Examination on disinfection efficacy and toxicity of Yangchi compound iodine disinfectant

Objective To study the disinfection efficacy and toxicity of Yangchi compound iodine disinfectant which mainly contains complex compound of iodine and chlorhexidine acetate. Methods Soaking quantitative germicidal test for cloth carrier, influence test for organic substances, stability test and a series of toxicological tests were done. Results Laboratory examinations showed that the diluted solution with available iodine either 20 mg/L or 40 mg/L could kill 99.90% of Echerichia coli, Staphylococcus aureu and Candida albicans on cloth carrier with 5 minutes contact. Either 25% or 50% organic substances had no influence on germicidal efficacy of its solution containing available iodine 20 mg/L on S.aureus. The content of available iodine of the sealed sample decreased by 7.78% after stored for 9 months (from June to March in the next year) at room temperature. LD 50 of the disinfectant more than 20 g/kg body weight proved it was an actual nontoxic agent. It had weak accumulative toxicity to mice. The result of the bone marrow micronucleus test in mice was negative and the acute skin irritation test and the eye irritation test in rabbit showed that it had no irritation. Swabbing arm's skin with its solution containing available iodine 400 mg/L could eliminate 99.01% of natural bacteria after 1 minute contact and the residual bacterial counts were 0～3 CFU/cm 2. Conclusions It is showed that Yangchi compound iodine disinfectant has good germicidal efficacy with toxicological safety and it can be used for skin and mucosa disinfection.