Antibacterial validation of electrogenerated hypochlorite using carbon-based electrodes.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Antimicrobial Agents

Background:

• Hypochlorite is a key antiseptic agent.
• Current production methods may have limitations for localized use.
• Novel methods for hypochlorite generation are needed for healthcare antisepsis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore carbon-based electrodes for electrochemical hypochlorite generation.
• To compare the antimicrobial efficacy of electrogenerated hypochlorite with commercial solutions.
• To assess the suitability of carbon electrodes for localized antiseptic production.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pad-printed carbon and carbon fibre electrodes for electrochemical hypochlorite generation.
• Quantified hypochlorite yield and generation time.
• Determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against four bacterial species.
• Compared MICs of electrogenerated hypochlorite with commercial hypochlorite solutions.

Main Results:

• Carbon fibre electrodes rapidly generated antimicrobial concentrations of hypochlorite (0.1% in 15 min).
• MIC values for electrogenerated hypochlorite matched those of commercial solutions for tested bacteria.
• Antimicrobial efficacy was attributed to quantified hypochlorite, not reactive oxygen species.

Conclusions:

• Carbon fibre electrodes are effective for rapid, localized hypochlorite production for healthcare antisepsis.
• The antimicrobial properties of electrogenerated hypochlorite are comparable to commercial solutions.
• Disposable carbon electrodes offer a viable option for small-volume antiseptic generation.