Electrolyzed Water Reduces Hospital Bacteria in Lab Tests
The bactericidal effects of electrolyzed oxidizing water on bacterial strains involved in hospital infections
Research hubs: Immune 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
- Nina V. Vorobjeva, Lena I. Vorobjeva, Evgenij Y. Khodjaev
- Journal
- Artificial Organs
- Year
- 2003
- PMID
- 15153153
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 70 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Russia
TL;DR
Electrolyzed water quickly kills common hospital infection-causing bacteria, but more research is needed before it can be used in medical settings.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed oxidizing water killed most common hospital-acquired bacteria within 30 seconds in laboratory tests, though bacterial spores required 5 minutes for complete inactivation.
Summary
Researchers tested electrolyzed oxidizing water—water treated with electricity to create a disinfectant—against ten types of bacteria commonly found in hospital infections. When bacteria were exposed to this treated water in a lab dish, most bacterial strains were killed within 30 seconds, though some hardy bacterial spores took 5 minutes to die. The study suggests this water treatment could potentially be useful as a hospital disinfectant, but more testing in real clinical settings is needed before it could be used on patients.
Practical Takeaway
This is a laboratory study of electrolyzed water as a disinfectant for hospital surfaces and equipment, not a study of hydrogen water for human consumption. The findings do not apply to drinking hydrogen water or any health benefits for people. Clinical testing would be needed before this disinfectant could be used in hospitals.
Abstract (excerpt)
The study is designed to investigate bactericidal actions of electrolyzed oxidizing water on hospital infections. Ten of the most common opportunistic pathogens are used for this study. Cultures are inoculated in 4.5 mL of electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water or 4.5 mL of sterile deionized water…