Antimicrobial effects of bleaching agents Part 1: Studies on Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 and Enterococcus faecium ATCC 6057

In low temperature washing processes (i.e. <40<degrees>C) inactivation of m icroorganisms cannot be achieved solely by temperature effects as in 60 deg reesC-processes. Many detergents, however, contain bleaching systems which inactivate microorganisms by oxidation thus resulting in adequate hygiene e ven at lower temperatures. In this study the bacterial efficacy of bleaching agents (sodium perborate monohydrate, sodium percarbonate) and a bleaching activator (TAED) was exam ined using the standard suspension test method with selected bacteria (Entc . faecium, E, coli). The effect of pH on the biocidal efficiency of bleachi ng agents was also tested. The results showed that bleaching agents in concentrations as used in deter gents can significantly contribute to the inactivation of faecal bacteria e ven at low temperatures and that the efficacy of the bleaching agents is co nsiderably affected by other parameters such as pH-conditions and soiling.