ABSTRACT
The antimicrobial properties of magnesium monoperoxyphthalate hexahydrate (MMPP), which is a stable, water-soluble solid peroxyacid, have been investigated. A 2% (w/w) solution of MMPP rapidly kills yeasts and vegetative bacteria and slowly inactivates bacterial endospores at 22 degrees C. Biocidal activity, which is greater under mildly acidic conditions, is retained in the presence of organic contamination or hard water. Sporicidal action is greatly increased by a moderate rise in temperature or by using MMPP in combination with propan-2-ol. Such mixtures appear to be suitable for use as liquid chemical sterilants.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Peroxides/pharmacology , Phthalic Acids , 1-Propanol/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Bacteria/drug effects , Candida albicans/drug effects , Spores, Bacterial/drug effectsABSTRACT
The antimicrobial properties of aqueous solutions of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide have been compared. Peracetic acid exhibited excellent antimicrobial properties, especially under acidic conditions. Reductions by a factor of 10(6) in the numbers of vegetative bacteria are obtained within 1 min at 25 degrees C using a solution containing 1.3 mmol/l of peracetic acid. Rapid activity against bacterial spores and yeasts also occurs. Hydrogen peroxide is more effective as a sporicide than as a bactericide, with sporicidal action being obtained using a solution containing 0.88 mol/l. Bactericidal action is poor but hydrogen peroxide was bacteriostatic at concentrations above 0.15 mmol/l.
Subject(s)
Acetates/pharmacology , Bacteria/drug effects , Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology , Peracetic Acid/pharmacology , Saccharomyces/drug effects , Spores, Bacterial/drug effects , Enterococcus faecalis/drug effects , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Klebsiella pneumoniae/drug effects , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/drug effects , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/drug effects , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effectsABSTRACT
The accumulation of copper by 137 strains of bacteria, 47 moulds and 14 yeasts, isolated from contaminated environments or obtained from culture collections, has been investigated with a view to obtaining a strain suitable for removing dissolved copper from effluents. The criteria sought were a relatively high uptake of copper together with an ability to grow without a lag and without any marked increase in the doubling time when exposed to moderately high concentrations of the metal. Organisms isolated from sites known to be contaminated with copper has low uptakes, the best strain, subsequently identified as a strain of Escherichia coli, being obtained from a site contaminated with cadmium, chromium and zinc.
