Solutions for Disinfecting

 ITW Texwipe is a manufacturer of cleanroom consumable products, which are used in the environment which one addresses the levels of potential contamination's and respective contaminants when working in bio medical, pharmaceutical or microelectronics. (please see attached Texwipe Solutions Brochure)

Since there has been much recent news about viruses and bacteria contamination, especially Ebola,  we thought it would be timely and of interest to relate the types of cleanroom products and how they address "disinfecting".  Disinfection reduces the number of viable microorganisms.  When instruments are used inside the body, the disinfectant is not enough, the instruments should be sterilized.  Sterilization kills viable microorganisms.

For the sterilization of the instruments (like surgical instruments) sterilants are used.   The sterilants are the high concentration of Hydrogen peroxide solutions (35%) and Aldehides (like formaldehyde).  These solutions are not used for the surface disinfection because they are very corrosive and toxic for people.  The instruments are soaked in the sterilant for the time marked on the sterilant label (may be several hours).

Texwipe offers cleaning and disinfecting solutions for use in laboratories and cleanrooms:

Alcohol (70% IPA and 70% Ethanol, Texwipe has both solutions),

Sterile Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)
Sterile 70% Isopropanol contains 70% by volume USP-grade Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) and 30% USP-purified water.  Texwipre provides a fully assembled, ready-to-use applicator/container no unpacking, handling or attachment of a separate spray head is required. The solution is 0.2 submicron filtered, filled into cleaned containers, double-bagged and gamma-irradiated. Each bottle is lot coded with an expiration date for easy recordkeeping. IPA may be used for general surface cleaning, for residue removing and for the wipe down for pass-through to controlled environments.

These alcohols are rapidly bactericidal rather than bacteriostatic against vegetative forms of bacteria; they also are tuberculocidal, fungicidal, and virucidal but do not destroy bacterial spores.

Customers can choose a stream delivery (for precise application) or course spray to apply solution to larger areas, available in 4 convenient sizes:

• • 8 oz. Trigger Spray (TX8270)
  • 16 oz. Trigger Spray (TX3270)
  • 32 oz. Trigger Spray (TX3273)
  • 1 gallon Bulk Container (TX3290)

"World literature says Alcohol (ethanol) was examined against a variety of microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa was killed in 10 seconds by all concentrations of ethanol from 30% to 100% (v/v), and Serratiamarcescens, E, coli and Salmonella typhosa were killed in 10 seconds by all concentrations of ethanol from 40% to 100%. Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) is slightly more bactericidal than ethyl alcohol for E. coli and S. aureus 489.*"  * ^{Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008" CDC.GOV}

Chlorine compounds( Texwipe Bru-Clean TbC)

In general, "Hypochlorites are the most widely used of the chlorine disinfectants. They are available as liquid or solid (e.g calcium hypochlorite). The most prevalent chlorine products in the United States are aqueous solutions of 5.25%–6.15% sodium hypochlorite, usually called household bleach. They have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, do not leave toxic residues, are unaffected by water hardness, are inexpensive and fast acting, remove dried or fixed organisms and biofilms from surfaces, and have a low incidence of serious toxicity.*"

Texwipe offers Bru-Clean TbC, a bleach substitute in a premeasured tablet form, 270 tablets per bottle. Bru-Clean TbC is an EPA-registered bactericidal disinfectant, with 32 kill claims.

It is less corrosive and has less odor than liquid bleach.  The disinfecting solution is made at the point of use just by adding one Bru-Clean tablet per one gallon of water.

Bru-Clean has the kill claims against non-enveloped viruses like Poliovirus type 1, Hepatitis A Virus, 2 types of Parvovirus, Norovirus and, according to EPA and Center for Disease Control(CDC) guidance, may be recommended for the disinfection of hard, non-porous surfaces infected with non-enveloped and enveloped viruses (to what Ebola virus belongs to).

(please see attached data sheet)

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (TexQ Disinfectant from Texwipe),

The quaternaries commonly are used in ordinary environmental sanitation of noncritical surfaces, such as floors, furniture, and walls.

The bactericidal action of the quaternaries has been attributed to the inactivation of energy-producing enzymes, denaturation of essential cell proteins, and disruption of the cell membrane.

Texwipe offers TexQ® Disinfectant, the latest generation ofquaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), EPAregistered one-step cleaner and disinfectant.  It is effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria,viruses and fungi, and inhibits the growth of mold and mildew and their odors when used as directed. TexQ has 61 kill claims, is gamma-irradiated and is free of dies and fragrances.

(please see attached data sheet)

Peroxides

The peroxide class of disinfectants kills bacteria , viruses and fungi (see the product label for the specific germ).   Some Hydrogen peroxide solutions may additionally kill the spores (you have to look at the product label and make sure they have the spore kill claim).

"Hydrogen peroxide works by producing destructive hydroxyl free radicals that can attack membrane lipids, DNA, and other essential cell components.  Catalase, produced by aerobic organisms and facultative anaerobes that possess cytochrome systems, can protect cells from metabolically produced hydrogen peroxide by degrading hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen.  This defense is overwhelmed by the concentrations used for disinfection.*"

Texwipe offers ready-to-use 4% and 7.5% peroxide cleaning solutions from 3% to 7.5%,  Texwipe has TexP 4% and 7.5%.  This product is recommended for general cleaning and residue removal purposes in the environments where VOC and flammability are the concern.  They have no VOCs, are not flammable and are available in convenient 16 oz spray bottles forsmall areas and 1 gallon bottles for large areas.

(Please see attached data sheets)

Texwipe recommends using the appropriate disinfectants with the appropriate concentrations for the cleanroom disinfection.  Texwipe gamma-irradiates their products (like wipes, mops covers, swabs, solutions) to kill all possible contamination that may be in the product components (like in the empty bottles, inside the nozzle, in the wipe fabric etc), to make them compliant with the sterile environment requirements.

The gamma-irradiation is also used for the sterilization of instruments. You may use the disinfectants for the instruments' disinfection but you would need to sterilize them after that (if the instrument goes into the body) using a sterilant or gamma-irradiation.

Texwipe of course provides, wipers, swabs and mops which aremade of different types of woven and non-woven fibers to meet different customer's needs. The company also offers 70% IPA prewetted wipers.

Texwipe also manufactures TOC validation swabs that are used for validation which are used for sampling the surfaces for  identifying any residues of TOC (Total Organic Carbons) which are found after the surface disinfection.

TOC components may be found in every living (organic) organism.  Viruses are not considered live organisms, however, they have DNA and proteins, which contain the carbon.  After the disinfection, some amount of TOC may be still found on the surface.  It may be as a result of:

1. carbon left after bacteria, viruses and fungi killed during the disinfection (these are the parts of their cell walls, nucleus, etc)
2. as a component of the disinfectant agent (for ex, disinfectants, containing peracedic acid in their formulation)

Texwipe'sTOC kit (TX3340) is used for the Total Organic Carbon determination during the cleaning validation procedure.  The surface should be disinfected with a disinfectant, then, the residue should be removed with 70% IPA, and then, a TOC swab is used to sample the surface.

(Please see attached data sheet)

Dalatec is proud to be one of Texwipes authorized distributors and is happy to provide support in providing your needed consumable cleanroom products.

(please see attached Texwipe Solutions Brochure)

We thank Laura Taraban, Texwipe Businenss Development Manager, for her assistance in writing this blog.