Evaluation of the microbial reduction efficacy and perception of use of an ozonized water spray disinfection technology.

The development of new approaches for the decontamination of surfaces is important to deal with the processes related to exposure to contaminated surfaces. Therefore, was evaluated the efficacy of a disinfection technology using ozonized water (0.7-0.9 ppm of O3) on the surfaces of garments and accessories of volunteers, aiming to reduce the spread of microbial pathogens in the workplace and community. A Log10 microbial reduction of 1.72-2.40 was observed between the surfaces tested. The microbial reductions remained above 60% on most surfaces, and this indicated that the disinfection technology was effective in microbial log reduction regardless of the type of transport used by the volunteers and/or their respective work activities. In association with the evaluation of efficacy, the analysis of the perception of use (approval percentage of 92.45%) was fundamental to consider this technology as an alternative for use as a protective barrier, in conjunction with other preventive measures against microbiological infections, allowing us to contribute to the availability of proven effective devices against the spread of infectious agents in the environment.

Ozonized Water in Microbial Control: Analysis of the Stability, In Vitro Biocidal Potential, and Cytotoxicity.

O3 dissolved in water (or ozonized water) has been considered a potent antimicrobial agent, and this study aimed to test this through microbiological and in vitro assays. The stability of O3 was accessed following modifications of the physicochemical parameters of water, such as the temperature and pH, with or without buffering. Three concentrations of O3 (0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 ppm) dissolved in water were tested against different microorganisms, and an analysis of the cytotoxic effects was also conducted using the human ear fibroblast cell line (Hfib). Under the physicochemical conditions of 4 °C and pH 5, O3 remained the most stable and concentrated compared to pH 7 and water at 25 °C. Exposure to ozonized water resulted in high mortality rates for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. Scanning electron micrograph images indicate that the effects on osmotic stability due to cell wall lysis might be one of the killing mechanisms of ozonized water. The biocidal agent was biocompatible and presented no cytotoxic effect against Hfib cells. Therefore, due to its cytocompatibility and biocidal action, ozonized water can be considered a viable alternative for microbial control, being possible, for example, its use in disinfection processes.