2016 Volume 31 Issue 5 Pages 314-318
Sodium hypochlorite is used as hospital disinfectant, but quality assurance is not usually performed. We measured the chlorine concentration in diluted hypochlorite solutions made from the original solutions (including 6% sodium hypochlorite) by a simple colorimetric method and compared the findings with the calculated concentration. Twenty samples from 19 wards were used and the factors affecting the concentrations were examined. The samples ranged in chlorine concentration from zero to 800 ppm, and 17 measurements were lower than the calculated values. Two samples were diluted by the incorrect methods, and the original solution used in one ward had chlorine concentration lower than 6%. The chlorine concentration may be affected by the incorrect method for dilution and incorrect storage conditions. Therefore, we recommend standard methods to store and dilute the hypochlorite solutions throughout the hospital. The colorimetric method is simple and inexpensive to measure chlorine concentration, and can be easily applied to disinfectant validation and stewardship.
