Why is 70% alcohol solution a much better disinfectant than a 90% alcohol concentration? Wouldn’t a higher concentration mean better?
In: 5202
Simply put, water is required for the denaturization of proteins, which is how isopropyl alcohol works as a disinfectant.
Back in microbiology we used alcohol in various concentrations to disinfect surfaces, and then cultured
Them in petrie dishes. The 70% had the least growth.
Perhaps someone with a chemistry background could explain how this works.
90 & 99% evaporates far too fast. It’s very well suited for use on cleaning electronics, not disinfecting.
So many smart explanations. For dummy dums like me…due to water content it hangs around a bit longer so the alcohol can actually work it’s magic
Latest Answers