High-Level of Disinfection

  • High-level disinfection kills all micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) except bacterial spores
  • When to Use
    • Use on Semi-critical items
    • Items that come into contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes but do not penetrate them

Active Ingredients for this high level disinfectant

  • 1:50 chlorine bleach solution
  • 1 part bleach and 49 parts water
  • 1,000 ppm (parts per million)

Immersion Contact Times (Approximate)

  • 20 minutes

Advantages

  • Inexpensive
  • Fast acting

Disadvantages

  • Corrodes metal
  • With prolonged soaking, may destroy adhesives

Active Ingredient of this high level disinfectant

  • 6% hydrogen peroxide

Immersion Contact Times (Approximate)

  • 45 minutes
  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions

Advantages

  • Not corrosive
  • Environmentally friendly
  • No residue

Disadvantages

  • Oxidizing properties may be destructive to some equipment (brass, zinc, copper and nickel/ silver)

Active ingredient of this high level disinfectant

7% stabilized hydrogen peroxide

Immersion Contact Times (Approximate)

  • 30 minutes
  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions

Advantages

  • Environmentally friendly
  • No residual irritant to skin or to respiratory tract

Disadvantages

  • Oxidizing properties may be destructive to some equipment (brass, zinc, copper and nickel/ silver)

Active Ingredient of this high level disinfectant

  • 0.55% ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA)

Immersion Contact Times (Approximate)

  • 10 minutes
  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions

Advantages

  • Environmentally friendly
  • Fast Acting
  • No mixing needed

Disadvantages

  • Stains unprotected skin

Related Information

Print Versions Available Upon Request in the Following Languages

For a copy of this document in the following languages, please email us at BodySafe@toronto.ca

  • 中文 / Chinese
  • 한국어 / Korean
  • Tiếng Việt / Vietnamese