Complete Disinfection Research Articles

Enhancement of UV disinfection of urine matrixes by electrochemical oxidation

This work focuses on the removal of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) contained in hospital urines by UV disinfection enhanced by electrochemical oxidation to overcome the limitations of both single processes in the disinfection of this type of effluents. UV disinfection, electrolysis, and photoelectrolysis of synthetic hospital urine intensified with K. pneumoniae were studied. The influence of the current density and the anode material was assessed on the disinfection performance of combined processes and the resulting synergies and/or antagonisms of coupling both technologies were also evaluated. Results show that the population of bacteria contained in hospital urine is only reduced by 3 orders of magnitude during UV disinfection. Electrolysis leads to complete disinfection of hospital urine when working at 50 A m−2 using Boron Doped Diamond (BDD) and Mixed Metal Oxides (MMO) as anodes. The coupling of electrolysis to the UV disinfection process leads to the highest disinfection rates, attaining a complete removal of ARB for all the current densities and anode materials tested. The use of MMO anodes leads to higher synergies than BDD electrodes. Results confirm that UV disinfection can be enhanced by electrolysis for the removal of ARB in urine, considering both technical and economic aspects.

Effectiveness of denture microwave disinfection for treatment of denture stomatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of removable complete denture disinfection using microwaves for the treatment of denture stomatitis. This review identified studies comparing the efficacy of microwave prosthesis disinfection (I) to topical antifungal therapy (C) in the treatment of denture stomatitis (O), which included only individuals who used complete dentures and presented with denture stomatitis (P). The search was performed in six databases and identified 1524 records; after the removal of duplicates, 816 articles remained. Three articles were selected for qualitative synthesis and two for meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis estimated the polled effects of microwave disinfection and antifungal therapy on the Candida counts and clinical manifestation of denture stomatitis. The GRADE approach was used to estimate the certainty of evidence. All included studies reported significant reductions in Candida counts and the frequency of denture stomatitis of groups subjected to microwave disinfection of dentures and topical antifungal therapy with nystatin. Significative differences between treatments were only detected for Candida quantification in the palate, within 90days follow-up period (SMD=0.47, 95% CI=0.02-0.91). Meta-analyses did not show any further differences between treatments (p>.05), considering the Candida quantification in dentures and the frequency of clinical signs of denture stomatitis. The certainty of the evidence was considered as low, according to GRADE approach. Microwave disinfection of complete dentures can be considered as efficient as antifungal therapy for the treatment of denture stomatitis. However, further well-designed studies are necessary to confirm such evidence.

Phytoremediation in Disinfection of Water from Underground Sources: Perception Study

Application of phytoremediation in disinfection was studied using extracts of Tulsi, Neem and Amla in underground water in rural area of eastern Pune metropolitan region. The perception study involved understanding the potential of hydroalcoholic extracts of leaves of Tulsi, Neem and Amla in disinfection of underground water. Secondly optimizing the dose and time required for complete disinfection by the extracts. Thirdly a liquid herbal preparation for disinfection using extracts was formulated and studied, and also further used for achieving complete disinfection of onsite households’ water. The disinfection effect of crude powder of leaves of plants was also noted. Study area being agrarian area, a survey was taken to create awareness and highlight the outcome of the studies done so far. The 3M petri film method was used for disinfection study. The extracts of Tulsi, Neem and Amla completely disinfected 10ml of water at a dose of 10.56mg, 21.4mg and 12.03mg respectively. Herbal preparation containing 90mg extracts completely disinfected 500ml of underground water of study sites and households. The responses of crude powder were very less potent as compared to extracts. Finally, the results conclude that phytoremediation by commonly and abundantly available plants can be used for disinfection.

ACTIVATING TO SUCCESS: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF IRRIGANT AGITATION DEVICES IN ENDODONTICS

Removal of vital and necrotic remnants of pulp tissues, microorganisms, and microbial toxins from the root canal system is warranted for ensuing successful treatment outcome. Irrigation plays a major role in achieving the same. The last few years have seen a spurt in technological advances in various irrigant activation devices. This article meticulously reviews the various irrigant agitation systems available, which assists in complete disinfection of the complex root canal system.

Photocatalytic activation of sulfite using Fe(II) and Fe(III) for Enterococcus sp. Inactivation in urban wastewater

The application of sulfite in advanced oxidation-reduction processes has shown good results in the degradation of organic pollutant, but very few researches have addressed its application for wastewater disinfection. In this study, the efficacy of a sulfite system activated by different iron species and/or UV-A radiation in the inactivation of Enterococcus sp. was studied for the first time, achieving complete disinfection (>5-log) after 90 min. Different sulfite (0.1–10 mM), Fe(II) and Fe(III)-cit (0.1–2 mM) concentrations, were assessed in simulated and real wastewater matrices and experiments with radical scavengers were carried out to identify the main radical species involved in the disinfection. In addition, the influence of the nature of the aqueous matrix and the presence of other bacteria species as E.coli was assessed. Fe(III)-cit was the best sulfite activator, reaching complete bacteria inactivation (>5-log), while a maximum disinfection rate of 2.3-log units was achieved when using Fe(II). The performance of the treatment was greatly affected by the composition of the matrix, as the use of real wastewater resulted in a decrease in the disinfection rate to 0.5 and 1.4-log when using Fe(II) and Fe(III)-cit, respectively. The presence of Escherichia coli also proved to negatively influence the Enterococcus inactivation result, leading to a inactivation of 2.1-log in the sulfite/Fe(III)-cit system, opening the door to new studies to find out the selectivity of the radicals towards the different microorganisms in the matrix. Even though deeper studies are needed for a better understanding of the reaction mechanisms, this work opens the door to the use of sulfite-based processes applied to the disinfection of wastewater, proposing an alternative to the use of traditional oxidants.

Management of Deep Carious Lesion with Single Visit Indirect Pulp Capping: A Case Report

Background: Preservation of pulp vitality is of utmost importance during management of deep caries cases.There remains a possibility of pulp tissue to repair upon excavation of caries with no pulpal exposure.However, in case of exposure of pulp, such type of minimally invasive management becomes doubtful& impulsive. Indirect pulp capping(IPC) treatment plays an essential role in these cases to prevent pulpalexposure.Case Presentation: This case report describes the single visit indirect pulp therapy in mandibular molar.Patient reported with a chief complaint of food lodgement and mild intermittent pain. There was no historyof night pain and/or spontaneous pain. The clinical and radiological evaluation revealed no peri-radicularpathosis and no pulpal involvement. The tooth was examined for vitality using electric pulp test and revealedvital pulp. The treatment was done with the protocol of Single Visit Indirect Pulp therapy using light curecalcium hydroxide and cavity was disinfected with 2% chlorhexidine. Cavity was lined with Glass IonomerCement and final restoration was done using Composite resin restoration. The patient was followed up till6 months and showed satisfactory outcome eliminating the need for more invasive approach as root canaltherapy.Conclusion: Indirect pulp therapy is a safe, economical and proven treatment option in the teeth that havenot involved pulp and with sound peri-radicular tissues. The success of Indirect Pulp Capping relies onproper case selection and diagnosis, complete isolation, caries removal and disinfection with selection ofsuitable pulp capping material

Comparative removal of two antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes by the simultaneous use of chlorine and UV irradiation (UV/chlorine): Influence of free radicals on gene degradation

The research aimed to remove antibiotic resistance by the simultaneous use of UV irradiation and chlorine (UV/chlorine). The inactivations of tetracycline resistant bacteria (TRB) during chlorination, UV irradiation, and UV/chlorine was investigated and compared with those of amoxicillin resistant bacteria (AmRB). Similar examination was also conducted for comparing the removals of their resistant genes (i.e., tetM and blaTem). The removals of antibiotic resistance highly depended on chlorine doses and UV intensities. The sufficient chlorine dose (20 mg.L−1) in the chlorination and the UV/chlorine completely inactivated TRB and AmRB (>7.3 log), while the UV irradiation could not achieve the complete disinfection. Microorganisms resistant to different antibiotics exhibit different susceptibility to the disinfection processes. The removals of antibiotic resistant genes (i.e., tetM and blaTem) were more difficult than those of TRB and AmRB. The UV/chlorine was the greatest process for tetM and blaTem removals, followed by chlorination and UV irradiation, respectively. Chlorination decreased the tetM and blaTem by 0.40–1.45 log and 1.04–2.45 log, respectively. The blaTem gene was highly reactive to chlorine, compared with tetM. The UV irradiation caused the tetM and blaTem reductions by 0.32–0.91 log and 0.59–0.96 log, respectively. The UV/chlorine improved the tetM and blaTem removals by 0.98–3.20 log and 1.28–3.36 log, respectively. The •OH contributed to the fraction of tetM and blaTem removals by 48% and 19%, respectively. The effect of reactive chlorine species on the tetM and blaTem removals was minor. The pseudo 1st-order kinetic constants (k′) for tetM and blaTem removals by the UV/chlorine were highest. The •OH enhanced the k′ values by 120% and 20% for the tetM and blaTem removals, respectively. The study showed the potential use of UV/chlorine for controlling antibiotic resistance.

Pilot Study on the Use of a Laser-Structured Double Diamond Electrode (DDE) for Biofilm Removal from Dental Implant Surfaces.

No proper treatment option for peri-implantitis exists yet. Based on previous studies showing the in vitro effectiveness of electrochemical disinfection using boron-doped diamond electrodes, novel double diamond electrodes (DDE) were tested here. Using a ceramic carrier and a laser structuring process, a clinically applicable electrode array was manufactured. Roughened metal discs (n = 24) made from Ti-Zr alloy were exposed to the oral cavities of six volunteers for 24 h in order to generate biofilm. Then, biofilm removal was carried out either using plastic curettes and chlorhexidine digluconate or electrochemical disinfection. In addition, dental implants were contaminated with ex vivo multispecies biofilm and disinfected using DDE treatment. Bacterial growth and the formation of biofilm polymer were determined as outcome measures. Chemo-mechanical treatment could not eliminate bacteria from roughened surfaces, while in most cases, a massive reduction of bacteria and biofilm polymer was observed following DDE treatment. Electrochemical disinfection was charge- and time-dependent and could also not reach complete disinfection in all instances. Implant threads had no negative effect on DDE treatment. Bacteria exhibit varying resistance to electrochemical disinfection with Bacillus subtilis, Neisseria sp., Rothia mucilaginosa, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Streptococcus mitis surviving 5 min of DDE application at 6 V. Electrochemical disinfection is promising but requires further optimization with respect to charge quantity and application time in order to achieve disinfection without harming host tissue.

Dispersion, availability, and antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles during application to drinking water of the poultry

The applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as an antimicrobial agent in agriculture and animal farm products raise concerns about their fate and risk in the water environment. In this study, AgNPs dispersion in terms of aggregation and sedimentation, and antibacterial activity were analyzed in poultry farm water and compared with the similar mechanisms in de-ionized (DI) water. The analysis of farm water samples revealed that the concentrations of inorganic like chloride, fluoride, nitrate, and sulfate and total organic matter were higher than the permissible limits mainly because the water was from shallow well and untreated. The significant increased (p < 0.05) of aggregation and sedimentation of the AgNPs in the farm water was observed for different concentrations of water pollutants, as compared to DI water. The average aggregation of AgNPs in the farm water and DI water was observed 275 ± 10 and 49 nm, respectively. The mass sedimentation of AgNPs in the farm water and DI water was observed 90 ± 2 and 19 %, respectively. The optimum dose of 50 ppm AgNPs was determined through MIC test and checked for the disinfection test against total coliform bacteria in the farm water. The obtained AAS results reveal that only 10 % of 50 ppm AgNPs suspension in the farm water was efficiently utilized for complete disinfection. The conclusion points out that the high concentration of bacterial population can be dealt with the smaller dosage of AgNPs. The average size of the laboratory synthesized AgNPs was 8 nm and the synthesis route was cost effective for commercial development. Such a finding can be used to improve the delivery design for the application of disinfectants in the farm water.

Pulp Regeneration: Current Approaches, Challenges, and Novel Rejuvenating Strategies for an Aging Population

We showed the safety and efficacy of pulp regenerative therapy by the autologous transplantation of mobilized dental pulp stem cells with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in a pilot clinical study of young and middle-aged pulpectomized teeth. An experimental study in dogs further demonstrated an age-dependent decline in the amount of regenerated pulp tissue. In our society, in which people will soon live beyond 100 years, this therapy should be efficacious for contributing to the functional survival and endurance of the tooth not only for pulpectomized young teeth but also for aged teeth with periapical disease. However, there are 2 challenges: 1 is enhancing pulp regeneration in aged teeth, and another is complete disinfection before cell transplantation. Thus, this review presents trypsin pretreatment for the former and a novel irrigant, nanobubbles with antibacterial nanopolymers, for the latter, thus demonstrating potential utility for pulp regenerative therapy in aged teeth with periapical disease.

Segmenting areas of potential contamination for adaptive robotic disinfection in built environments

Mass-gathering built environments such as hospitals, schools, and airports can become hot spots for pathogen transmission and exposure. Disinfection is critical for reducing infection risks and preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases. However, cleaning and disinfection are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and health-undermining, particularly during the pandemic of the coronavirus disease in 2019. To address the challenge, a novel framework is proposed in this study to enable robotic disinfection in built environments to reduce pathogen transmission and exposure. First, a simultaneous localization and mapping technique is exploited for robot navigation in built environments. Second, a deep-learning method is developed to segment and map areas of potential contamination in three dimensions based on the object affordance concept. Third, with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, the trajectories of robotic disinfection are generated to adapt to the geometries of areas of potential contamination to ensure complete and safe disinfection. Both simulations and physical experiments were conducted to validate the proposed methods, which demonstrated the feasibility of intelligent robotic disinfection and highlighted the applicability in mass-gathering built environments.

Evaluation of beeswax coated coconut shells for packaging of set-type dahi: an Indian fermented product.

An attempt was made to develop coconut shell-based eco-friendly packaging material for the packaging of set-type dahi. Beeswax was used to improve the moisture barrier properties of coconut shell (CS). UV treatment for 60min showed complete disinfection of the coconut shell surface. The top open side of the coconut shell was sealed with aluminium foil using pectin solution as adhesive. Set-type dahi was prepared and packaged in beeswax coated CS (BCCS) and evaluated for physico-chemical, textural, sensorial and microbiological quality changes for a period of 21days at 6 ± 1°C. The rate of increase in acidity was found slower in BCCS as compared to dahi packaged in polypropylene cups (control). There was no whey separation, consequently water-holding capacity and firmness of product were better in dahi packaged in BCCS. The sensorial analysis revealed better body and texture properties for dahi packaged in BCCS. However, the flavour score of dahi packaged in BCCS decreased comparatively after 12days due to the absorption of coconut flavor by the product. These findings demonstrated the potential of coconut shell based eco-friendly packaging material for packaging set-type dahi and thereby aim to reduce the use of non-biodegradable plastics.

Preliminary Design of a Smart Wristband Disinfectant to Help in Covid-19 Fight

This concept paper describes a device consisting of a disinfectant wristband for the hands of the wearer and objects that the wearer intends to touch. This wristband can be powered automatically by the movement of the user’s hand or by solar cells or, if necessary, by a power outlet. It disinfects the surface of the hands and the objects in front of them using an ultraviolet (UV) lamp. Control and monitoring can be carried out automatically or manually, which guarantees complete and effective disinfection. The electronic control system, which is fully integrated into the UV emitter head, regulates the intensity and duration of the UV radiation and also manages the electrical energy. In addition, the wristband can be fitted with an optional watch to improve its decoration and ergonomics. The device in question has a compact, elegant, and practical shape. This hand sanitizing wristband can be an effective tool in the fight against the current COVID-19 pandemic and, in general, help to address the health challenges related to hygiene and disease prevention.

ANALYSIS OF TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SHIP POTABLE WATER SYSTEMS

The article provides an overview and analysis of all main types of potable water systems currently used on inland and mixed navigation vessels: without potable water treatment; with elements of potable water disinfection and conditioning; with complete purification and disinfection of potable water. The operation principles of potable water systems of all types and designs are considered in detail, all the advantages and disadvantages of these systems are noted. Special attention is paid to stations for preparing potable water by using UV lamps, which essentially differ in the technological process from most of the stations used, and provide guaranteed high-quality disinfection of potable water, which allows to choose the most promising station type and outline a plan for further work on creating new and improving existing stations.

A complete disinfection range for dentistry

A complete disinfection range for dentistry

A complete disinfection range for dentistry

A complete disinfection range for dentistry

P1538AN EXPERIENCE OF FORCED SHUTDOWN OF HEMODIALYSIS UNIT IN SOUTHERN INDIA DUE TO FLOODS

Abstract Background and Aims The southern state of India, Kerala was hit by the worst flood in the last century on 16.08.18, due to unprecedented monsoon rains. The Indian government had declared it a Level 3 Calamity. According to the Kerala government, over 483 people died, about a million people were evacuated. This paper describes the experience of the Hemodialysis (HD) unit at Aster Medcity, which was forcibly closed due to floods. The Nephrology department does over 1100 dialysis treatments per month and about 60 kidney transplants per year. Aim To study unexpected shutdown of hemodialysis unit and its effect on maintenance hemodialysis patients. Method This is a descriptive study of forced closure of HD unit due to floods. The sequence of events till shut down after the decision of closure has been retrospectively studied by reviewing the minutes of meetings with chief of medical services and memory recall of the Nephrology team involved in the process. Role of HD nurses during the period of flood was also studied. HD patients were interviewed and impact of floods on them was recorded, including, ability to find an alternate HD unit, any missed HD sessions, access to medicines and admissions in hospital. The characteristics of HD patients was recorded. After reopening of our HD unit, 30days assessment was done for clinical consequences including, hospitalization, infections, vascular access problems and seroconversion. Results The services of HD unit were suspended from midnight 17.08.18 to 27.08.18. The HD unit is at the ground floor of the hospital. The HD unit has 13 HD machines, which were used for 77 maintenance HD patients (Males: 55; Females: 22). The mean age was 61 ±14 years and the median dialysis vintage was 2 years. Vascular access was a catheter (tunnelled and non-tunnelled) in 19 patients, arterio-venous fistula in 57 patients and arterio-venous graft in 1 patient. Patients known to have Diabetes were 77.7%, Hypertension 91%, Coronary artery disease were 26 in number and chronic liver disease were 5. Hospital authorities decided to evacuate the hospital 24 hours before the floods hit the hospital premises. The Nephrology team comprised of 4 consultants, 6 residents, 33 dialysis nurses and technicians and a social worker. The HD unit was closed after draining the reverse osmosis (RO) plant at 10pm on 16.08.18. The lead consultant contacted potentially safe HD units in other parts of the state; willingness for accepting HD patients and the surge capacity of each HD unit was recorded. The HD patients were informed over telephone the centers they can approach and HD summary (includes diagnosis and HD details) was sent to them via e-mail. All HD patients were reminded to comply with diet restrictions and inform the shelter camp regarding the same. Accordingly, 77 HD patients were accommodated in 25 HD units. 12 dialysis nurses provided their services voluntarily at other HD units unaffected by floods. 15 HD patients were displaced from their homes due to floods. 19 HD patients missed one HD session; 5 HD patients missed two HD sessions; 1 patient missed three HD sessions. Our HD unit reopened on 27.08.18 after complete disinfection of the RO plant and servicing of HD machines by the manufacturer. All patients returned to our HD unit. In the first 30 days after floods, 3 patients were admitted to intensive care unit with fluid overload, 3 patients were admitted with respiratory tract infection, 2 patients had an AV fistula dysfunction, 3 patients developed catheter related blood stream infection. There was no seroconversion. There was no mortality in HD patients during and one month after flood. Conclusion The timely decision to suspend dialysis services played a crucial role in preparing for HD unit closure, arranging alternate HD places for patients and providing treatment summaries. However, the increase in adverse clinical consequences heralds the drop in the quality of healthcare services during natural disasters.

Performance of Stored Electrolyzed Seawater for Disinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Electrolysis of seawater has the ability to produce free chlorine (FC), sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and other oxidants which enable it to kill pathogens making it a viable disinfectant. However, the stability of this disinfectant is somewhat unpredictable during storage. This study determined the effects of storage time on the stability of electrolyzed seawater (ESW) in terms of its physicochemical properties, specifically pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and free chlorine concentration (FCC) for 83 days and evaluated its disinfection performance on Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of dilution in the disinfection was also investigated at ESW to water ratio of 1:0, 1:1, and 3:6. Pre-filtered seawater was electrolyzed at 1.5 A for 20 minutes using platinum-coated titanium mesh electrodes. The ESW was transferred to opaque high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles stored at ambient temperature without direct exposure to sunlight. The physicochemical properties of ESW at different storage times were determined, and its disinfection capability against P. aeruginosa was evaluated. This study has made use of two trials for the physicochemical test due to two different batches of seawater were taken. pH was found to increase over time, having a range of 6.32 to 7.705. The ORP and FCC, on the other hand, decreased over time. In accordance with the literature found, the pH ranges show that hypochlorous acid is the main driver of disinfection. Complete disinfection of ESW at 3:6 dilution was observed until 48 days of storage, while the 1:0 dilution was until 83 days and 1:1 dilution was until 51 days. FC decay (k=-0.1449 day−1 and k=-0.0544 day−1) was determined using Chick’s Law. Even at different dilution levels, ESW still proved its bactericidal efficacy in this research.

Эффективность метода обработки быстрыми электронами для снижения порчи растительного сырья при хранении и транспортировке

Актуальной и не до конца решенной в настоящее время является проблема снижения потерь пищевого сырья и продовольственных товаров при транспортировке и хранении, снижения качества продукции в результате заражения насекомыми и микроорганизмами, порчи продукции грызунами. Применение традиционных методов дезинфекции, дезинсекции и дератизации не всегда бывает достаточным для полного обеззараживания, а иногда и нецелесообразным, и требуется использование альтернативных способов, например воздействие электромагнитных полей различного частотного диапазона. Из всего спектра электромагнитных волн исследователи особо выделяют ионизирующее излучение, способное убивать или видоизменять клетки растений, фрагментировать ДНК. Это свойство ионизирующего излучения можно использовать для борьбы с микроорганизмами, насекомыми, гельмитами и грызунами. Настоящая работа является развитием научных идей академика РАН И.А. Рогова в области использования ионизирующих излучений для обработки сельскохозяйственного сырья и продуктов питания. В статье приведены результаты экспериментов по обработке быстрыми электронами пищевого сырья и продуктов, зараженных микроорганизмами и насекомыми. Для различных объектов исследования определены дозы воздействия, вызывающие хороший биологический эффект, но не приводящие к деструкции биополимеров. Показано, что помимо дозы, другие факторы оказывают значительное воздействие на результаты процесса обработки, например температура и физическое состояние пищи. Замораживание оказывает защитное влияние во время облучения, предупреждая образование продуктов водного радиолиза, которые образуются в результате реакции с субстратом. При нагревании эти продукты (гидроксильные радикалы) имеют тенденцию реагировать преимущественно друг с другом, а не с субстратом, так что опасность для последнего обычно уменьшается, когда производят облучение замороженной пищи. Анаэробные условия также влияют на природу радиолитических продуктов, поскольку присутствие кислорода во время облучения может генерировать высокореактивные супероксидные радикалы и пероксирадикалы и пероксид водорода. Поведен сравнительный анализ результатов действия различных доз облучения на продукты растительного и животного происхождения. Показана эффективность и экономическая целесообразность применения обработки быстрыми электронами для снижения микробиальной порчи и зараженности насекомыми пищевого сырья и продовольсвенных товаров, а также для увеличения сроков хранения продукции.

Electrochemical Disinfection of Dental Implants Experimentally Contaminated with Microorganisms as a Model for Periimplantitis.

Despite several methods having been described for disinfecting implants affected by periimplantitis, none of these are universally effective and may even alter surfaces and mechanical properties of implants. Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were fabricated from niobium wires and assembled as a single instrument for implant cleaning. Chemo-mechanical debridement and air abrasion were used as control methods. Different mono-species biofilms, formed by bacteria and yeasts, were allowed to develop in rich medium at 37 °C for three days. In addition, natural multi-species biofilms were treated. Implants were placed in silicone, polyurethane foam and bovine ribs for simulating different clinical conditions. Following treatment, the implants were rolled on blood agar plates, which were subsequently incubated at 37 °C and microbial growth was analyzed. Complete electrochemical disinfection of implant surfaces was achieved with a maximum treatment time of 20 min for Candida albicans, Candida dubliniensis, Enterococcus faecalis, Roseomonas mucosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus sanguinis, while in case of spore-forming Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis, a number of colonies appeared after BDD electrode treatment indicating an incomplete disinfection. Independent of the species tested, complete disinfection was never achieved when conventional techniques were used. During treatment with BDD electrodes, only minor changes in temperature and pH value were observed. The instrument used here requires optimization so that higher charge quantities can be applied in shorter treatment times.