F.1 - Chemical Disinfection of Hard Surfaces— Household, Industrial and Institutional Settings

Abstract

This chapter describes the role that hard surfaces play as vehicles of microbial disease transmission and serves as a reference on the chemicals used and formulated as disinfectants to reduce the chance of disease transmission through contact with surfaces. It highlights the specific microorganisms and hotspots in our environment for exposure to disease transmission and demonstrates the benefits that hard surface disinfection can provide. It also lists the chemicals used in the formulation of disinfectants for important and practical applications. Disinfection plays an important role in rendering at-risk environmental surfaces safe. The commonly used disinfectants are described here with information on formula requirements and conditions. Indirect contact with contaminated hard surfaces is a recognized mode of disease transmission. The role that a contaminated hard surface plays in disease transmission depends on the presence of an infectious agent, its ability to survive on the surface, and its ability to be transferred to a susceptible host. Among chemical disinfectants, quaternary ammonium compounds are clearly the most popular, being used in well over half of the formulations. Pine oil, alcohol, phenolics, and hypochlorite follow in order of frequency in registered formulations.