Developing stabilized electrolytes solutions for disinfecting and antimicrobial applications

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The most common disinfectants and cleaning agents used in medical applications are solutions comprised of sodium (or calcium) hypochlorite (i.e. bleach). On their own in aqueous solution, hypochlorites are generally unstable. In fact, under neutral or acidic conditions, in the presence of metal ions, or upon heating, hypochlorite can be hydrolyzed into hypochlorous acid, which quickly degrades into a mixture of chlorine, oxygen and other chlorates (as insoluble precipitates). Because of this instability, disinfecting solutions of diluted bleach are usually prepared fresh daily; both impractical and costly. However, one of the methods used to stabilize hypochlorite is to add basic water-soluble inorganic compounds. Pharmax Ltd. has been approached by some major players in the healthcare space, with the request to produce and deliver disinfecting/cleaning solutions for dialysis equipment. Dialysis equipment is particularly challenging to clean effectively owing to the tubing diameter, flow rates and mixed materials used in the machinery (plastics, metal, etc.). To this end, this research is focused on the development of a new bleach formulation that long term stability and reduced cost, when compared to other healthcare products on the market.