Page 632 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Medical and Infectious Wastes 603

TABLE 20.7
Advantages and Disadvantages of Antimicrobial Agents
Class Advantages Disadvantages
Alcohols Bactericidal Nonsporicidal
Tuberculocidal Organic matter interference
Virucidal Incompatible with some
Fungicidal rubber and plastics
Nonstaining Highly flammable
Nonirritating
Rapid action
Quaternary Bactericidal Nontuberculocidal
ammonium Virucidal (lipophilic) Nonsporicidal
compounds Fungicidal Organic matter interference
Pleasant odor Nonvirucidal (hydrophilic)
Phenolic compounds Bactericidal Questionable virucide
Fungicida (hydrophilic)
Tuberculocidal Nonsporicidal
Virucidal (lipophilic) Skin irritant
Unpleasant odor
Corrosive
Iodophor compounds Bactericidal Prolonged exposure for
Virucidal tuberculocidal and
Fungicidal sporicidal activity
Detergent action Corrosive
Storage stability Inactivation by organic matter
Glutaraldehyde Bactericidal Irritant
Virucidal Limited shelf life
Fungicidal
Tuberculocidal
Sporicidal
Lack of organic
matter interference
Noncorrosive
Hypochlorite solution Bactericidal Prolonged exposure for
Virucidal sporicidal activity
Fungicidal Corrosive
Tuberculocidal Bleaching agent
Hydrogen peroxide Bactericidal Corrosive
Virucidal
Fungicidal
Tuberculocidal
Sporicidal
Adapted from RTI, Final Report, 1993. Reproduced with kind permission of Research Triangle
Institute.

● Viruses
● Mycobacteria
● Bacterial spores

Several levels of antimicrobial activity are defined to indicate the types of organisms the chem-
ical is expected to kill (Table 20.8). Antimicrobial chemicals typically include products with