TECHNICAL BULLETIN
Hydrogen Peroxide: Today’s Safer Choice for Disinfection
Situation:
Hydrogen Peroxide is arguably one of the oldest and safest antimicrobial agents and as the focus on
green and sustainable products continues, the use of hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient in cleaners and
disinfectants will increase in popularity. There is specific interest growing in Hydrogen Peroxide as an
active ingredient for disinfection, herein lays the problem. There is no novelty to formulating with
Hydrogen Peroxide when making “cleaners”; however there are significant technological challenges
when one attempts to use Hydrogen Peroxide as an active ingredient in a complex formulation with a
view to rapid disinfection, without compromising the safety and environmental profile of the resultant
formulation.
This document augments the HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCT COMPARISON CHART by providing a
detailed background on the use of hydrogen peroxide in cleaning and disinfectant products, information
on some of the inert ingredients that may be used to formulate the products and why Accelerated
Hydrogen Peroxide will surpass these new products from a cleaning, germicidal efficacy and safety
perspective.
KEY POINTS
1. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based products are the ONLY true Hydrogen
Peroxide disinfectant technology and do not require secondary actives such as
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds.
2. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based products have the safest health and safety
profile – HMIS Category Ratings of 0.
3. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based products carry Non-Food Contact
Sanitizing claims with realistic contact times.
4. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based products carry Bactericidal Disinfection
claims with faster contact times and lower concentrations of Hydrogen Peroxide.
5. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based products are effective against both
enveloped and non-enveloped viruses providing superior virucidal activity.
6. Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide-based disinfectants are proven effective as
Fungicidal and Tuberculocidal disinfectants.
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Background:
Hydrogen Peroxide is active against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, fungi,
viruses, mycobacteria and spores. Special advantages of hydrogen peroxide are that it does not produce
harmful decomposition products (i.e. it breaks down to water and oxygen); it enhances the removal of
organic material and leaves no residue. Additionally, hydrogen peroxide remains effective in the
presence of organic material. Commercially available 3% hydrogen peroxide is a stable and effective
disinfectant when used on inanimate surfaces and is also effective in spot-disinfection of fabrics,
however, contact times required for microbial activity range from 10 to 150 minutes which makes it
unrealistic for use within healthcare facilities. It is the germicidal efficacy and safety profile that makes
hydrogen peroxide of interest to Chemical Engineers that are tasked with developing new safer
alternatives for disinfecting products.
Formulation of Cleaning and Disinfecting Products:
Development of cleaning and disinfecting products requires an understanding of chemicals such as the
individual advantages or disadvantages of each chemical, how they react when mixed and how they
augment or diminish the cleaning or disinfecting properties when combined. When developing
hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners or disinfectants the understanding of these concepts is particularly
important. It is easy to develop a product that has excellent cleaning properties or excellent
disinfection properties, but it is challenging to develop a product that has both excellent cleaning
properties and disinfection properties that is safe for people to use and safe for the environment. Due
to the oxidizing properties of hydrogen peroxide there are some limitations as to the types of chemicals
that can be used when developing a new hydrogen peroxide-based formulation. Some of the more
common chemicals that may be used include: surfactants (anionic, cationic or nonionic), sequestering
agents or chelators, wetting agents, solvents (such as Glycol ethers or d-Limonene) and weak acids (such
as citric acid or phosphoric acid).
Surfactants:
Are substances that dissolve in water to give a product the ability to remove dirt from
surfaces. Each surfactant molecule has a hydrophilic (water loving) head that is attracted to water
molecules and a hydrophobic (water-hating) tail that repels water and attaches itself to soil. There are
three main classes of surfactants: Anionic, Cationic and Nonionic.
1. Anionic Surfactants in solution have a negatively charged head. This is the most widely used
type of surfactant for laundering, dishwashing liquids and shampoos because of its excellent
cleaning properties. They are generally regarded as biodegradable, non-harmful by all routes of
exposure and have low marine and animal toxicity.
2. Cationic Surfactants in solution have a positively charged head. This surfactant type is widely
used in household and industrial disinfectant and sanitizer formulations and more commonly
referred to as Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. Under strict waste treatment conditions
they can be biodegradable, but inhibit the sewage treatment organisms in conventional
processes and are regarded as highly toxic to some aquatic life forms. The most significant
environmental consideration associated with the manufacture of cationic surfactants is due to
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the carcinogenic and respiratory irritancy properties of the chemicals used during
manufacturing process.
3. Nonionic Surfactants in solution do not have an electrical charge which makes them resistant to
water hardness deactivation. They are excellent grease removers that are used in laundry
products, household cleaners and hand dishwashing liquids. The manufacturing process used
for nonionic surfactants gives rise to very little water materials and there are no co-products or
by-products generated and during water treatment biodegrades to carbon dioxide and water,
rendering it harmless to the environment. They are regarded as non-harmful by all routes of
exposure and have low marine and animal toxicity.
Chelators:
Are complexing or sequestering agents that are water-soluble between a metal ion and
are widely found in living systems and are important in cellular metabolism. The most basic function of
a chelators or sequestering agent is to tie up the hardness minerals in water so they do not interfere
with the cleaning action of the surfactants - they soften water. Some also aid in keeping soil particles in
suspension, thus assuring that cleaned surfaces remain clean, therefore, allowing the cleaner to work at
maximum efficiency. Examples of natural chelating agents include: phosphonates, organic acids (citric
acid), lipids and amino acids while examples of synthetic chelators include salicylic acid and EDTA. The
environmental and health impact will depend upon the individual chemical.
Are adjuvant or enhancing agents that help improve the effectiveness of a
Wetting Agents:
product. They help to modify the surface properties of liquids by enhancing and facilitating emulsifying,
dispersal, wetting, spreading and penetrating of liquids into soil. Anionic, Cationic and Non-ionic
surfactants are all examples of wetting agents.
Solvents are chemical substances that can dissolve, suspend or extract other materials,
Solvents:
usually without chemically changing either the solvents or the other materials. There are many kinds of
solvents with different physical and chemical properties. Solvents make it possible to process, apply,
clean, or separate materials, however, most organic solvents are flammable or highly flammable,
depending on their volatility.
1. Glycol Ethers have many uses; these include use as solvents and as an ingredient in cleaning
compounds, liquid soaps, and cosmetics. Overexposure to glycol ethers can cause anaemia (a
shortage of red blood cells), intoxication similar to the effects of alcohol, and irritation of the
eyes, nose, or skin. In laboratory animals, low-level exposure to certain glycol ethers can cause
birth defects and can damage a male's sperm and testicles. There is some evidence that
workplace exposure can reduce human sperm counts. Glycol Ethers commonly used in cleaning
and disinfecting products include:
a. 2-Butoxyethanol (Butyl Cellosolve) is also the main ingredient of many home
commercial and industrial cleaning products and solvents. In fact, is a common solvent
used in Quaternary Ammonium Compound – Alcohol disinfectant formulations. 2Butoxyethanol is readily absorbed following inhalation, oral or dermal exposure. This
chemical has moderate acute toxicity and is irritating to the eyes and skin. A risk
assessment concluded that chronic exposure could alter blood in ways associated with
haemolytic anaemia.
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b. 2-Ethoxyethanol (Ethyl Cellosolve) is widely used as a solvent in commercial and
industrial multi-purpose cleaners. Short-term exposures may irritate the eyes, nose,
and throat. Very high levels may cause dizziness, light-headedness and loss of
consciousness. Long-term effects from exposure to 2-Ethoxyethanol are possible kidney
damage, damaged blood cells, damaged testes in males, and decreased fertility in
males. 2-Ethoxyethanol has been shown to be a teratogen in animal studies, and is a
possible human teratogen.
c. Triethylene glycol is a non-volatile, and hygroscopic (capable of absorbing moisture)
liquid with high water solubility, solvent properties and reactivity with many organic
compounds. TEG is displacing diethylene glycol in many applications on account of its
lower toxicity. The main uses for TEG depend upon its hygroscopic properties. Air
conditioning systems use TEG as dehumidifiers. When volatilized, it is used as an air
disinfectant for bacteria and virus control and is also commonly found in many
consumer & pesticide products (deodorants, air fresheners, disinfectants as well as
specialty cleaning and sanitation products).
2. D-Limonene (a terpene or plant-derived hydrocarbon) is the major component of the oil
extracted from citrus rind and has becoming increasingly used in cleaning products and paint
strippers where it can be used as a straight solvent or as a water dilutable product. DLimonene and its oxidation products are skin irritants and sensitizers. Terpene cleaners are
mildly neurotoxic. They are known to cause respiratory distress and/or irritation and that
"pleasant citrus fragrance" can very quickly become nauseating. There is a controversy about
the carcinogenicity of D-Limonene. Terpenes are flammable so spraying is not recommended,
except in specially designed equipment. Terpenes are not highly volatile, but they are VOCs.
Weak Acids: The strength of an acid is related to the proportion of it which has reacted with water to
produce ions. Most organic (food) acids are weak acids. Food acids are those that are not toxic and are
found naturally in food including acetic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, carbonic acid,
Sorbic acid, etc. Moreover, due to their non-toxic nature, they will not attribute to any concerns with
toxicity.
1. Citric Acid is a weak organic acid found in citrus fruits. It is a natural preservative and also
serves as an environmentally benign cleaning agent and is effective at removing hard water
deposits and rust stains. In detergent solutions it increases the effectiveness of surfactants.
Citric Acid is recognized as safe for use in food and is naturally present in almost all forms of life.
Contact with concentrated citric acid can result in skin and eye irritation and has been shown to
damage hair by stripping hair of needed minerals and bleaching it.
2. Phosphoric Acid is a weak inorganic acid that is non-toxic and non-volatile and is commonly
used as a buffering agent in the cosmetic and skin-care industry. Food-grade phosphoric acid is
used as a flavouring agent in foods (jams, jellies, cheeses) and beverages such as colas or beer.
In the commercial and industrial industry it is used as a cleaner to remove mineral deposits and
hard water stains.
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What Differentiates Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide:
Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide (AHP) is a patented technology. The various cleaning and disinfecting
solutions are formulated by a synergy between Hydrogen Peroxide, anionic surfactants, wetting agents
and chelating agents. The ingredients are all listed on the EPA and Health Canada Inerts lists or the FDA
Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) list. Additionally, where possible the chemicals used to manufacture
AHP have 21CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) clearance as a direct or indirect food additive. This due
diligence is also in part why AHP has an unsurpassed health and safety profile. In the RTU / Use Dilution
form AHP has been proven to be non-toxic, not an eye irritant, or skin irritant (all data is on file and
available upon request). Recent Acute Inhalation Toxicity and Acute Oral Toxicity testing on a new AHP
formula have shown a LC50 greater that 2.59 mg/L and LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg respectively. As a
result, the formulation has been classified as a Category IV product that does not require precautionary
labelling. Additionally, AHP solutions are Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) free, fragrance free and
dye free for the specific reason that it is often these constituents in chemical products that are found to
cause significant health risks.
As a patented technology Virox has been able to protect all of the “safer” chemicals that may work in
synergy with Hydrogen Peroxide for development in future products. As a result, competitor companies
will have to choose chemicals that are not as safe for people or the environment in order to develop
hydrogen peroxide-based products.
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