Comparative Study on the Sporicidal Activity of a Newly Developed and Conventional Chemical Sporicidal Agents Against Bacillus subtilis Spores

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To investigate the practical usefulness of a newly developed agent, named the KMT reagent (Kida et al., 2004), a comparative study on sporicidal activities of the KMT reagent, peracetic acid (Acecide ®), chlorine dioxide (Exspor®), hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hypochlorite against Bacillus subtilis spores prepared at 22 or 37°C was performed. The spores prepared at 37°C were more resistant than those prepared at 22°C against the agents tested, and the sporulation temperature seemed to be an important factor in the determination of sporicidal activity. Acecide ® showed the most potent sporicidal activity among the agents tested. Exspor® also showed potent activity, but its activity, like that of sodium hypochlorite, was strongly inhibited by serum as an organic substance. The sporicidal activity of the KMT reagent was not as great as that of Acecide R, but it showed almost the same activity as 15% hydrogen peroxide. The KMT reagent possesses advantages in practical use over Acecide®and Exspor ®. We think the KMT reagent might be widely applicable as a universal sporicidal agent.