title: Ultraviolet spectrophotometric characterization and bactericidal properties of electrolyzed oxidizing water as influenced by amperage and pH.
abstract: To identify the primary component responsible in electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water for inactivation, this study determined the concentrations of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ions (OCl-) and related those concentrations to the microbicidal activity of the water. The ultraviolet absorption spectra were used to determine the concentrations of HOCl and OCl- in EO water and the chemical equilibrium of these species with change in pH and amperage. EO water generated at higher amperage contained a higher chlorine concentration. The maximum concentration of HOCl was observed around pH 4 where the maximum log reduction (2.3 log10 CFU/ml) of Bacillus cereus F4431/73 vegetative cells also occurred. The high correlation (r = 0.95) between HOCl concentrations and bactericidal effectiveness of EO water supports HOCl's role as the primary inactivation agent. Caution should be taken with standard titrimetric methods for measurement of chlorine as they cannot differentiate the levels of HOCl present in EO water of varying pHs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Griffin 30223-1797, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Len
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000187:drug effects*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004572:Electrolysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid