PURUS HOCL White Paper
Covid-19, RSV, Influenza, black mold, e. coli, salmonella… viral, bacterial, and fungal outbreaks affecting the health of workers seem to be in the headlines every day. The purpose of this document is to share information regarding resources available to either respond to such incidents in your workplace or better yet, to proactively prevent such outbreaks in your facilities.
Cleaning vs. Disinfection
Cleaning is a very important aspect of industrial workplace hygiene, as it removes dirt, moisture, oils, and other unwanted contaminants that can provide nutrients and protection for viruses, bacteria and mold spores that can rapidly multiply and cause health-damaging outbreaks. However, decades of studies have shown that cleaning alone will not eliminate the viral, bacterial and fungal sources of such outbreaks. These organisms are present in the microscopic pores of surfaces and also in the air, and they can only be eliminated by the use of disinfectants which have been proven to kill these pathogenic organisms.
Choice of Disinfectants
Bleach began to be used as a disinfectant in the 1930s, and Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (“Quats”) were developed and began to be used as disinfectants in the 1950s. Over the years these two categories of surface disinfectants have become the most commonly used products even in the 2020’s. However, over the last decade, medical science has caught up to the significant deleterious effects that these two compounds can have on workers. For example, an eight-year study of 55,000 nurses in the United States showed that the use of Quats caused a 32% increase in lung disease, including COPD and cancer. A separate 20-year study showed that the continuous use of bleach and/or Quats in cleaning and disinfection had the same effect on the lungs as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Other studies have linked the use of Quats to other serious health effects, such as disruption of the endocrine system and infertility.
Thankfully, in the 2020s, our choices are not limited to using either bleach or Quat products. Recent advances in technology have led to the development of a superior alternative that is now available. PURUS offers a disinfectant product that is registered by the EPA as a Broad Spectrum, Hospital Grade Disinfectant that is proven to be 120 times more effective than bleach in eliminating viruses, bacteria and mold. The product has also been studied and approved by the EPA and CDC to be on List N, indicating its effectiveness in eliminating SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
And at the same time this product has been proven by Product Safety Labs to be completely safe on people, animals, and plants. It is so safe that the EPA has stated that “No Personal Protective Equipment is required when using this product.” The EPA has further stated that if there were a need to dispose of this product it can be “poured down the drain or used to water plants.” The only Precautionary Statement required on the EPA Label is: “Do not mix with other household chemicals.” Compare this statement with the voluminous Precautionary Statements on other cleaning and disinfecting chemicals that typically refer the user to the Poison Control Center if spilled or ingested.
How Can a Disinfectant Product Be So Safe and So Effective at the Same Time? The white blood cells of humans and all mammals produce a molecule called Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) to fight an infection that enters our body. (It is a weak acid at a near-neutral pH of 6, with acidity that is less than that found in a glass of orange juice.) This same molecule is now produced electrochemically outside of the body and is available in a bottle as a disinfectant product. This disinfectant product is made from all-natural ingredients and has been audited and certified as USDA Organic. After use in eliminating germs, the product reverts to a safe, dilute saline solution. These are the reasons why Hypochlorous Solution is so safe to use, yet is so effective in killing germs. It is truly “Nature’s Germ Killer” — proven 120 times more effective than bleach in killing germs, but with absolutely no negative health effects on people, animals, and plants.
Too Good to be True? The Proof is in the Onsite Testing
Numerous studies over the past decade and EPA-approved studies at GLP labs over the past two years have proven the facts previously stated, but the best way to prove the efficacy of the Hypochlorous Solution in your facility is to perform onsite testing. Food Processing Plants have for years used onsite ATP testing to show that food processing surfaces have been effectively disinfected to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is an enzyme that provides energy to bacterial and fungal organisms. The level of ATP present on a surface will indicate the relative cleanliness and disinfection effectiveness of a product on a surface. PURUS offers this onsite ATP testing to prove the efficacy of its disinfection services. Swab samples are taken from surfaces prior to cleaning and disinfection, and then swab samples are taken from the same surfaces after cleaning and disinfection. The ATP test results are then compared to show the level of cleaning and disinfection effectiveness that has taken place. PURUS guarantees a reduction of at least 85% in ATP test levels following our cleaning and disinfection services. Most of the time the ATP levels will show a >95% reduction in ATP levels, depending on the porosity of the surface that is tested.
The Cleaning and Disinfection Process
First, surfaces are cleaned using standard janitorial procedures and techniques using cleaning agents that are compatible with Hypochlorous Acid. After the cleaning is completed, all water-safe surfaces are then fogged with EPA-Registered Hypochlorous Solution. The fogging process emits 20-micron water particles into the air and onto the surfaces, enabling the surfaces to be damp, but not wet, in order to contact and kill viruses, bacteria, and mold that are present in the microscopic pores of the surfaces. Following fogging, the surfaces can be allowed to air dry or can be wiped down, at the option of the client.
ATP Swab Testing “Before” and “After” cleaning and disinfection have taken place and are analyzed onsite with results submitted to client management. Readings are monitored over time and any unusual deviations or spikes in ATP concentrations are reported and evaluated with appropriate remedial recommendations to client management.
Frequency of Cleaning and Disinfection
Cleaning will continue to be provided on a daily basis, to meet both the hygienic and aesthetic requirements of the facility.
Disinfection fogging may be performed on a reactive basis, after an outbreak of Covid-19, RSV, influenza, black mold, or even the common cold has been identified at the facility. Simply contact PURUS and a disinfection crew will be deployed to perform the fogging service to assure the elimination of the offending pathogen from the facility surfaces.
A more practical and cost-effective approach is to perform the disinfection fogging proactively, to prevent the outbreak of any disease at the facility. Typically such disinfection fogging would be provided weekly, with the ATP data gathered from the weekly fogging service providing the data feedback that informs whether the disinfection frequency should be increased or could be decreased. For example, in the winter months, the disinfection frequency is likely to be increased and then decreased in the summer months when the viral and bacterial health threats are reduced. Depending on the intensity of use of the facilities, we have had some clients that have increased the fogging frequency to daily to assure the safety of their workforce during critical periods of activity (e.g. warehouses needing their staff available to meet shipment deadlines in December).
Advantages of Adding Disinfection Fogging to Your Cleaning Regimen
In summary, the advantages of adding Disinfection Fogging to your cleaning regimen in the Covid-19 era are:
Protection of the workforce from the health effects of both pathogens and the side effects of other toxic cleaning and disinfection chemicals.
Reduction or elimination of “headline event” outbreaks of viral, bacterial, or fungal infection.
Reduced levels of sickness and absenteeism (proven by data from other clients).
Some clients have reported a reduction in insurance premiums by eliminating the presence and use of toxic chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection.
For More Information
For more information regarding any of the facts shared in this summary, or to schedule an onsite demonstration of disinfection fogging and ATP testing at your facility, please contact PURUS at