Antimicrobial Efficacy of a New Organic Acid Anionic Surfactant Against Various Bacterial Strains.

The surface sanitizing properties of a buffered organic acid anionic surfactant (BOAAS) was compared with six traditional sanitizers (organic chlorine - 100 ppm, two iodophors - 25 ppm, peroxyacetic acid - 483 ppm, acid anionic - 230 ppm, and a quaternary ammonium compound - 150 ppm) in its ability to reduce Staphylococcus aureus on an inoculated Formica surface. In the absence of organic material, the traditional sanitizers were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from water in reducing S. aureus at time 0. whereas ≥ 1.2% of the BOAAS reduced a significantly greater (P < 0.05) number of bacteria. When compared with water over 60 min, only the BOAAS significantly reduced (P < 0.05) S. aureus cells. Sixty minutes after exposure, a 1.75% concentration of the BOAAS was > 100× more effective than organic chlorine. Overall, the organic material reduced the effectiveness of the traditional sanitizers and BOAAS. In the presence of 0.5% protein, BOAAS levels ≥ 0.6% significantly (P < 0.05) reduced more S. aureus cells than the quaternary ammonium sanitizer immediately after application. BOAAS concentrations ≥ 0.6% were significantly (P < 0.05) more effective in reducing S. aureus during a 60 min exposure than the organic chlorine sanitizer. In a separate efficacy study, a BOAAS concentration of 0.6% killed >5 logs of S. aureus , Salmonella typhimurium , Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes cells after 30 s exposure.