Researchers Discover an Eco-Friendly Alternative to Chloroxylenol Disinfectant
MICROBIOLOGY
9/23/2024
Chloroxylenol, a widely used disinfectant for combating various pathogenic microorganisms, poses significant environmental risks due to its high chemical stability, allowing it to persist in ecosystems and cause contamination and toxicity to aquatic organisms. In an effort to find a more environmentally friendly alternative, researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology explored a range of halo-phenolic disinfection byproducts, which share a similar chemical structure to chloroxylenol but offer greater ecological safety. Their study, published in Nature Communications in June 2024, revealed that 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone is 9 to 22 times more effective than chloroxylenol in inactivating bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Moreover, 2,6-dichloro benzoquinone exhibits significantly lower toxicity to marine polychaete embryos and rapidly degrades the environment through hydrolysis, even in the absence of sunlight. This discovery presents a highly promising and eco-friendly alternative for disinfectants, offering a solution that balances human biosecurity with environmental sustainability.
