Antibacterials have become a “strong weapon” of public confidence in the daily practice of protecting health and protection against pathogens. However, many people are caught in an error zone where the antibacterial effects of antibacterial agents are considered to have a simple linear relationship to the concentration, and the higher the concentration, the better, the greater the error. Today, let us lift the veil of this misconception and find the truth about the use of anti-bacterial agents.
There are a wide variety of antibacterials on the market, and the principles of action vary. Alcoholic antibacterial agents, which are known to degenerate bacterial proteins, are commonly used in the medical use of alcohol for skin disinfection, while chlorine-containing antibacterial agents are used to break through the cytowalls, cellular membranes of bacteria by means of strong oxidation, as in the case of chlorine disinfectant in public places. In people ‘ s intuitive perception, it appears that increasing the concentrations of antibacterial agents can multiply the bactericide capacity and make the fungi invisible.
But that is far from it. First, there is a “critical concentration” of many antibacterial agents, the antibacterial effects of which do not increase with higher concentrations when concentrations reach a certain level. In the case of alcohol, 70% – 75% of the concentration is the best. This is because excessive concentrations of alcohol allow bacterial surface proteins to condensate rapidly and form a strong “protective film”, instead preventing further penetration of alcohol into the bacteria, affecting the destruction of critical structures and leading to a significant loss of microbicide. In the pursuit of high concentrations and the use of waterless alcohol to disinfect skins, it is not only an undesirable bactericide but may also cause skin irritation due to excessive dehydration, leading to discomfort, irritation, etc.
Second, antibacterial agents with high concentrations may pose additional risks. Some of the chlorine-containing antibacterial agents, such as sodium hypochlorate solution, in high concentrations, volatilized chlorine gas can cause strong irritation to humans ‘ respiratory tracts, eyes, symptoms such as coughing, tears, breathing difficulties, long-term exposure and even damage to lung function. Moreover, high levels of use are prone to environmental residues, contaminating water sources, soils and undermining ecological balance. When a family cleans up a pool, if a large amount of chlorine-containing disinfectant is dropped blindly, chlorine residues can turn the pool water into a “health killer” and threaten the health of the swimmer.
Moreover, from the point of view of bacterial resistance, the long-term abuse of highly concentrated antibacterial agents is undoubtedly “self-drilling”. High concentrations of the environment exert significant survival pressure on bacteria, prompting the bacteria to accelerate their evolution and produce resistance mechanisms. Some bacteria activate special genes, alter membranes, prevent antibacterial agents from entering cells; or synthesize special enzymes, decompose antibacterial ingredients. In the long run, when faced with these resistant bacteria, conventional concentrations of antibacterial agents have failed and have to be treated with more toxic and expensive drugs, in a vicious circle.
In the real life scene, this misdemeanor is no less harmful. In order to obtain complete cleaning, the homewife has overbreeded her dishes, using antibacterial washing, not only to damage the surface coating of her food, but also to expose her family to long-term exposure to residual antibacterial agents, which endangers her health. Hospital cleaning staff may cause deterioration in the air quality of the wards and may even cause occupational illness among medical personnel if they mistakenly believe that high levels of disinfection are more rapid and better.
Scientific principles are required for the correct use of antibacterial agents. A careful reading of the product instructions is strictly based on the recommended concentrations, such as 70 – 75 per cent alcohol for disinfection of skin, and the clean object surface selects the appropriate chlorine disinfectant concentration based on the level of contamination. At the same time, in the context of other health measures, hand-washing and air-conditioning are carried out to create a healthy environment.
The antibacterials are in no way as high as possible, breaking this misconception and using them rationally so that they can truly be good helpers for health, rather than hidden “health killers”.
