Electrolyzed Water Reduced Harmful Bacteria in Lab Tests
Slightly acidic electrolyzed water disrupts biofilms and effectively disinfects Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Research hubs: Immune System · Respiratory System
This research was done on cells or tissue in a lab, not in people or animals.
- Evidence type
- Laboratory study (cells or tissue)
- Authors
- Takashi Okanda, Ryo Takahashi, Tomoko Ehara, Kiyofumi Ohkusu, Nobuhiko Furuya, Tetsuya Matsumoto
- Journal
- Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 30782428
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 40 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Japan
TL;DR
Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is an effective and safe disinfectant for breaking down and killing bacteria in stubborn biofilms on surfaces and medical instruments.
Key Finding
Slightly acidic electrolyzed water at 30 ppm concentration completely eliminated Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and achieved up to 99.9% reduction in biofilm material within minutes at room temperature.
Summary
Researchers tested a special type of water called slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) to see if it could break down and kill biofilms—sticky layers of bacteria that form on medical equipment and hospital surfaces. They found that SAEW at low concentrations effectively destroyed biofilms made by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, removing up to 99.9% of the biofilm material and completely killing the bacteria, even at room temperature.
Practical Takeaway
This laboratory study suggests SAEW may be useful for disinfecting medical equipment and hospital surfaces, but the research was conducted in controlled lab conditions only—not in real-world hospital settings or in humans. More research would be needed to determine if these results translate to practical clinical applications.
Abstract (excerpt)
Introduction: Biofilm formation is an important issue in the healthcare industry, but conventional disinfectants are not effective for biofilms formed in the hospital environment and on medical instruments. In this study, aim at determine the effectiveness of slightly acidic electrolyzed water…