Disinfection of Bacillus subtilis spore-contaminated surface materials with a sodium hypochlorite and a hydrogen peroxide-based sanitizer

Abstract

To evaluate a sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide solution (Ox-B7) as a potential decontaminant of Bacillus subtilis spore-contaminated surface materials (porous and nonporous). Test materials were contaminated with B. subtilis spores to a final concentration in the range of 5.7-6.6 log CFU cm(-2). Ox-B7 reduced spore counts by 99.999% (5 log) for both porous and nonporous surfaces within a 5-min contact. Treatment with equivalent concentrations of only sodium hypochlorite reduced spore counts by 99% (2 log) on porous materials and by 99.99% (4 log) on nonporous materials. Hydrogen peroxide treatments reduced spores by less than 90% (<1 log) on both porous and nonporous materials when compared with untreated samples. A combination of sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide (Ox-B7) effectively killed B. subtilis spores on both porous and nonporous surface materials. The combination of sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide can be used as an alternative disinfectant of spore-contaminated surface materials, as it is more effective than when hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite are used separately.