Ultrafine "dry vapor" hypochlorous: proof-of-concept disinfection application

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Environmental Hygiene
• Antimicrobial Agents

Background:

• Current disinfection methods face limitations in cost, safety, and efficiency in healthcare.
• Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) has broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and a good safety profile.
• The application of HOCl as an ultrafine aqueous "dry vapor" for large-scale healthcare disinfection is understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using ultrafine aqueous HOCl for large-scale disinfection in outpatient medical facilities.
• To evaluate the efficacy of this disinfection method in reducing microbial contamination.

Main Methods:

• Four outpatient facilities of varying sizes (4,500–90,000 sq ft) were treated with ultrafine aqueous HOCl (<2 micron).
• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence (Relative Light Units - RLU) was measured in various areas (staff, procedure, public) before and at 30 and 60 minutes post-treatment.
• Statistical analysis was performed to determine the significance of microbial reduction.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in RLU was observed at both 30 minutes (p < 0.001) and 60 minutes (p < 0.001) post-treatment compared to baseline.
• A significant reduction in RLU was also noted between the 30-minute and 60-minute time points (p < 0.001).
• All treated facilities achieved disinfection levels below the recommended guidelines for terminal disinfection of non-surgical hospital areas.

Conclusions:

• Ultrafine aqueous HOCl is an effective and safe disinfection strategy for large medical facilities.
• This method has significant implications for improving infection control practices.
• The study supports the potential of ultrafine aqueous HOCl in reducing healthcare-associated infections.