Abstract
The onset of COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly rendered disinfectants an essential class of substances for daily use globally. The demand for different disinfectants has rapidly surged, and it is important that the users of disinfectants are aware of the chemicals present in them, their properties, and how these disinfectants were introduced for public use. The history and development of chlorine-containing disinfectants and their possible modes of action have been explained in this article. The development and current status of hypochlorite-based compounds and chlorinated phenol-based compounds as disinfectants are also discussed in detail. The article explores the pros and cons of having chlorine in disinfectants and also looks critically at the future of such disinfectants based on safety and environmental considerations.
Keywords: Chlorine, disinfectants, hypochlorites, para-chloro-meta-xylenol, benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine
Acknowledgements
A J Elias thanks DST SERB, India for their sanction of the research grant [CRG 2019/000013]. The article is published as a requirement of scientific social responsibility policy under this DST SERB project fund. Thanks are due to N D Reddy for the artwork given in this article.
Footnotes
Anil J. Elias is the Institute Chair Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi. He is also the recipient of the INSA Teacher Award by the Indian National Science Academy.
N. Dastagiri Reddy is an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Pondicherry University.
Contributor Information
N. Dastagiri Reddy, Email: ndreddy.che@pondiuni.edu.in.
Anil J. Elias, Email: elias@chemistry.iitd.ac.in
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