IONTOPHORESIS AND CHLORIDE-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS - PARAMETERS REQUIREDFOR KILLING

Fungi, and gram-positive and gram-negative organisms were susceptible to iontophoretic killing in simple media. Iontophoresis did not depend on electrode type but did require chloride-containing compounds in th e medium. All organisms could be killed efficiently if chloride-contai ning compounds (for example sodium chloride and calcium chloride) were present in physiological concentrations. Effectiveness of iontophoret ic killing could be reduced by nonphysiologically elevated concentrati ons of other substances (for example creatinine and albumin). The data suggest that iontophoresis should function well in urine, since chlor ide-containing compounds are present in adequate concentrations even i f some naturally occurring compounds, such as creatinine or albumin, a re elevated.