Disinfectant Raw Materials

Recently, with the emergence of pandemic diseases and their impact across the entire world, the importance of disinfectant raw materials has become apparent.

These chemicals have become known to almost everyone as epidemic diseases have shown their effects worldwide.

With the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) that emerged in Wuhan, China, the need has arisen to study the importance of disinfectant raw materials and their effects in preventing the transmission of such viruses.

The Covid-19-New Type Coronavirus epidemic is a pandemic disease with a very rapid transmission (contagious) capability among humans.

What Chemicals Are Used to Disinfect Viruses?

We can list these types of chemicals as follows.

Alcohols;

Among alcohols, Ethyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol are the most suitable main chemical compounds for disinfectant production. These chemical substances belong to the class of alcohols. Ethyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol have high solubility in water. They also have lethal effects on viruses due to their antimicrobial properties.

In disinfectant production, Ethyl Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol are effective against vegetative bacterial forms. The alcohol concentration in a disinfectant should be between 60% and 90%. If the alcohol concentration drops below 50%, its cidal effects will decrease very rapidly. Therefore, it will not be effective against bacteria.

• When we examine the mechanism of action, we can evaluate the effects of alcohol on the denaturation of proteins. Pure alcohol is less effective than an alcohol-water mixture. This is because the denaturation of proteins occurs more rapidly in the presence of water. Therefore, the presence of a certain amount of water is very important in alcohol-based disinfectants.

Additionally, since alcohols lack sporicidal effects and cannot penetrate protein-rich substances, they are not considered suitable for disinfecting surgical instruments and materials.

Chlorine and Chlorine Compounds;

Among chlorine compounds used as disinfectants, the most common chemical forms are Sodium Hypochlorite and Calcium Hypochlorite. In Turkey, the most widely used form is sodium hypochlorite. The main reason for this is its low cost. Another reason is that it is very well-known by the public. It is commonly known as bleach.

Hypochlorites have very high antimicrobial effects. However, they have some side effects. When they interact with Ammonia and acids, they release poisonous toxic fumes. At the same time, high concentrations have a corrosive effect on metals and a bleaching effect on fabrics.  

• Other compounds with more effective properties than hypochlorites are chlorine dioxide, chloramine-T, and dichloroisocyanurate. The disinfectant effects of these chemical substances are greater than those of hypochlorites. One of the main reasons is that they keep the chlorine stable for a longer period, which results in a bactericidal effect that lasts for a longer duration.

Hydrogen Peroxide;

It is a chemical with strong antiseptic properties. It has bactericidal, virucidal, and sporicidal properties.

• The working principle of hydrogen peroxide involves the destructive attack of the hydroxyl group on the membrane lipids of cells, other cellular components essential for viruses, and DNA.

Concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide above 0.5% have bactericidal and virucidal effects. The most commonly used concentration as a disinfectant is a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. To obtain a hydrogen peroxide solution at this concentration, 50% hydrogen peroxide must be diluted in water until it reaches 3%.