heal. 

Used industrially for etching glass, as an antiseptic and disinfectant, as a leather bleach, in the production of tin plate, for rust removal, as a welding flux, as a neutralizer in laundry rinsing operations, and as a cleaner for stone and brick building faces. Used to preserve zoological and anatomical specimens. 

Used industrially as an insecticide and fungicide, for leather and fur production, and as a topical antiseptic and disinfectant. 

Mercuric chloride has been a popular antiseptic and disinfectant. The handling of mercuric salts in the chemical industry, however, may result in exposure to aerosols of inorganic mercury. 

Uses Antiseptic and disinfectant pharmaceuticals dyes indicators slimicide phenolic resins epoxy resins (bisphenol-A) nylon-6 (caprolactum) 2,4-D solvent for refining lubricating oils preparation of adipic acid, salicylic acid, phenolphthalein, pentachlorophenol, acetophenetidin, picric acid, anisole, phenoxyacetic acid, phenyl benzoate, 2-phenolsulfonic acid, 4-phenolsulfonic acid, 2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4,6-tribromophenol, 4-bromophenol, 4-/ert-butylphenol, salicylaldehyde, and many other organic compounds germicidal paints laboratory reagent. 

Potassium permanganate (KMnO ) is a purplish crystal-like oxidizing compound used as an antiseptic and disinfectant to inhibit the growth of harmful skin microorganisms and bacteria. Before antibiotics were available, it was used as a treatment for trench mouth and impetigo. 

Antiseptics and disinfectants are also the chemicals which either kill... 

Magnesium acetate is used in the manufacture of rayon fiber for cigarette filters and as a fixative for dyes in textile printing. It also is used as an antiseptic and disinfectant. 

In dentistry, they are used for sterilization of certain instruments and prevention and treatment of dental plaque and peridental diseases. They are also used in root canal therapy (RCT), treatment of acute necrotizing gingivitis and other infective oral conditions. Antiseptics and disinfectants are also used as ingredient in various dentifrices. 

C. Chlorophenols. Chlorophenols have been extensively used since the 1930 s as insecticides, fungicides, mould inhibitors, antiseptics and disinfectants. The annual production volume is estimated to be in the order of 150 000 tons. In the US penta-chlorophenol is the second heaviest in use of all pesticides (38). The most important use of 2,U,6-tri, 2,3,, 6-tetra- and pentachlorophenol (or their salts) is for wood protection. Penta-chlorophenol is also used as a fungicide for slime control in the manufacture of paper pulp and for a variety of other purposes such as in the tanning process of leather and an additive in cutting oils and fluids, paint, glues and out-door textiles. 

Antiseptics and disinfectants are non-antibiotic biocides used to kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth. Structures are given in Figure 16.8 and biodegradation data are summarized in Table 16.4 for selected substances. Since these substances are intended to kill bacteria or inhibit their growth, published biodegradation data must... 

Table 16.5 Atmospheric oxidation and chemical hydrolysis of selected antiseptics and disinfectants, estimated by AOPWIN and HYDROWIN from EPI Suite.

McDonnell and Russell (1999) provided a review of antiseptics and disinfectants for activity, action, and resistance of microorganisms. 

Phenols are extracted commercially from coal tar into aqueous base as the phenolate ions. The major commercial use of phenol is in the manufacture of phenolic resin polymers, usually with formaldehyde. Phenols and cresols are used as antiseptics and disinfectants in areas such as bams where the phenol odor can be tolerated. Phenol was the original antiseptic used on wounds and in surgery, starting with the work of Lord Lister in 1885. 

Goosens A. et ah, Antimicrobials Preservatives, antiseptics and disinfectants. Contact Dermatitis 39, 33-34, 1997. 

Solubilization has been used for many years in the formulation of phenolic antiseptic and disinfectant solutions. In the case of Cresol and Soap Solution (Lysol) and Chloroxylenol Solution B.P., soap micelles are used to solubilize the phenolic substances. The soap (anionic surfactant) is formed by reaction of potassium hydroxide with a suitable oil such as linseed oil (in Cresol and Soap Solution) or castor oil (in Chloroxylenol Solution). The solubilizing potential of surfactant solutions for hydrophobic species has also been exploited in the design of cholelitholytic solvents for gallstone dissolution with some limited success. 

Dixon RE, Kaslow RA, Mackel DC, Fulkerson CC, MalUson GF. Aqueous quaternary ammonium antiseptics and disinfectants. Use and misuse. JAMA 1976 236(21) 2415-17. 

Phenol is a benzyl alcohol and a major oxidized metabolite of benzene that was introduced into medicine as an antiseptic (1). Although it can be prepared in an aqueous solution or in glycerine, it appears to be more effective when mixed in aqueous compounds. At a concentration of 0.2% it is bacteriostatic and at over 1% bactericidal (2). In addition to its uses as an antiseptic and disinfectant, phenol is also used as a sclerosant, as a local anesthetic on the skin, and as an analgesic, by injection into nerves or spinally, but its use was limited by severe adverse effects. Current medical uses include cosmetic face peeling, nerve injections, and topical anesthesia. It is also an ingredient of various topical formulations, and is used as an environmental disinfectant. 

Alcohols and aldehydes have been used as antiseptics and disinfectants fur many ycars. Two of the mo.si commonly used antiseptics and disinfectants are ethyl and isopropyl alcohol. 

The mixture occurs as a yellow to brownish-yellow liquid that has a characteristic odor of creosote. Cresol is obtained from coal tar or petroleum by alkaline extraction into aqueous medium, acidifleation, and fractional distillation. The mixture is an inexpensive antiseptic and disinfectant. It possesses a phenol coefficient of 2.. >. Cresol is sparingly soluble in water, although alcohols and other organic solvents will. solubili/e it. The drawback to its use as an antiseptic is its unpleasant txlor. 

The disadvantages of mercurials for antiseptic and disinfectant uses far outweigh any pos.siblc advantages that they might have. Hence, other more effective and lc.ss potentially toxic agents are preferable. 

Mercuric chloride is used in preservatives for wood and anatomical specimens, embalming solutions, disinfectants, photographic intensifiers, leather tanning, seed treatments, analytical reagents for organic syntheses, and the manufacture of other mercury-containing compounds. Pharmaceuticals containing mercuric chloride have also been used therapeutically as topical antiseptics and disinfectants. 

Many simple alcohols are important raw materials in the industrial synthesis of polymers, fibers, explosives, plastics, and pharmaceutical products. Phenols are widely used in the preparation of plastics and dyes. Solutions of phenols are used as antiseptics and disinfectants. Some uses of polyhydric alcohols depend on their relatively high boiling points. For instance, glycerine is used as a wetting agent in cosmetic preparations. Ethylene glycol (bp 197°C), which is miscible with water, is used in commercial permanent antifreeze. 

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