title: Assessment of the efficacy of benzalkonium chloride and sodium hypochlorite against Acanthamoeba polyphaga and Tetrahymena spp.
abstract: The efficacy of benzalkonium chloride and sodium hypochlorite against Acanthamoeba polyphaga and two Tetrahymena spp. was determined based on the European Standard EN 1276:2009 suspension test. Trophozoite viability was assessed by determination of the membrane integrity  using flow cytometry as a fast screening technique. Bovine serum albumin was added to simulate clean (0.3 g/liter) and dirty (3 g/liter) conditions. Benzalkonium chloride caused cell lysis at concentrations above 50 mg/liter under clean and dirty conditions. A concentration of 50 mg of free  chlorine per liter had a strong biocidal effect on acanthamoebae and tetrahymenae after 15 min under clean and dirty conditions. Our results suggest that benzalkonium chloride and sodium hypochlorite were effective against the three microorganisms at concentrations commonly applied in the  food industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: M J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vaerewijck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sabbe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baré
authors.forename: H-P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Favoreel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Houf
mesh_terms: D000048:Acanthamoeba / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D016266:Food Parasitology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013768:Tetrahymena / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite