Chlorine, antiseptic action

Povidone—iodine is a brown, water-soluble powder containing approximately 10% iodine. However, the amount of free iodine, which is responsible for the antimicrobial activity, is low in a concentrated solution, but is released as the solution is diluted (41). Concentrated solutions have actually been contaminated with bacteria (42). For use as an antiseptic, povidine—iodine is diluted with water or alcohol to a concentration of 1% iodine. Detergents are added if it is used as a surgical scmb. lodophors are important as broad-spectmm antiseptics for the skin, although they do not have the persistent action of some other antiseptics. They are also used as disinfectants for clinical thermometers that have been used by tuberculous patients, for surface disinfection of tables, etc, and for clean equipment in hospitals, food plants, and dairies, much as chlorine disinfectants are used. 

Chlorinated derivatives of phenols, cresol, and xylenol elicit the release of [ C]-glutamate from E. colt [92]. These compounds are effective bactericides and are used in crude disinfectant and antiseptic preparations such as LysoT and Det-tol . Their abUity to denature protein is probably responsible for their disruptive action upon microbial cell membranes. In addition to damaging the membrane [92], phenol exerts a lytic action upon the cell wall lysis occurs in growing cultures of E. coll [93] and is particularly noted in synchronous cultures at the point of cell division [94]. 

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