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Review
. 2021 Apr 14;26(8):2276.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26082276.

Biocide Use in the Antimicrobial Era: A Review

Imogen Anne Jones  1 , Lovleen Tina Joshi  1
Affiliations
Review

Biocide Use in the Antimicrobial Era: A Review

Imogen Anne Jones et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Biocides are widely used in healthcare and industry to control infections and microbial contamination. Ineffectual disinfection of surfaces and inappropriate use of biocides can result in the survival of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses on inanimate surfaces, often contributing to the transmission of infectious agents. Biocidal disinfectants employ varying modes of action to kill microorganisms, ranging from oxidization to solubilizing lipids. This review considers the main biocides used within healthcare and industry environments and highlights their modes of action, efficacy and relevance to disinfection of pathogenic bacteria. This information is vital for rational use and development of biocides in an era where microorganisms are becoming resistant to chemical antimicrobial agents.

Keywords: antibiotic; antimicrobial; bacteria; biocides; chemical; disinfection; resistance; surfaces; transmission.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The bactericidal process by quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) disinfectants. The hydrophobic alkyl chains of the QAC salt interact with the phospholipid bilayer. This increases membrane permeability and induces the release of autolytic enzymes, resulting in bacterial cell lysis (adapted from [12,13]).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Molecular structure of common biocides in this review. The general structures of (a) QACs (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds), (b) polyhexamethylene biguanides (PHMB), (c) sodium hypochlorite, (d) hypochlorous acid, (e) hydrogen peroxide and (f) ozone are depicted.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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