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. 2020 May 24;1(2):e16. doi: 10.1002/viw2.16

TABLE 3.

Comparison/summary table for virus review in suspension tests without organic load

Class Sanitizing agent Safety Application settings Advantages/Disadvantages Concentration (%) Virus Exposure time Reduction of activity (log10) * OR Reduction of virus titer (%) OR PFU/ml× Temperature (oC) Ref
Alcohols Ethyl alcohol Safe, non‐irritant Hospital and home settings, personal hygiene

Pros: broad‐spectrum and non‐staining

Cons: flammable, requires specific concentration range to be effective

 70.0 Poliovirus (Sabin 1an) 1 min 0.4 37 39 ]
70.0 Murine Norovirus (CW3) 1 min >3.6 ‐ 137
70.0 Murine Norovirus (CW3) 5 min >3.6 ‐ 137
70.0 Feline Calicivirus (F9) 1 min 0.5±0.6 ‐ 137
70.0 Feline Calicivirus (F9) 5 min 2.6±0.3 ‐ 137
70.0 Human immunodeficient virus (HIV) ‐ I 1 min >5.50 R.T. 138
70.0 Influenza A (H1N1) 1 min ≥4.84 20 139
60.0 Vaccinia virus strain Lister Elstree (ATCC VR‐1549) 1 min ≥4.38 ± 0.37 20 ‐ 22 140
60.0 Modified vaccinia Ankara strain 1 min ≥5.40 ± 0.36 20 ‐ 22 140
70.0 Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) ‐ 3.92 ‐ 40
70.0 Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) ‐ 3.19 ‐ 40
Isopropyl alcohol Safe, non‐irritant Hospital and home settings, personal hygiene

Pros: broad‐spectrum and non‐staining

Cons: only inactivates lipid viruses, flammable, requires specific concentration range to be effective,

 70.0 Murine Norovirus (CW3) 1 min 2.6±0.3 R.T. 137
70.0 Murine Norovirus (CW3) 5 min >2.6 R.T. 137
70.0 Feline Calicivirus (F9) 1 min 0.1±0.1 R.T. 137
70.0 Feline Calicivirus (F9) 5 min 0.2±0.2 R.T. 137
60.0 Vaccinia virus strain Lister Elstree (ATCC VR‐1549) 1 min ≥4.38 ± 0.37 20 ‐ 22 140
60.0 Modified vaccinia Ankara strain 1 min ≥5.40 ± 0.36 20 ‐ 22 140
Cationic Surfactants – Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Benzalkonium chloride Generally safe Hospital, industrial, household disinfectants Odorless, colorless, and non‐caustic. Requires warmer temperatures and longer reaction time. Virucidal activity reduced by the presence of contaminating organic matter. 0.2 Human Adenovirus 1 min 0.25 R.T. 22
0.2 Herpes Simplex virus 1 min >4.51 R.T. 22
0.2 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 1 min >1.87 R.T. 22
0.2 Poliovirus 1 min 0.12 R.T. 22
0.2 Human Coxsackie virus 1 min >5.12 R.T. 22
0.2 Human Coronavirus 1 min 0.0 R.T. 22
0.2 Human Coronavirus ATCC VR‐759 (Strain OC43) 10 min 0.0 R.T. 22
0.05 Murine Hepatitis Virus (Strains MHV‐2 and MHV‐N) 10 min >3.7 23 9
0.05 Canine coronavirus (Strain 1–71) 10 min >3.7 23 9
>0.05 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min 99% 23 ‐ 25 44a
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 3 1 h 5.02 ± 1.57 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 4 1 h 2.94± 0.80 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 5 (Isolate MC) 1 h 5.27 ± 0.73 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 5 (Isolate MA) 1 h 3.65 ± 1.04 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 7a 1 h 3.71 ± 1.87 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 8 (Isolate ED) 1 h 1.80 ± 1.12 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 8 (Isolate CR) 1h 1.01 ± 0.50 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 19/64 1 h 3.66 ± 1.46 33 42
0.1 Human Adenovirus Type 37 1 h 4.23 ± 0.21 33 42
0.025 Equine herpesvirus type 1 1 h 99% 23 ‐ 25 44a
0.0125 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min 99% 23 ‐ 25 44a
0.00175 Canine coronavirus (Strain S378) 3 days 3.0 37 9
Didecyldimethyl ammonium chloride Generally safe Hospital, industrial, household disinfectants Odorless, colorless, and non‐caustic. Requires warmer temperatures and longer reaction time. Virucidal effects unaffected by organic load. 0.0025 Canine coronavirus (Strain S378) 3 days >4.0 37 9
0.01 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min > 99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
0.02 Equine herpesvirus type 1 5 min > 99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
>0.02 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min > 99.99% 0 46
Mono; bis (tri‐methyl ammonium methylene chloride)‐alkyl (C9‐15) toluene Generally safe Hospital, industrial, household disinfectants Odorless, colorless, and non‐caustic. Requires warmer temperatures and longer reaction time. Virucidal effects unaffected by organic load. 0.02 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min > 99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
>0.02 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min > 99.99% 0 46
Anionic Surfactants Sodium linear alkylbenzene sulfonate Generally safe Usually used as a foaming agent in kitchen detergents for routine cleaning Low cost. Virucidal effects reduced by organic load. Sensitive to water hardness. 0.0125 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10 min >99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
0.025 Equine herpesvirus type 1 5 min >99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
>0.05 Equine herpesvirus type 1 1 min >99.99% 23 ‐ 25 46
0.05 Equine herpesvirus type 1 10min >99.99% 0 46
Non‐ionic Surfactants Nonylphenoxy‐polyethoxy ethanol (Nonoxynol‐9) High cytotoxicity Mostly used as emulsifiers High cytotoxicity and spermicidal, dilutions by >500 times required 0.01 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 1 1 min <500× 37 44
0.01 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 2 1 min <500× 37 44
p‐ diisobutylphenoxy‐polyethoxy ethanol (Triton X‐100) High cytotoxicity Mostly used as emulsifiers High cytotoxicity and spermicidal, dilutions by >500 times required 0.002 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 1 1 min <500× 37 44
0.002 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 2 1 min <500× 37 44
Sorbitan monolaurate (Span‐20) Lower cytotoxicity as compared to amide or ester bearing non‐ionic surfactants Mostly used as emulsifiers Lower cytotoxicity, formulation can be used without dilution 1 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 1 1 min 8.8*106 × 37 44
1 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 2 1 min 6.1*105 × 37 44
Polysorbate‐20 (Tween‐20) Lower cytotoxicity as compared to amide or ester bearing non‐ionic surfactants Mostly used as emulsifiers Lower cytotoxicity, formulation can be used without dilution 1 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 1 1 min 4.3*106 × 37 44
1 Herpes Simplex Viruses ‐ 2 1 min 5.4*105 × 37 44
Halogenated compounds Povidone‐iodine Generally safe, long‐term exposure can affect thyroid function and Hospitals, disinfecting handwashes, oral washes Long‐lasting slow release of iodine, fast acting, more effective than many other disinfectants. 0.23 Influenza A subtype H1N1 15 s 5.67 ± 0.43 20.0 141
0.023 Influenza A subtype H1N1 15 s 4.50 ± 0.54 20.0 141
0.23 SARS‐CoV 15 s 4.60 ± 0.80 20.0 141
0.23 MERS‐CoV 15 s 4.40 ± 0.79 20.0 141
0.23 Rotavirus strain Wa 15 s ≥ 4.67 ± 0.42 20.0 141
8 Vaccinia strain Elstree Belgium 30 s ≥ 4.21 ‐ 101
8 Adenovirus Type 5 3 min ≥ 4.63 ‐ 101
8 Polyomavirus SV40 Strain 777 30 s ≥ 4.29 ‐ 101
8 Poliovirus Type 1 60 min ≥ 4.93 ‐ 101
Chlorohexidine digluconate Low skin irritability, safe, good skin persistence Handwashes, mouthwashes and oral gels, disinfectants in hospitals 142 Ineffective against non‐enveloped viruses. Less potent and slower‐acting than povidone‐iodine 0.02 Murine hepatitis virus 10 min 0.7 – 0.8 23 143
0.12 Herpes‐simplex virus Type 1 30 s 97 % A.T. 108
0.12 Cytomegalovirus strain AD169 30 s > 99.7 % A.T. 108
0.12 Influenza A 1 min > 98 % A.T. 108
0.12 Parainfluenza Type 3 15 min 99 % A.T. 108
0.12 Hepatitis B virus 15 min 99 % A.T. 108
Chloroxylenol Generally safe Household disinfectants, cleaning of hospital surgical equipment Can cause skin irritation, highly toxic to aquatic organisms 0.24 Herpes‐simplex virus Type 1 1 min > 4.60 20 22
0.24 HIV‐1 1 min > 2.37 20 22
Aldehydes Formaldehyde Carcinogenic and irritant. Needs to be used in a well‐ventilated area. Preservative, hostpital disinfecting agent

Pros: wide‐spectrum activity

Cons: Pungent, hazardous to health

 0.7 Murine hepatitis virus 10 min > 3.45 23 143
0.7 SARS‐CoV isolate FFM‐1 2 min ≥ 3.0 A.T. 144
1.0 SARS‐CoV isolate FFM‐1 2 min ≥ 3.0 A.T. 144
2.0 Vaccinia virus (ATTC VR‐1536) 2 h 4.9 4 114
4.0 Vaccinia virus (ATTC VR‐1536) 3 h 8.2 25 114
2.0 Human adenovirus Type 5 1 h > 5.0 25 114
Glutaraldehyde irritant. Needs to be used in a well‐ventilated area. Clinical settings only, not suitable for household disinfection

Pros: broad spectrum

Cons: hazardous to health, deactivates by polymerization in alkaline media with time

 0.5 SARS‐CoV isolate FFM‐1 2 min > 5.0 A.T. 144
0.1 Poliovirus Type 1 30 min > 3.0 25 124
0.1 Poliovirus Type 1 40 min 4.0 25 124
0.05 Poliovirus Type 1 60 min 3.0 25 124
0.02 Hepatitis A strain CF53 30 min 3.0 23 123
0.1 Echovirus Type 25 JV‐4 5 min > 2.0 25 145
Oxidising compounds Sodium hypochlorite

Non‐flammable. Irritation to mucous membranes at high concentrations. Low incidence of serious toxicity.

Toxic chlorine gas produced when mixed with acid

 Cleaning and disinfection in hospitals, removing blood stain contamination

Pros: Broad spectrum, no toxic residues, fast‐acting

Cons: Corrosive to metals at high concentrations, Decreased activity in the presence of organic matter

 0.01 HIV‐1 30s 3.75 20 82
0.016 Norwalk virus 30s 5.0 ‐ 77
0.005 HIV‐1 2 min ∼3‐4 25 83
0.005 Murine norovirus 3 1 min ∼2 ‐ 73
0.001 PA01 bacteriophage F116 30s >4.0 25 24
Sodium dichloroisocyanurate ‐ ‐

Pros: Broad‐spectrum, fast‐acting, long shelf life, easy to ship

Cons: Strong smell, Some decrease in activity in the presence of organic matter,

 0.005 HIV‐1 2 min ∼3‐4 25 83
Hydrogen peroxide inflammation due to insufficient rinsing Disinfecting medical equipment

Pros: Broad‐spectrum, stable

Cons: Slower acting

 0.1 Feline calicivirus F9 (norovirus) 15 min >3 20 90
Peracetic acid ‐ ‐

Pros: Fast acting, leaves no residue, still effective in organic matter

Cons: corrodes metals, unstable

 0.0085 Murine norovirus 3 1 min ∼3 ‐ 73

Abbreviations: AT, unspecified ambient temperature; RT, room temperature.

*

Values given as log10 reduction factors unless otherwise specified.