Bactericidal activity of chloroxylenol in aqueous solutions of cetomacrogol

Abstract

The bactericidal activity of chloroxylenol in water and in solutions of the non-ionic surface-active agent cetomacrogol is shown to be related to the degree of saturation of the system, expressed as a Saturation Ratio, which is the ratio of the amount of chloroxylenol present to its solubility. A saturated solution of chloroxylenol in water is shown to have the same bactericidal activity as saturated surfactant solutions containing up to 100 times as much chloroxylenol. It is apparent that bactericidal activity depends on the amount of chloroxylenol in the true aqueous “phase” and not the total amount present. The bactericidal activity of undersaturated solutions of chloroxylenol in cetomacrogol falls markedly as the Saturation Ratio is reduced. This is attributed to a change in the distribution of chloroxylenol in favour of the micelles where it is apparently without bactericidal activity.