D-value determinations are an inappropriate measure of disinfecting activity of common contact lens disinfecting solutions

Determination of a D value for specific test organisms is a component of the efficacy evaluation of new contact lens disinfecting solutions. This parameter is commonly defined as the time required for the number of surviving microorganisms to decrease 1 logarithmic unit. The assumption made in establishing a D value is that the rate of kill exhibits first-order kinetics under the specified conditions. Such exponential kill rates are seen with thermal contact lens disinfection system. A comparison of the death rate kinetics for a variety of chemical contact lens disinfecting solutions was undertaken to ascertain the suitability of D-value determination for these chemical disinfectants. The active agents of these different solutions included hydrogen peroxide, thimerosal, chlorhexidine, tris(2-hydroxyethyl)tallow ammonium chloride, thimerosal, polyaminopropyl biguanide, and polyquaternium-1. The solutions were challenged with 10(6) CFU of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, or Staphylococcus hominis per ml, and survival rate was determined. This study clearly demonstrates the nonlinear nature of the inactivation curves for most contact lens chemical disinfecting solutions for the challenge organisms. D-value determination is, therefore, an inappropriate method of reporting the biocidal activity of these solutions.