Abstract
Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) with pH 5.0-6.5, which is produced by electrolyzing diluted hydrochloric acid, has been used as both a sanitizer against foodborne pathogens on fresh foods and a skin disinfectant. However, with the chloride concentration available at present (10-30 ppm), SAEW has been reported to be unable to eliminate Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis. In the present study, we investigated damage in mammalian cells after incubation with a medium containing SAEW with various chloride concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm) using crystal violet or trypan blue staining. Only slight damage to mammalian cells was observed with chloride concentrations of 25-75 ppm, but with a concentration of 100 ppm, severe damage was seen. Taken together, these findings suggest that SAEW has a small effect on the skin at chloride concentrations up to 75 ppm.
