Electrolyzed Water Shows Promise as Safe Hospital Disinfectant
- Authors
- Pianpian Yan, Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri, Deog-Hwan Oh
- Journal
- Microorganisms
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.3390/microorganisms9010136
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- South Korea
- Health Condition
- Hospital-Acquired Infections
- Body System
- Integumentary
TL;DR
Scientists found that electrolyzed water—basically salt water that's been electrically charged—works great as a cheap, safe disinfectant that kills germs and could be super useful in hospitals and for wound healing. This matters because it's easy to make on the spot, won't hurt people or the environment, and could replace expensive cleaning products we use now.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed water shows promise as a broad-spectrum disinfectant with antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties that could be applied in hospitals, wound care, and dental clinics.
Summary
This review article examines electrolyzed water (EW)—a disinfectant created by passing electricity through salt water—and its potential uses in hospitals and medical settings. The authors summarize existing research showing that electrolyzed water can kill bacteria and prevent biofilm formation (slimy bacterial coatings), and suggest it may be useful for wound care, dental work, and hospital disinfection. However, this is a review of other studies, not a new research study with its own results.
Practical Takeaway
This is a review article summarizing existing research rather than a new clinical study, so it does not provide direct evidence about electrolyzed water's effectiveness. The authors note that further clinical studies are needed to establish standardized protocols. Anyone interested in electrolyzed water for health purposes should note that this review focuses on its use as a disinfectant and cleaner, not as a consumable product like hydrogen water.
Abstract
As the situation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still deteriorating, there has been a huge increase in the demand and use of disinfectants. Electrolyzed water (EW), as a novel broad-spectrum disinfectant and cleaner, has been widely used for several years. EW can be produced in an electrolysis chamber which contains dilute salt and tap water. It is an effective antimicrobial and antibiofilm agent, with several advantages such as on-the-spot, cheap, environmentally friendly and safe for human beings. Therefore, EW holds potential significance for high-risk settings in hospitals and other clinical facilities. EW can also be applied for wound healing, advanced tissue care, and dental clinics. The present review article highlights the latest developments and new perspectives of EW, especially in clinical fields. Furthermore, the main action modes of antibiofilm and antimicrobial will be summarized.