Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: paul.fr on 01/12/2008 07:51:59

Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: paul.fr on 01/12/2008 07:51:59: What is it about bleach that kills germs, and just how does it do it?
Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: blakestyger on 01/12/2008 11:10:46: Bleach specifically contains chlorine and hypochlorites that act by oxidising the cell membrane. [xx(]
Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: neilep on 01/12/2008 12:50:47: I still want to know what the 0.01% that cleaners do not kill !..when they claim to kill 99.99%

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=5961.0
Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: blakestyger on 01/12/2008 13:03:00: Imagine a manufacturer testing his product, or even an independent lab doing it. What's the probabilty of them finding one or two 'germs' that either got away or were introduced later? - pretty high I should think. It would be foolhardy of any manufacturer to claim 100% elimination - so they cover themselves. I think it unlikely that there are any supergerms able to reproduce happily in an environment of thick bleach, but where dilution occurs around the edges of the area some may escape.
It's all about credible claims rather than super-resistant life forms.
Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: johnson039 on 01/12/2008 14:01:59: the hypochlorite ions give free oxygen atom which will eliminate the germs or bacteria
Title: How does household bleach kill germs?
Post by: Bored chemist on 01/12/2008 18:19:59: Among the possible reactions is the Hoffman degradation of the proteins in the cell.

Since all life (that we know of) involves proteins the claim that bleach kills all known germs is pretty safe- of ccourse there may be questions about how much bleach and how quickly.