title: Antimicrobial effects of electrolytic products of sodium chloride--comparative evaluation with sodium hypochlorite solution and efficacy in handwashing.
abstract: We examined the in vitro bactericidal effects and efficacy on handwashing of water containing electrolytic products of sodium chloride (electrolytic water). The electrolytic water, whose pH and concentration of free residual chlorine were 6.7-6.9 and 20-22 ppm, respectively, showed equal reduction of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to dilution of commercially available sodium hypochlorite containing 60 ppm of free residual chlorine. This bactericidal effect was calculated to be due to hypochlorous acid, based on the pH and the amount of chlorine in solution. Handwashing with the electrolytic water reduced the numbers of S. aureus on hands by 1/10(2), while running water and 0.2% benzalkonium chloride with 80% ethanol gave a 1/10 and 1/10(5) reduction, respectively. We conclude that electrolytic water might be applicable for handwashing in place of running water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection Control and Prevention, University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hitomi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morisawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D002713:Chlorine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004573:Electrolytes; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002713:Chlorine; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite