A. Salle, A. S. Lazarus
Oct 1, 1935
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Journal
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
Abstract
Iodine trichloride (ICl3) was first introduced as a germicide by von Langenbach. 1 It was described as a powerful disinfectant and recommended for the sterilization of hands, instruments and other surgical uses. According to Hailer 2 the chemical is stable in concentrated solutions. In less concentrated solutions the iodine trichloride decomposes into iodine mono-chloride, iodic acid and hydrochloric acid, according to the equation, 2 ICl3 + 3 H2O → HIO3 + ICl + 5 HCl. In more dilute solutions the iodine monochloride decomposes to form iodic acid, free iodine and hydrochloric acid, 10 ICl + 6 H2O → 2 HIO3 + 8 I + 10 HCl. The effectiveness of the compound is due probably to the amount of free iodine liberated. In the first paper of this series 3 methods were described for comparing the resistance of bacteria and embryonic chick heart tissue to germicidal compounds. A Staphylococcus aureus phenol coefficient and a toxicity index were determined for each germicide tested. The highest dilution of phenol required to kill Staphylococcus aureus in 10 minutes but not in 5 minutes was 1:65. For iodine trichloride it was 1:6,000. This gave iodine trichloride a Staphylococcus aureus phenol coefficient of 92 by the method of Reddish. Rideal and Rideal 1 reported that a concentration of 50 parts per million was required to destroy typhoid bacilli in 30 minutes. A saturated aqueous solution showed a phenol coefficient of 94. The activity of the compound was found to be only slightly impaired by the addition of albumin or salts. Behring 4 stated that iodine trichloride was a powerful disinfectant. He found that a 0.1% solution killed vegetative cells in one minute and a 1% solution destroyed spores within a few minutes.