Did you know that in addition to its disinfection and sterilization properties, hypochlorous acid disinfectant has so many powerful functions?
Today we will explain them in detail for you.
Sterilization function
The most basic and main function of hypochlorous acid
The main function of hypochlorous acid is disinfection and sterilization. It is the core bactericidal substance of the human immune system – one of the effective bactericidal substances produced by neutrophils in the white blood cells of human blood.
When bacteria invade the human body or the epidermis is damaged, white blood cells will begin to fight against foreign bacteria and viruses. At this time, white blood cells will secrete hypochlorous acid to specifically destroy the cell walls of bacteria and viruses, making it impossible for bacteria and viruses to survive.
Since the cell membrane surface of microorganisms is negatively charged, hypochlorite ( ClO- , which is negatively charged) cannot easily enter the cell. Hypochlorous acid ( HClO ) is a neutral small molecule that can penetrate the cell membrane, enter the cell, and react with the DNA and mitochondria inside the cell, causing its death.
Fresh-keeping function
Extension of the sterilization function of hypochlorous acid
Fruits and vegetables are the main components of the Chinese diet. They are rich in vitamins, inorganic salts and dietary fiber necessary for the human body, and contain very little protein and fat. Due to the relatively backward processing technology, the loss of fresh food in my country is very serious due to rot. Post-harvest storage and preservation has become an urgent problem to be solved.
Fruit and vegetable spoilage forms:
Post-harvest physiological spoilage – After harvesting, fruits and vegetables release ethylene due to water transpiration, which promotes chloroplast disintegration and tissue cell membrane decline, resulting in reduced storage stability and disease resistance. The free radical chain reaction caused by the destruction of the dynamic balance of active oxygen reduces the preventive effect of fruits and vegetables on microbial infection, causing them to rot and deteriorate, shortening their storage life.
Spoilage caused by microorganisms – Fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients and are prone to breeding microorganisms. Usually manifested as mildew, rancidity, fermentation, softening, decay, swelling, gas production, discoloration, etc.
Chemical spoilage – When the chemical components inside fruits and vegetables react chemically with oxygen, water and other substances, it will cause product quality problems such as color change, taste change, softening, and vitamin loss.
Non-electrolyte weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water can solve this problem very well. Studies have shown that weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water not only has a preservation effect on fruits and vegetables, but also has a good preservation effect on livestock and poultry products and aquatic products, and can also ensure the stability of their quality indicators.
It can achieve the purpose of preservation through soaking, spraying, etc., because hypochlorous acid water can effectively kill or control pathogenic microorganisms on the surface or inside fruits and vegetables, and can regulate the respiratory metabolism of fruits and vegetables after harvest.
Deodorizing function
Hypochlorous acid can decompose a variety of odor molecules has an excellent deodorizing effect on odors such as ammonia ( similar to the smell of urine ), dimethyl disulfide (similar to the smell of rotten cabbage), and propionic acid (a pungent smell with sour, sweet and burnt flavors).
At the same time, it also performs amazingly in removing odors such as trimethylamine (similar to the smell of rotten fish), butyric acid (sweat odor), hydrogen sulfide (similar to the smell of rotten eggs), and valeric acid (the smell of wet socks).
Formaldehyde removal function
Hypochlorous acid can oxidatively decompose formaldehyde
Formaldehyde, as the most harmful gas to humans, is known as the “killer” in indoor places, especially in newly renovated homes, which seriously endangers people’s health, especially the health of children, pregnant women and the elderly. The reasons are:
- When formaldehyde lurks in the volatile source, it cannot be controlled, and simple blockade will inevitably cause formaldehyde rebound.
- Formaldehyde is a harmful gas with the longest volatilization period, which can last as long as 10-15 years. The importance of continuous formaldehyde removal has been ignored.
Hypochlorous acid ( HClO ) is a highly oxidizing substance. When it comes into contact with formaldehyde, it has the ability to decompose formaldehyde, but the concentration and pH value (between 5 and 7, weakly acidic hypochlorous acid) are two important indicators. Since slightly acidic hypochlorous acid disinfectant is completely non-toxic and harmless to humans and animals, it can be atomized without the need to evacuate personnel. Atomizing hypochlorous acid into the air can not only eliminate free formaldehyde in the air, but also eliminate microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses, achieving a dynamic air disinfection effect.
Chemical equation for the decomposition of formaldehyde by hypochlorous acid
HCHO (formaldehyde) + HClO = HCOOH (formic acid) + HCl HCOOH + HClO = CO2↑ + H2O + HCl
When you decorate or purchase new furniture and supplies, you might as well try spraying them with hypochlorous acid to eliminate formaldehyde and protect the health of you and your family.
The data showed that when hypochlorous acid water was used for atomization for 10 minutes, the formaldehyde concentration in the 0.8m³ incubator dropped from 0.95ppm to 0.21ppm, with a decrease rate of 77.9%.
When the formaldehyde concentration reaches the critical value of the standard, the formaldehyde concentration decreases slowly as time goes by. It takes about 6 minutes to drop from 0.11ppm to 0.07ppm.
Promotes wound healing
An ideal wound care agent
Wound healing is a physiological process in which multiple cytokines and growth factors participate in the coordinated action of each other, involving cell biology such as cell movement, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation.
The principle of hypochlorous acid promoting wound healing is the release of new ecological oxygen [O]. Hypochlorous acid decomposes to form new ecological oxygen [O]. The extremely strong oxidizing property of new ecological oxygen denatures the proteins on bacteria and viruses, thereby killing the pathogenic microorganisms.
Hypochlorous acid can act on cell walls and virus shells during the sterilization and virus killing process . Moreover, because hypochlorous acid molecules are small and uncharged, they can also penetrate into bacteria ( viruses) and interact with bacterial ( virus) body proteins and nucleic acids. , and oxidation reactions occur with organic polymers such as enzymes, thereby killing pathogenic microorganisms.
The chloride ions produced by hypochlorous acid can also significantly change the osmotic pressure of bacteria and virions , causing their cells to lose their activity and die.
stable HOCl solution, as an ideal wound care solution, has a strong and rapid killing effect on different types of microorganisms, biofilms, and bacteria in biofilms. Secondly, it has a dose-dependent beneficial effect on fibroblast and keratinocyte migration.
HOCl is produced by white blood cells during an oxidative burst:
A chlorine oxide compound ; a known antimicrobial agent; has healing properties.
At the same time, relevant studies have shown that 0.01% hypochlorous acid solution can increase the number of new capillaries in the granulation tissue of rat wounds and the level of fibroblasts in the granulation tissue of rat wounds, which can provide a basis for clinical use. These characteristics make HOCl solution an ideal wound care agent.
Anti-itching function
Hypochlorous acid reduces itching and inflammation in the body
One study found that treatment with HOCl hydrogel prevented the development of skin lesions and scratching. When administered after lesions were fully developed, HOCl reduced lesions and scratching behavior to a similar extent as the positive control betamethasone dipropionate 0.1% ointment .
HOCl was demonstrated by reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in affected skin tissues of NC/Nga mice . Furthermore, HOCl significantly reduced IL-12 production in mBMDC . Attenuated scratching behavior was confirmed by impaired responses to several pruritus agents excised from dorsal root ganglion neurons of NC/Nga mice at the end of the study.
These data indicate that HOCl directly reduces sensory responses, thereby significantly reducing itching and inflammation in the body.
Pesticide replacement function
Hypochlorous acid can prevent crop diseases
Weakly acidic hypochlorous acid water can replace or partially replace chemical pesticides for the prevention and control of crop diseases. It can not only greatly reduce the use of chemical pesticides, but also has great advantages in terms of safety of use, convenience of operation and economy.
Professor Li Lite’s research group at China Agricultural University was the first in China to conduct research on the use of electrolyzed water in the prevention and control of crop diseases . From 2003 to 2009, the research group’s research showed that acidic electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water has a good preventive and control effect on diseases such as cucumber powdery mildew, grape anthracnose, tomato leaf mold and wheat stripe rust.
In 2003, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan designated hypochlorous acid water (limited to that obtained by electrolysis of hydrochloric acid or potassium chloride aqueous solution) as a specific pesticide.
Growth promoting function
Hypochlorous acid promotes plant growth
Hypochlorous acid water also shows a significant growth-promoting effect when watering plants. On the one hand, this effect is because hypochlorous acid water activates many mineral elements in the soil, thereby promoting the growth, development and metabolism of plants; on the other hand, it is because it inhibits the occurrence of soil-borne diseases.
The molecular groups of this treated water become smaller, which is more conducive to water metabolism and achieves the purpose of promoting growth. Its growth-promoting effects are multifaceted.
However, the growth-promoting effect of hypochlorous acid water on plants is still unclear, and there may be differences between different crops, which requires further in-depth research.
Removal of aflatoxin
The oxidizing power of hypochlorous acid
Aflatoxin is produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus . Among aflatoxins, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most toxic and carcinogenic.
AFB1 has a wide distribution range, including animal and plant foods, grain and oil foods, such as peanuts, rice, wheat, corn, meat, beans, nuts, milk and dairy products, and aquatic products. Among them, peanuts and corn are the most seriously contaminated. Therefore, all countries attach great importance to the problem of aflatoxin infection and toxin B1 contamination in agricultural products, food and feed.
In 1993, AFB1 was classified as a Class 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency. It is the most toxic natural poison known to date. After entering the human body, it remains most in the liver (5 to 15 times more than other tissues and organs), so it causes the most damage to the liver and can induce liver cancer.
Combined with NMR analysis, the unknown product was confirmed to be 8-chloro-9-hydroxy-Aflatoxin B1 (8-Cl-9-OH-AFB1), an organic molecule with amphiphilic properties .
The safety study results of the product showed that the product was non-mutagenic, with an IC50 value of about 150 mmol/L, and was non-toxic to cells. The safety of using acidic electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water to remove AFB1 was clarified, providing a safe and effective new way to remove AFB1 pollution with good application prospects.
Mite removal function
Hypochlorous acid can kill mites
Mites are microscopic pests that are not easily visible to the naked eye. The most common ones are dust mites, flour mites, demodectes , scabies, etc. Sometimes you may have rough skin, itchy rashes, acne , increased dandruff, rosacea, red bloodshot … In fact, these may not be because your skin is bad, but because there are too many mites in your home!
Surveys show that about 97% of adults are infected with mites, with dust mites being the main species. The bodies, secretions and excretions of dust mites are all allergens that can cause disease. They breed in carpets, sofas, stuffed toys, quilts, cushions, mattresses and pillow cores, feed on human sweat, secretions and shed skin dandruff, and reproduce very quickly.
If not removed in time, the mites will cause trouble collectively . According to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention , the proportion of asthma and allergic rhinitis caused by mites is as high as 91.6%!
Since hypochlorous acid water is highly safe, alcohol-free and non-irritating, and has been tested to be non-toxic to the oral cavity, it can even be sprayed in the mouth for deodorization and sterilization, because it immediately decomposes into water after spraying it on objects for disinfection and sterilization. Laboratory studies have shown that using it to remove surface mites can achieve a sterilization rate of 99.999% and will not cause secondary chemical allergies to the human body.
Hypochlorous acid not only effectively kills Demodex nymphs, as well as Lipobacillus and Staphylococcus aureus living on the eyelids and in the gut of Demodex mites, but HOCl also neutralizes inflammatory toxins released by mites and bacteria.
With the advancement of science, technology and technology, I believe that hypochlorous acid water can be combined with more auxiliary equipment or auxiliary technologies to play a greater role.