Question

QUESTION 7 Based on the following phenol coefficients, which disinfectant appears to be the most effective at killing and/or inhibiting! Gram + bacteria? phenol coefficent phenol coefficent disinfectant S. epidermidis E.coli Lysol 6.3 6.3 Formalin Hydrogen peroxide 8.2 Chloramine ethyl alchohol 5.2 1.4

Based on the following phenol coefficients, which disinfectant appears to be the most wffective at killing or inhibiting gram + bacteria?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Phenol coefficient is a measure of disinfection power of a bactericidal solution in relation to phenol. A phenol coefficient that is greater than 1 indicates that the disinfectant is strong and more effective than phenol. In contrast, a phenol coefficient that is lesser than 1 indicates that the disinfectant is less effective than phenol.

Here, S.epidermidis is gram positive bacterium and E.coli is gram negative. Therefore, for S. epidermidis, hydrogen peroxide is more effective (8.2) eventhough Lysol is equally effective for both.