Surface disinfection is a common application for phenolics their actives have a BPR-sustainable future ahead of them . Choosing an active substance supplier who is prepared to support the formulator through this process with their regulatory and technical expertise can make the difference between success and failure .
Application opportunities
The good news is that several synthetic phenolic derivatives are supported as BPR active substances for disinfectant applications . These include disinfection in human and veterinary hygiene ; surface disinfection in private , public and industrial areas ; and disinfection of equipment and surfaces in food and feed areas ( Table 1 ). Consequently , products based on phenolic compounds are utilised in a wide variety of applications . Two of the most common are surface disinfection in farms and in household , industrial and institutional ( HI & I ) applications . Others include hand soaps and antimicrobial laundry detergents . The regulatory approval status is a starting point for selecting active ingredients for disinfectant formulations . The next consideration in the product development process is the performance criteria , starting with the efficacy profile .
Efficacy profile
The efficacy profile of phenolic derivatives is influenced by the substituent type , as well as the final product formulation . Generally speaking , phenolics have broadspectrum activity against bacteria , fungi , viruses ( particularly enveloped viruses , as detailed below ) and endoparasites . What makes them particularly attractive for HI & I applications is their activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis , which causes tuberculosis . Mycobacteria are much more resistant to disinfection than bacteria . Phenolic disinfectants are typically effective against this class of microorganism , unlike other , commonly used disinfectants in the healthcare environment . 3 Another advantage of phenolic derivatives for HI & I is their activity against lipophilic , enveloped viruses . 4 Particularly relevant for our times , this class of virus includes emerging influenza and respiratory-type viruses such as ‘ swine flu ’ H1N1 , as well as
human coronaviruses like SARS and SARS-CoV-2 ( COVID-19 ), and Middle East respiratory syndrome . The high degree of activity against lipophilic viruses is believed to be a consequence of denaturation and interaction with the virus envelope . 5 , 6 As such , many phenolic-based surface disinfectants are included in the US EPA ’ s ‘ List N ’ of products expected to kill SARS-CoV-2 when used according to the label directions . 7 Europe does not have an equivalent to List N ; instead the European Centre for Disease Protection & Control guidance is that products authorised as having virucidal activity under the BPR are efficacious against SARS- CoV-2 . 8 In veterinary applications , phenolicbased products are established as one of few chemistries capable of activity against endoparasites like roundworms and coccidian . These can infect the internal organs of livestock and poultry , impacting health and production performance . In 2016 , the cost of coccidiosis in chickens in the UK alone was estimated at € 116 million . 9 Healthy livestock and poultry can become infected by ingesting oocysts ‣
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